Consulting Services for Operational Improvement of Railway Connection with Chile.

Convocation from December 14 to January 06, 2023

CAF, through its Regional Infrastructure Pre-investment Program (CAF-PPI Program), supports its shareholder countries in financing pre-investment design, formulation and analysis tasks for integration infrastructure projects for regional economic and social development that are prioritized by countries of the region.

Against this backdrop, and in order to promote the logistics development of the Trinational Multimodal Connector of the NOA, in its Logistics Roadmap, we have selected the “Operational improvement of railway connection with Chile” Program, which seeks to develop the issues and instruments necessary to enhance the operation and infrastructure of the C13 and C14 Branches of the Belgrano Railway that connects with Chile and with the Güemes Logistics Node in Salta.

Currently, Trenes Argentinos Cargas (TAC), trade name of Belgrano Cargas y Logística Sociedad Anónima, created by Urgency Decree No. 566/13, has been assigned the railway cargo operation of branches C13 and C14. With regard to the operation, there is currently a regular weekly service that runs through these branches between Güemes and Socompa transporting sodium carbonate and lithium carbonate between Salar de Pocitos and the Pacific ports through an articulated operation between TAC and Ferronor. Additionally, specific operations are carried out to transport construction materials from Güemes and Salta to the different towns of Puna. In addition, regarding passenger services in branches C13 and C14, the Government of the Province of Salta has granted concessions for the tourist rail service of Trenes a las Nubes, which is operated by a Provincial Company in association with TAC between San Antonio de los Cobres and the Polvorilla Viaduct.

The purpose of this Invitation to Tender is to receive Intents to Participate in the process mentioned above. It is aimed at consulting firms and/or universities with proven experience in the consulting services described below, especially those related to experience in international consultancies on freight railway systems, preferably in matters related to mountain freight transport with specialization in transport of raw materials and products of mining operations.

Only single-company bids will be accepted.

The scope of the consultancy is as follows:

  • Developing analysis and proposals for operational improvements.
  • Developing analyses and proposals for the type of rolling stock.
  • Developing analysis and proposals for infrastructure improvements.
  • Combining the best solutions for different areas in an integrated plan or project.
  • Evaluating the plan from socio-economic, financial and environmental perspectives and developing an Implementation Plan in the short, medium and long term

    • After this Invitation to Tender, CAF will send the Request for Proposals (RFPs) to interested entities through the SAP platform.

    In addition to CAF’s technical teams, the local technical counterpart of this consultancy is the Belgrano – Norte Grande de Argentina Unit. Similarly, the estimated referential term for the consultancy is six (6) calendar months, and the reference budget is USD 300,000 (three hundred thousand US dollars).

    Please send an email to PPIAR01@caf.com before 11:59 p.m. (Caracas, Venezuela time) on January 6, 2023, indicating your intent to participate and attaching the confidentiality agreement and the pre-registration form, both included in this call, duly completed and signed:

    a. whether or not you intend to participate,

    b. signed confidentiality form, and

    c. pre-registration form, duly completed and signed

    The Request for Proposal (RFP) will be sent after the deadline for intents to participate