TÜV Rheinland to research procurement processes in public transport

Project commissioned by the German Center for Rail Traffic Research at the German Federal Railway Authority / Aim: more efficient urban rail passenger services

TÜV Rheinland has been awarded a research contract by the German Center for Rail Traffic Research (DZSF) at the Federal Railway Authority (EBA). As part of the project, experts from TÜV Rheinland and business law firm FPS will determine how processes can be accelerated for the procurement of rolling stock for urban rail passenger transport. This involves those rail vehicles that are subject to the “Ordinance on the Construction and Operation of Tramways” (German light rail regulations, BOStrab). “The aim behind the research project is to make urban rail passenger transport more efficient. Faster procurement processes can make a significant contribution to this,” explains Antonios Psounos, responsible for the research project at TÜV Rheinland.

As part of the project, the experts will also compile a comprehensive overview of what requirements the various tram and light rail networks in Germany place on the rolling stock and infrastructure in each case. On this basis, the project team is to make recommendations for sensible cooperations between urban transport operators in vehicle procurement.

Project implementation in several steps

In several steps, the project team, accompanied by a working group of industry experts, will first analyse the relevant procurement processes in Germany and the European Union. In addition, the similarities between tram and light rail networks in Germany will be identified. Finally, the results will be discussed with the industry. The aim is to reach agreement among the players on how the procurement processes for tram and light rail vehicles can be accelerated and at which points synergy effects between the transport operators can be made use of.

The project is being implemented by TÜV Rheinland together with the law firm FPS. The project team includes engineers in the field of rolling stock technology, commercial topics as well as contract and public procurement law. The duration of the project is 24 months. “Against the background of the transformation of transport, public local transport will have to meet significantly different requirements in the future than it does today. The project will play an important role in preparing for this future,” Antonios Psounos of TÜV Rheinland is convinced.