Femern A/S has been busy doing market research and probing technologies for the last major tender round on the Femern project. The so-called TTC (Tunnel, Track, and Catenary) contract is expected to be out for tender in spring 2023.
The TTC contract is the contract for the Fehmarnbelt tunnel’s track and running current system for the electric trains. Femern A/S itself estimates the contract to have a value of around 200 million euros.
25 kilometres of railway at 200 km/h
The contract includes a total of 25 kilometres of two-track railway, where trains must be able to run at 200 kilometres per hour. The entire line must also be provided with lines for running current for electric trains. The 18 kilometres are in the tunnel itself. The last seven kilometres lie outside the tunnel on Lolland and Fehmarn.
Great interest from bidders
– We have experienced great interest from potential bidders for further details ahead of the spring tender. We would naturally like to contribute to the companies being able to get together in consortia and bid for the task. All with the desire to get great and well-qualified competition in the tender phase, says Kirsten Christensen, contract director at Femern A/S with responsibility for the railway installations, in a press release from Femern A/S.
The tender itself is expected to be published in the spring of 2023 at the latest. The final winner of the TTC contract will be found in the spring of 2025.
Climate-friendly and energy-efficient railway
– We have given potential bidders for the task the opportunity to come to us with their know-how, which was welcomed by a number of major players in the market. It has given us valuable knowledge, which we are actively working with, so that the supply is as strong as possible and that we have a climate-friendly and energy-efficient railway when we open, says Kirsten Christensen in the press release.
From design to maintenance
The winner of the TTC contract will be responsible for the design, construction, installation, testing and commissioning of the railway between Lolland and Fehmarn. In addition, the contractor is also responsible for maintaining the systems for a certain period.
The track work under the TTC contract includes tracks in the tunnel and on the ramps, from the end of the ramps on the approaches on the Danish and German sides and crossovers on the Danish and German sides, including point track heating systems.
The catenary system works under the TTC contract, including the catenary system in the tunnel, on the ramps and on the approaches on the Danish and German sides. Among other things, a connection to the traction power plant at Lolland, return current and ground, bonding systems, and fibre cable must also be established.
Bidders must be prequalified
It appears from the tender material that the tender is carried out as a competitive procedure with negotiation with a limited number of pre-qualified participants. To be prequalified, a bidder must meet certain financial and technical requirements.
Thus, interested bidders must be able to document an annual turnover corresponding to the estimated total value of the contract and have an equity capital of at least 30 million euros.
Any bidders must also have experience with building a track system in a tunnel of approx. 3 km and experience with constructing a plate track system within the past five years.
