📋 Tender Overview
After the other areas had already been contracted earlier the third and final tranche of area contracts for engineering was definitively awarded on 10 November. This means that in a years time all areas now have an engineering office for basic engineering.Long-term cooperationLast year ProRail decided to work more closely with engineering firms. With these contracts we approach the market in a different way. We are used to putting small pieces of work on the market project by project. We are moving towards long-term partnerships with more scope. The conclusion of area contracts makes it possible to further modernize our network and thus prepare it for the future. The area framework contracts have been concluded with engineering firms with recognition for Baanbouw and Spoorwerk.Tjeerd Biessels purchasing strategist Engineering at Procurement explains Long-term cooperation with specific engineering firms creates room to invest in knowledge and skills. This allows us to work together more effectively and efficiently with shorter lines of communication and based on the area assignment.Long-term cooperation creates room to invest in knowledge and skills.RewardsTo ensure that the quality remains high certain conditions have been set in the contracts. Tjeerd Incentives have been built into the contract so that we can also reward good performance. Every quarter we measure the quality of the cooperation and of the work delivered. As a result engineering firms that deliver an above-average performance on both components may charge a higher hourly rate in the following year. If the cooperation does not work we say goodbye to each other.A performance-related pay requires a different way of working together from all participants. This learning process will certainly go through trial and error in the beginning. That is why I cannot rule out the possibility that in practice we will encounter issues that require further elaboration. I am happy that we are starting this part of the journey and am confident that after a settling-in period these contracts will result in better performance and less hassle says Tjeerd.Working differently and betterThe engineering area contracts are part of the strategy task-oriented working with the market aimed at working differently and better with the market. The pressure on the railway will increase. This pressure results in a significant growth in ProRails work volume.Achieving this volume of work requires a change in approach. Task-oriented working with the market is a strategy that consists of eight main directions. The next important step in task-oriented working with the market is the introduction of area contracts with rail contractors and the national framework agreement for train security engineering services.
