An almost three-year tender process, initiated in February 2016, to secure additional train sets for the Gautrain system, has failed to deliver the desired results, with none of the three short-listed bidders producing a compliant bid.

However, the Gautrain system remains in need of additional rolling stock owing to congestion, especially during peak periods, and the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) and the Bombela Concession Company (BCC) will continue exploring options to obtain new train sets, the GMA tells Engineering News Online.

“At this stage the method and timing of procurement is not known.”

The BCC operates the Gautrain system on behalf of the Gauteng provincial government. The GMA is a provincial government authority.

The BCC, acting in terms of the concession agreement with the Gauteng provincial government, in 2016 initiated a procurement process for the acquisition of twelve additional four-car rolling stock sets, as well as the expansion of the existing depot capacity for the Gautrain system.

Three bidders were pre-qualified, namely Bombardier Transport, CRRC E-Loco (Supply) and the Egoli Rail Consortium.
 
The procurement process concluded with the submission of final proposals in October, last year. 

“Of the three pre-qualified bidders, two did not submit any bid, with the submitted bid not meeting all the minimum requirements set in the tender," says the GMA.

Teams of legal, technical, financial and economic development experts completed their evaluation of the bid in early December. 

However, the outcome of the evaluation was that no compliant bid was received, and that no preferred bidder will be appointed in the multibillion-rand project.

The GMA says the tender issued contained minimum requirements in technical, financial, legal and socioeconomic development categories, as well as statutory compliance requirements that are part of South African supply chain management.