Why this is important to Wisconsin businesses: Subcontracting opportunities are available for replacing cars on the Windsor-Quebec corridor.
VIA Rail, Canada’s national passenger railway, last spring announced a project to replace its existing fleet on the Windsor-Quebec corridor—its busiest by passenger volume. The project is funded by the Canadian federal government's 2018 budget. VIA Rail sought interested parties to submit their qualifications for consideration. The first phase, the request for qualifications (RFQ), will allow VIA Rail to create a short list of suppliers to participate in a subsequent request for proposal (RFP) process. While the deadline has passed for the initial RFQ, an RFP will be issued soon to those that met the qualifications. Subcontracting opportunities will be the best approach for Wisconsin companies.
VIA Rail is looking to procure a new fleet that meets the following key criteria:
- 9,100 passenger seats, provided by 32 bi-directional train sets
- Enhanced universal accessibility features, including accessible washrooms, multiple accommodations for wheelchairs, and other mobility aids and devices on the trains
- More fuel-efficient, Tier 4 diesel engines, with the option to operate on electrified rail infrastructure as it becomes available
- Ability for train sets to be bi-directional (push-pull mode)
The Canada office will stay up to date on the project, and interested companies can review the following links to read the latest updates: