Germany – Railway construction works – Innovationspartnerschaft zur nachhaltigen Schlammstellenbeseitigung mittels modular einsetzbarer Mt.

Innovation partnership for sustainable sludge removal using innovative, modularly deployable machinery (framework agreement) // The aim of the procedure is to conclude an innovation partnership with up to two innovation partners. The innovation partnership to be concluded is to be carried out in two stages: In a first phase (research and development phase), innovative, modularly deployable machinery is to be developed in accordance with the specification requirements of the contracting authority, which enables the sustainable removal of sludge spots in a shutdown of up to 8 hours. Upon achieving the development objectives, the innovation partners are to provide construction services (maintenance work on the railway superstructure) using the developed innovative machinery for sustainable sludge removal (performance phase). The performance phase is designed as a framework agreement. In addition, the contracting authority intends to award a certain minimum quantity per contract year to the innovation partners within the framework of the performance phase. These are quantity commitments, to the extent that the contracting authority undertakes to commission the respective innovation partner during the term of the performance phase (framework agreement). For further details, reference is made to the tender documents. // Background of the procurement project: Sludge spots are the cause of a large number of slow-moving points and possibly even line closures. A muddy subsoil, which is often locally limited to areas of 10 to 50m, is a frequent cause of track position errors. Their sustainable removal, while at the same time minimising interference with ongoing railway operations, is therefore of particular interest to DB InfraGO AG as the contracting authority. Processing of the railway superstructure by conventional methods or with heavy machinery does not always simultaneously enable the permanent elimination of the causes of a sludge spot. These causes are to be addressed with the innovation partnership to be concluded, with a major focus also on the repair and restoration of drainage.