Germany – Public transport services by railways – Technische Beratungs- und Unterstützungsleistungen für die S-Bahn Stuttgart

The Association Region Stuttgart ("VRS") as the contracting authority for the SPNV plans to re-tender the transport services on the lines of the Stuttgart S-Bahn and selected branch lines. The VRS will provide part of the vehicle fleet. For this purpose, it will probably acquire 56 vehicles of type ET 430 from the current operator of the Stuttgart S-Bahn. Since these vehicles will not be sufficient to provide the necessary transport services, the VRS is currently initiating a vehicle procurement process to ensure uninterrupted vehicle availability. As of the current status, it is not yet clear whether the VRS will also allow used vehicles provided by the railway undertaking ("EVU"). At the time of publication of this notice, the financing model for the new vehicles is also not yet determined. The VRS is considering both the so-called VRS ownership model and the so-called VRS life-cycle model. Under the VRS ownership model, the VRS procures the vehicles required for the transport services from the EVU and leases them back to the EVU for the duration of the transport contract. The VRS does not purchase the vehicles directly from the manufacturer. Instead, the EVU purchases the vehicles from the manufacturer and subsequently transfers them to the VRS. In this model, the vehicle procurement is integrated into the tendering of the transport services. Since the EVU procures the vehicles from the manufacturer, the VRS is not obliged to directly supervise the construction of the vehicles. The role of the VRS is limited to a supervisory role of the EVU. Under the VRS life-cycle model, the VRS procures the vehicles directly from the manufacturer, unlike in the VRS ownership model. For this purpose, the VRS would carry out a separate tender, which, in addition to the procurement of the vehicles, also covers the long-term safeguarding of the availability of the vehicles during operation. The EVU is therefore not directly involved in the vehicle procurement. Instead, the VRS is responsible for selecting the manufacturer and handling the vehicle procurement. In the VRS life-cycle model, the VRS must technically and professionally accompany the vehicle procurement (including vehicle construction), acceptance and maintenance of the vehicles. The VRS would then make the vehicles available to the EVU in an operational state for the duration of the transport contract. The subject of the tender is technical consulting and support services for the preparation and support of the procurement of new rail vehicles for the Stuttgart S-Bahn network, either in the VRS ownership model or in the VRS life-cycle model. The services of the technical consultant to be tendered here include, in particular, the examination, supplementation (if necessary, by further documents) and preparation for awarding of already available technical specifications for different vehicle types, including the development of technical specifications for aligning existing used vehicles with new vehicles. The aim is to create as uniform and comparable a customer experience as possible in both vehicle categories (new and existing vehicles). In addition, the technical consultant will in particular prepare the necessary technical documents for the transport tender, including for the transport contract and the contracts of the VRS ownership model or VRS life-cycle model. A first draft for a vehicle specification has already been prepared on behalf of the VRS. It is not excluded that this company will participate in the tendering procedure. The contracting authority will take all measures that are necessary and appropriate to avoid any information and knowledge advantage of the company. It is also the task of the selected consultant to support the contracting authority in the preparation and implementation of the vehicle and operating tenders in all technical matters. For the contracting authority, the consultant's experience with ownership and life-cycle models and calculations of the energy consumption of local rail passenger trains is of outstanding importance. In parallel with this tender, the VRS is selecting a company that works out the requirements for the new vehicles with regard to design and functionality from the passenger's point of view. The VRS plans to finalise all necessary documents for the tendering of the transport contract by the end of June 2026. The following milestones are currently planned for the vehicle procurement: - Summer 2026: Publication of the selection competition and start of negotiations - January 2027: Submission of indicative and awardable tenders - Spring 2027: Further negotiation rounds - Second half of 2027: Award of contract The VRS reserves the right to optionally commission technical consulting and support services for the construction supervision and maintenance phase of the vehicles.