Romania’s Rail Reform Authority has designated Siemens Mobility as the winner of a tender for 23 new electric locomotives. The project is valued at 764,398,846.68 lei, but the purchase contract has not yet been signed.
Siemens ranked first after three-offer evaluation
The Autoritatea pentru Reformă Feroviară, or ARF, ranked Siemens Mobility’s offer first after evaluating the three offers submitted and checking the supporting documents. The planned fleet will consist of new electric locomotives capable of operating at speeds of up to 160 km/h and hauling as many as 16 passenger coaches. The procurement also covers locomotives fitted with ERTMS, alongside maintenance and repair services. ARF says the vehicles are intended to support the modernisation of passenger rail transport in Romania.
The award is not yet the signed contract
The result illustrates an important distinction in competitive public procurement: an authority can identify the highest-ranked offer before the purchase contract becomes effective. ARF has designated Siemens Mobility as the winner, but the contract has not yet been signed. The next step is the expiry of the period for filing challenges; if challenges are submitted, they must be resolved before the contract can be concluded. The source article does not report any challenge, and no allegation of wrongdoing or irregularity has been made.
Funding combines European and state sources
The total project value is 764,398,846.68 lei, equivalent to approximately 154 million euros. Of that amount, 638.88 million lei is eligible funding from the Modernisation Fund, while 125.52 million lei comes from the state budget through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. Implementation is planned over 42 months. The project is framed as a replacement for rolling stock with high energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, using equipment described as more efficient and less polluting.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Selected supplier | Siemens Mobility |
| Number of locomotives | 23 |
| Maximum operating speed | 160 km/h |
| Maximum passenger coaches hauled | 16 |
| Total project value | 764,398,846.68 lei |
| Implementation period | 42 months |
| Offers evaluated | Three |
The offer Siemens Mobility has been ranked first after the evaluation of the three offers submitted and verification of the supporting documents.
WHY IT MATTERS
For suppliers and contracting authorities, the case shows why an award announcement is not always the final procurement milestone. The preferred offer was identified after a competitive evaluation, but the contract remains conditional on the challenge period and any resulting proceedings.
Reported from economedia.ro, 2026-10-14. The Tender Wire is published by Otnox.
