Govt floats tender for electric trains

Dar es Salaam. Reli Assets Holding Company Limited (Rahco) has floated a tender for the supply of electric trains to be used on the standard gauge railway (SGR) which is currently in the early stages of construction.

The invitation for pre-qualification advertised in newspapers last week follows the general procurement notice for the project that appeared on the tender portal of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) and Rahco on September 9.

Rahco is seeking the supply, testing and commissioning of 14 electric locomotives for freight trains and five electric multiple units (EMU). An EMU is an electric passenger train that has self-propelled carriages which use electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages.

Rahco is also looking for the supply of three electric locomotives for departmental trains, 15 first class coaches and 45 economy class coaches.

According to the tender notice, the government, through Rahco, has already set aside funds in the financial year 2017/18 for the purchase of the rolling stock.

“It is intended that part of the proceeds of the funds would be used to cover eligible payment under the contract for supply, testing, commissioning and training of rolling stock for SGR railway system to operate in the Tanzania central railway corridor,” reads part of the advertisement announcing the tender.

Rahco is also seeking the supply of two diesel locomotives for freight trains, 600 flat wagons, 500 box wagons, 200 oil tankers, 50 bulk wagons, 70 gondola wagons, 50 ballast hoppers and 50 double stack container wagons.

According to the notice, the pre-qualification will be conducted through international competitive tendering procedures as set out in the Public Procurement Act No.7 of 2011 as amended in 2016, the public procurement regulation 2013 as amended in 2016.

The deadline for the bids is January 30, the notice says.

In the bid, Rahco is also seeking for the supply of rail cutting machines, tamping machines, ballast regulators, track measuring cars, torque wrench machines, inspection motor trolleys and heavy motor trolleys.

Construction of the SGR started last April after President John Magufuli laid the foundation stone for the 205-kilometre section between Dar es Salaam and Morogoro. The section is being constructed by a consortium comprising the Turkish construction group Yapi Merkezi and Mota-Engil of Portugal.

The SGR is expected to run from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza on the shores of Lake Victoria and Kigoma on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. The plan is to extend the railway to Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda.