Prasa begins fleet renewal bid evaluation proces

[John Ashworth]

Prasa begins evaluation process as it receives seven bids

Engineering News
By: Irma Venter
1st October 2012

State-owned commuter-rail utility Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) confirmed on Monday that a total of seven companies and consortia had submitted bids to build and supply modern commuter trains, to be delivered over a 20-year period from 2015.

The bids were submitted in line with a request for proposals, which was issued on April 19 and closed on September 30.

Prasa confirmed that the following companies and/or consortia had made submissions: CAF, of Spain; Bombadier, of Canada; China South Rail; China North Rail; Gibela Rail Transportation, which is a French consortium comprising Alstom and Actom; Dudula Rail, a consortium comprising ABB South Africa and Stagler of Switzerland; and CSR/Wictra, consortium comprising CSR, of China, and Wictra of South Africa.

Prasa said it would “immediately begin” with the evaluation of the proposals from rolling stock manufacturers, adding that it anticipated “appointing the preferred bidder by the end of November”.

Prasa’s 20-year fleet renewal programme was a R123-billion project to manufacture and supply 7 224 new commuter coaches to the Metrorail commuter service. Around R14.5-billion would also be spent on infrastructure upgrades and the construction of new depots.

Prasa CEO Tshepo Lucky Montana said at the launch of the process that bidders would have to adhere to government’s set localisation target of 65%.

The preferred bidder would be required to set up a factory and supply chain in South Africa, employ local people and transfer skills to Prasa.

“The project will not only change the focus of public transport in South Africa to rail, but it also is the largest project of its kind in the country, with the potential to create 65 000 jobs over the next 20 years and revive the local failing rail engineering sector,” Montana noted.

The current timeline stated that the first trains were expected to arrive between July and December 2015.