Luas passengers made 48.2 million journeys last year
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has initiated the tendering process for the supply of Luas trams with a cumulative indicative value of €500m over the next 15 years.
Tender documentation states it is intended the contract will be used to replace end-of-life light rail vehicles (LRV), supply new LRVs for network expansions and procure new LRVs for future new light-rail networks in Ireland, as required.
Last year, Luas passengers made 48.2 million journeys and the tender documentation states that this contract is intended to cover all future LRV requirements that may arise from time to time for any project initiated in the coming 15 years.
It states: “While it is not possible to give a definitive estimate of the value, however, an order of magnitude estimate is calculated to be in the region of €500m for supplies and services that could foreseeably arise under the contract.”
TII spokesman Sean O’Neill said yesterday that the launch of the procurement process for the LRVs “is another significant step forward that will help with the delivery of Luas services well into the future”.
The tender documentation states that TII is planning to expand Luas in the Greater Dublin area and in addition, TII are also in the planning phase for a new Irish light rail network in Cork city.
It states that TII anticipates “the first order drawn from this contract will be for the replacement of some or all of the current LRVs that were procured in circa 2002 and which currently service the Luas red line”.
TII intends to place this order on the contract award date or as soon as possible thereafter.
TII has told those considering tendering that any applicants must have had an annual turnover equal to or exceeding €500m for the last three audited years
TII intends to issue an Invitation to Negotiate (ItN) in Q4 2024 as part of the tender process and is aiming to award the contract in Q1 2026.
TII has issued the ‘Information Memorandum and Pre-qualification Questionnaire’ in order to pre-qualify candidates to be invited to tender for the supply of the LRVs
The LRV procurement process is running in tandem with TII procurement process for the estimated €1.75bn Luas operation and maintenance contract.