January 3 (BTA) - The passenger services division of Bulgaria's national railway company BDZ launched a public procurement procedure for the supply and warranty of up to 16 newly built electric multiple-unit trains which will be used for over-three-hour inter-city passenger services along major routes in the country, the carrier said on Friday.

The price of the contract is projected at 246,787,878.93 leva pre-VAT. Each train must consist of four or five units offering increased comfort for passengers, with first and second class sections and spaces for wheelchair users and baby carriages, a video surveillance system, Wi-Fi service and an optional catering area.

The trains should have an operating speed of 160km/h. The parameters are in line with the current condition of the national railway infrastructure and the investment and development programme of the National Company for Railway Infrastructure.

The main criteria for selecting the contractor are the purchasing price of the trains, the maintenance costs and the cost of transportation per passenger. The procedure will be carried out in two stages: submitting applications and submitting technical and price offers.

The newly built electric trains should be supplied within 36 months of the date of signing the contract, and the first train should be made available within 24 months of the signing date.

The tender is part of a general plan for improving railway passenger transport conditions and boosting the strategic development of the state railway network, which includes rehabilitation of existing trains and purchase of new rolling stock. On December 17, BDZ Passenger Services signed a five-year contract with France's Alstom Transport SA for the repair and maintenance of BDZ-operated electric and diesel-powered multiple-unit passenger trains manufactured by Siemens. A total of 46 trains will be rehabilitated to ensure their trouble-free operation for another 10 years. The contract is worth 137 million leva. RY/VE
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