ETCS fitment for VR-Group Plc's Rolling stock / Invitation to participate

The European Train Control System (ETCS) is a part of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) which is a European signalling and speed control system that ensures interoperability of the national railway systems. The goal of this procurement is to retrofit VR-Group Plc’s (later “purchaser” or “VR” or “contracting entity”) rolling stock with the ETCS system. The scope of the contract is a complete ETCS system including STM (Specific Transmission Module) and FRMCS (Future Railway Mobile Communication System) for the purchaser’s rolling stock, including all necessary components. The rolling stock to which the ETCS system is installed is specified in more detail below and in Annex 1 of this contract notice (Preliminary description of the procurement). The procurement includes among others the purchase of the material (hardware, software and other material), design, installation, testing, commissioning, homologation, documentation, training, spare parts and support for the ETCS systems as specified in more detail during the procurement procedure. The procurement may also include the maintenance of the systems. The basic scope of the procurement includes equipping with the ETCS system the purchaser’s rolling stock units that are meant to operate on Finland's first commercial ETCS track section (so called EKA track). These rolling stock units consist of 28 Sr1 locomotives. The other rolling stock types and units are in the procurement as options. The preliminary scope of the procurement is described in more detail in Annex 1 of this contract notice (Preliminary description of the procurement). The procurement covers also three (3) different options which are the following: 1) Option 1: Updating the rolling stock units that belong to the basic scope of the contract to a newer ETCS system version. 2) Option 2: Equipping the optional rolling stock units with the ETCS System. Optional rolling stock units belonging to option 2 consist of 52 units of Sr1 Locomotives, 40 units of Sr2 locomotives, 30 units of Sm4 Emus and 42 units of Edo steering cars. Optional rolling stock units may also consist of 4 Sm6 Emus (Allegro trains). The option may be used in whole or in part. 3) Option 3: Equipping all rolling stock units within the procurement with the national radio solution 2 (FRMCS update). The option may be used in whole or in part. The content of the options is described in more detail in Annex 1 of the contract notice (Preliminary description of the procurement). The preliminary description of the procurement is attached to this contract notice. The description is preliminary and may change during the procurement procedure. Final description of the procurement and all contract terms will be specified during the procurement procedure in the final invitation to tender. This procurement relates to the national Digirail project in which the railway infrastructure will be updated in Finland to fulfil the ETCS requirements. Digirail project covers the entire state-owned railway network in Finland and the aim is that the track-side ERTMS equipment will be constructed and deployed in different phases during the years 2027-2040. The current aim is that commercial traffic would start on Finland's first commercial ETCS track section (so called EKA track) in the first half of 2027. The basic scope of this procurement includes equipping with the ETCS system the purchaser’s rolling stock units that are meant to operate on EKA track (i.e. 28 Sr1 locomotives). The optional rolling stock units within option 2 are meant to be used on the track sections that will be ready after EKA track. As the exact timing for the later track sections is not yet certain, the purchaser has had to place the equipping of rolling stock units for the later track sections as options. For the sake of clarity, the use of the options is solely within the discretion of the purchaser. The contracting entity's current aim is that the procurement contract could be signed by the end of April 2025 and that commercial operation with the ETCS equipped Sr1 locomotives could start in the first half of 2027. The final schedule for the procurement will be defined during the procurement procedure.

The procurement will be carried out by means of negotiated procedure. The Finnish Act on Procurements and Concession Contracts of Entities Operating in the Water and Energy Supply, Transport and Postal Services Sector 1398/2016 (later "Act on Public Contracts in the Utilities sector") applies to the procurement. A candidate must fulfil all suitability requirements set in this contract notice and its appendices in order to be qualified as a tenderer to the procurement procedure. All candidates fulfilling the suitability requirements will be selected as tenderers to the procurement procedure. Suitability requirements are presented in the ESPD form (European Single Procurement Document) attached to this contract notice. All requirements for the procurement, as well as the contract terms, will be defined during the procurement procedure. All final requirements will be presented in the final invitation to tender.

The schedule of the procurement is tight but in order to maximize and promote the possibilities for candidates to participate in the procurement procedure, the contracting entity has decided to postpone the deadlines of the procurement notice as follows: Deadline for questions: Monday 15 January 2024 12:00 Finnish time Deadline for requests to participate: Thursday 25 January 2024 12:00 Finnish time. In order to secure compliance with the requirements of the procurement, the candidates are also urged to familiarize themselves thoroughly with all the documents included in the procurement notice. For clarity, these documents are the following: 1) The procurement notice published in hankintailmoitukset.fi and ted.europa.eu. This notice is also referred to as the contract notice. 2) The invitation to participate which can be found in the electronic tendering system. This document includes relevant information regarding the procurement. When uploading this document from the electronic tendering system, the file name of this document may be TarjouspyyntoRaportti. 3) ESPD document which contains the suitability requirements for the tenderers 4) Annex 1 Preliminary description of the procurement 5) Annex 2 Reference form for giving information on the required references Documents 2-5 can be found in the electronic tendering system (also known as the “Supplier Portal”), please see tab “Publication documents” under the relevant notice in the Portal. Tenderers should note that these documents include essential information on the procurement, its requirements and e.g. the award criteria. The information of these documents specify the information presented in the procurement notice document. All information shall be taken into account when submitting the requests to participate.

The Contracting entity has decided to postpone the deadlines, Please see description above.