Industry frustrates the largest order of CPTM

The São Paulo Metropolitan Train Company (CPTM) is reshaping the notice to bid of the national competition for the purchase of 65 trains into an international bid. The measure is being adopted after four postponements in the submission of proposals and after a single consortium, Frota CPTM (CAF Brasil Indústria e Comércio and Alstom Brasil Energia e Transporte), presented a proposal with value above the estimated budget and was disqualified. The reference value of the notice to bid is $12.09 million per train ($1.51 million per car). CPTM did not inform the value of the proposal submitted. Revista Ferroviária found that the value was around $2.14 million per car. The figure is more than double that of the Chinese trains that Rio bought for SuperVia, which cost $1.02 million per car. The 65 trains will consist of eight coaches each, totaling 520 coaches. This is the largest order for electric trains in the country.
In a statement, CPTM said it “opted to change the bidding modality, making it international, expanding it in order to other new suppliers can participate by offering lower prices.” The company also said that the new notice to bid is being completed and should be published soon, without citing the expected date.

The bid will change format after a big industry campaign by the Brazilian Railroad Industry Association (Abifer) demanding that the trains were manufactured in Brazil. The fact that the domestic industry only submitted one proposal – and above the reference value – was received with (unpleasant) surprise by the State and bothered Governor Geraldo Alckmin. The secretary of Metropolitan Transport Jurandir Fernandes defined as “Belligerent, humorous and weird” the way the industry has made the proposal.

To speed up the new process, the government made a market consultation and six foreign companies, including Spain’s CAF and France’s Alstom, showed interest in the new bid. By anticipating payments to suppliers the government expects that part of the trains is delivered still during the Alckmin government, which ends in late 2014.

The notice to bid of the 65 trains was launched on August 3, in a ceremony at Bandeirantes Palace, with the presence of the governor Geraldo Alckmin, the State Secretary of Metropolitan Transportation Jurandir Fernandes, the CEO of CPTM Mário Bandeira, and representatives of the railroad industry. A day before the launching ceremony of the notice to bid, during the presentation of the project of the new Senai railroad school, the CEO of CPTM Mário Bandeira said that the choice of the national competition aimed to encourage domestic production.

Bandeira defended domestic production saying that the 13% difference in price obtained by the Rio de Janeiro’s government relative to the Chinese trains bought for Supervia did not cover what would be generated as revenue with the taxes here in Brazil, in addition to creating jobs. He also said that Brazil has five train factories (Alstom, Siemens, CAF, Bombardier and Hitachi/Iesa) and that it is ‘absurd’ buying trains from abroad. He was applauded by the president of Fiesp, Paulo Skaf, and by the president of Simefre, José Martins.

The trains that CPTM wants to buy are made of stainless steel, with eight coaches each – four motor cars and four trailer coaches alternately, and free gangway. The acquisition was divided into two lots, one with 30 trains and another with 35 trains.

According to the notice to bid, the offered price should include all equipment, material, tools, labor, accessories, applicable insurance, and personnel as well as indirect costs (taxes, duties, charges, fees, emoluments, etc.) and other expenses. And it also includes the supply of spare parts, supply of a new train simulator with update of other CPTM’s trains operation simulators, maintenance and operation manuals for trains, and provision of technical and operational training, technology transfer and technical assistance with assisted warranty to the trains.

Click the link below and read the notice to bid in full, in Portuguese:
https://revistaferroviaria.com.br/upload/Edital 65 novos trens CPTM.pdf

Fonte: The national bid will change format after receivin