Tender for Steel Rails by Portuguese Infrastructure Company

Project Name: Procurement of Rails for the Ovar/Espinho Section of the Northern Line

Project Number: 64e6a465-e7ac-45d2-99bc-db5886e5a275

Internal Reference: 10021993

Procurement Type: Goods Supply Contract

Tender Procedure: Open Tender

CPV Code: 34946110 (Rails)

Project Background: The Northern Line (Linha do Norte) in Portugal is one of the country's most important railway mainlines, connecting the capital Lisbon and the second-largest city, Porto. The Ovar/Espinho section requires replacement of rails due to severe wear from long-term operation, to ensure operational safety, increase speed, and improve passenger comfort.

Project Location: Portugal, Médio Tejo region (NUTS: PT16I), Parish of Nossa Senhora de Fátima.

Rail Specification Requirements: Must comply with European Standards (EN) or Portuguese National Standards.

Rail Material Requirements: High-quality wear-resistant steel with good fatigue resistance and weldability, suitable for heavy-haul and high-speed railway operating conditions.

Rail Length Requirements: Standard length rails (typically 18m, 24m, or 36m). Specific cutting length requirements are detailed in the technical specifications.

Rail Surface Quality: Rail surface must be smooth and flat, free from defects such as cracks, scabs, folds, bubbles, or inclusions. End faces must be perpendicular and flat.

Rail Straightness: Must meet the highest grade requirements for rail straightness according to European standards, ensuring precision of track geometry after laying.

Rail Marking and Traceability: Each rail must have clear, permanent markings, including manufacturer, steel grade, production batch, production date, etc., to facilitate quality traceability.

Quality Documentation: Supplier must provide factory quality inspection reports, third-party test reports, material certificates, and other documents proving the rails comply with technical specifications.

Packaging Requirements: Rails must be packaged and secured in a standard manner to prevent deformation, scratching, or damage during transportation and handling.

Transportation Requirements: Supplier is responsible for transporting the rails to the designated delivery point. The transportation plan must ensure the stability and safety of the rails during transit.

Delivery Location: Designated worksite in the Parish of Nossa Senhora de Fátima, Médio Tejo region, Portugal.

Delivery Time: Complete delivery of all rails within 120 days after contract signing. Specific phased delivery plans can be proposed during bidding and negotiated with the client.

Unloading and On-site Handling: Supplier is responsible for unloading the rails at the delivery point and on-site handling to the designated storage area.

Storage Requirements: Supplier should provide recommendations for on-site rail storage, including stacking methods, moisture and rust prevention measures, etc., to ensure the rails remain in good condition until installation.

Acceptance Criteria: Upon arrival at the site, the client will conduct quantity verification, visual inspection, dimensional measurement, and review of quality documents according to technical specifications. Acceptance is conditional upon passing these checks.

Warranty Period Requirements: Rails must be provided with a minimum quality warranty period of 2 years. Quality issues during the warranty period caused by material or manufacturing defects are the supplier's responsibility for free replacement or compensation.

Technical Support and After-sales Service: Supplier should provide technical support services for rail welding, including welding parameter recommendations, post-weld heat treatment guidance, and weld joint quality inspection.

Bid Language: Portuguese

Bid Validity Period: Bids must remain valid for 120 days.

Electronic Bidding: Mandatory

Tender Document Language: Portuguese

Electronic Signature Requirement: Requires the use of an advanced or qualified electronic signature or seal (as defined by EU Regulation (EU) No 910/2014).

Bid Security: 5% of the contract price.

Bid Opening Date: March 16, 2026, 10:00:00 (Western European Time, GMT)

Evaluation Criteria: Price (Weight: 100%)

Qualification Requirements: Bidders must prove compliance with the qualification criteria specified in the tender documents, including technical capacity, financial standing, and past performance, through the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD).

Past Performance Requirements: Bidders must provide proof of performance for at least 1 contract of similar scale for rail supply within the last three years.

Proof of Technical Capacity: Bidders must provide proof of production capacity from the rail manufacturer, quality control system certifications (e.g., ISO 9001), and relevant product certification certificates.

Financial Standing Requirements: Bidders must provide audited financial statements for the most recent fiscal year, demonstrating the financial capacity to fulfill the contract.

Grounds for Exclusion: Refer to the tender documents and the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD), including but not limited to bankruptcy, professional misconduct, non-payment of taxes or social security contributions, fraud, corruption, etc.

Dispute Resolution: Contractual disputes fall under the jurisdiction of Portuguese courts and are governed by Portuguese law.

Review Body: Infraestruturas de Portugal, S.A. (Portuguese Infrastructure Company)

TED Information Publisher: Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda, S.A. (INCM) (Portuguese National Mint and Official Printing Office)