Norway – Research and development services and related consultancy services – Review of postponement of double track against Hamar and learning across major investment projects

The Ministry of Transport refers to the delay connected to the project Sørli-Åkersvika and any consequences for the development of Hamar station. The Ministry will, as a follow-up of this, carry out an external review with the main aim of identifying learning points. The review consists of two parts, but is delivered together. The first part shall map and evaluate decision processes and information flow connected to the delay of the project Sørli-Åkersvika and any consequences for the development of Hamar station. The review shall: • Assess whether the decision and contract process, as well as information flow have been in accordance with the current guidelines, contracts, agreed processes and management system, both internally in Bane NOR, between Bane NOR and the Norwegian Railway Directorate and internally in the Norwegian Railway Directorate. • Assess whether there is a need to adjust the guidelines and the management system and/or implement measures to ensure better compliance with Bane NOR and the Norwegian Railway Directorate. • Identifying learning points The second part shall evaluate whether Bane NOR ́s internal management systems (including a project model) are sufficient to ensure control of costs, risks and progress in major development projects. The review shall be directed towards the following three cases – the development of the Dovre Line, the Trønder Line and the Vestfold Railway. The review shall also map and assess how the recommendations from relevant reviews in recent years, including the Follobane review from 2023 and the Auditor General's report from 2024 on investment projects, have been followed up, whether the measures implemented are sufficient and whether there is a need for other/new measures to remedy the challenges of delays and increasing costs in major investment projects. The first draft of the report shall be submitted by 14 August 2026, and the final report will be submitted by 4 September 2026. The upper financial limit is NOK 4 million excluding VAT.