Norway, Sweden – Railway freight wagons – 6-axle flat freight railway wagons for heavy load

Bane NOR SF, the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency and the Swedish Armed Forces (the “Procuring Parties”) have identified a need to enhance military transport capacity for both military and civilian utilization in Norway and Sweden. The Procuring Parties are therefore conducting a joint tender pursuant to Article 39 of Directive 2014/24/EU, implemented in Norwegian law through the Norwegian Public Procurement Regulation of 12/08/2016 no. 97, section 29-2 (“Joint Tender”), for delivery of 6-axle flat freight railway wagons for heavy load as described in Annex 1 Requirement Specification(“Wagons”). Bane NOR is appointed as the “Lead Procuring Party”, and the Joint Tender will result in a framework agreement with one supplier. The Framework Agreement includes delivery of standard flat freight railway wagons with adjustments, and spare parts. The maximum scope for the Joint Tender is 120 Wagons, with an estimated maximum value on 40 million EURO. Bane NOR will conduct a Call-Off Order comprising 10 Wagons subsequent to contract signing. Additional deliveries pursuant to the Framework Agreement are subject to the Procuring Parties’ call off. The duration of the Framework Agreement is 4 years with 2 years options twice, i.e., 8 years in total. The Supplier is responsible for the availability of spare parts during the expected lifetime of the Wagons (at least for 25 years). The Procuring Parties shall have a right to purchase spare parts from the Supplier, but not an obligation. Length of the Framework Agreement (8 years): The production of these wagons will entail investment costs for the selected supplier. The Wagons must be specially adapted to Nordic climatic conditions and meet the requirements for transport on European railway infrastructure and meet NATO-requirements. The wagons normally have a lifespan for more than 25 years. To simplify maintenance and logistics with respect to spare parts etc., it is highly advantageous to establish larger fleets of wagons that utilize identical components and spare parts. An eight-year contract term will ensure a fleet of wagons where maintenance and delivery of spare parts can be executed in an efficient way and with consistent replacement of spare parts. Furthermore, one must also take into account that the security political situation may change rapidly, making security of supply all the more important. An eight-year contract term is therefore considered necessary to ensure the objective of the framework agreement and to fulfil the Parties' needs, especially the Norwegian Armed Forces and the Swedish Armed Forces. Security of supply is paramount. The purpose of the contract is to enhance transport capacity for both military and civilian utilization in Norway and Sweden. The wagons may therefore have an important role with respect to transport of military equipment, and it is therefore very important to ensure a stable delivery of wagons, but also security of supply with respect to spare parts, which is significantly easier if a lager fleet of identical wagons is established.