Romania's Railway Reform Authority (AFR) canceled the tender for buying 20 to 40 new inter-regional (RE-IR) electric trains, as it received no bids until the deadline, Economica.net reported.

The auction, valued at RON 1.3 billion (EUR 270 million) to RON 3.7 bln (EUR 760 mln), depending on the size and including the maintenance services, was canceled for the second time.

In August, ARF decided to cancel the procedure after the Chinese firm CRRC Qingdao Sifang obtained at the Bucharest Court of Appeal an amendment to the evaluation procedure.

However, Qingdao Sifang challenged the cancellation of the tender at the National Council for the Settlement of Appeals (CNSC).

On September 9, CNSC admitted the appeal and forced ARF to continue the auction. ARF launched in April the award procedure for the procurement of 20 electric frames for rail passenger transport services on inter-regional routes and related maintenance services.

(Photo: Pixabay)

andrei@romania-insider.com