Manufacture in India: Railways launch tender to manufacture and supply 16,000,000 wheels over 20 years

Indian Railways has tendered for the manufacture and supply of forged wheels under the Aatma-Nirbhar Bharat for the supply of almost 16 lakh wheel discs of different rolling stock.

This would be for a long-term period of 20 years, with a supply of around 80,000 such wheels per year.

The selected bidder is expected to set up facilities for wheel manufacturing and testing at the wheel factory as well as wheel, axle machining and wheel and axle assembly with a capacity of 6,000 axles per year.

In addition, the successful bidder would also be required to set up a wheel test center at a railway site to test newly designed wheel prototypes.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced last week that the railways planned to manufacture and export forged wheels under the Make in India mission, which they are currently importing. He launched the tender on September 9.

“The Ministry of Railways is engaged in the development of railways and as part of this endeavor the Authority has decided to enter into a long term agreement for the manufacture and supply of forged wheel discs and wheels. wheel sets for different rolling stock to promote ‘Make in India under Atma-Nirbhar Bharat and hence decided to complete the bidding process for selection of suitable bidders to whom the project could be awarded,’ says the electronic bidding.

The deadline for submitting offers is December 15, 2022.

According to the e-bid, a total of 15.4 lakh wheels would be manufactured and supplied. About 50% of the needs for different types of wheels would be for LHB cars, 40% for WAG 9 locomotives, 7% for EMU and MEMU trains and 3% for Vande Bharat trains.

“Up to about 15% of the wheel discs may have to be supplied as axle assemblies for which the roughly turned axles, main gears and brake discs will be items supplied free of charge by the railways. Accordingly , the successful bidder will set up facilities for the machining of wheel discs and axles and the assembly of approximately 6,000 axles per year,” the railways said.

The selected bidder can only supply to a third party after meeting the requirements of the railways according to the procurement program.

The supplier should supply 40,000 wheels in the first year of supply, 60,000 wheels in the second year of supply and 80,000 wheels per year in each of the following years. The railways would have the right to increase the total supply period up to five years under the same terms and conditions.

The finalized bidder should also provide the railway with a Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) containing the detailed manufacturing and testing process for the products to be manufactured within four months of the Letter of Acceptance.

The railways said the procurement would be done in accordance with the Make in India policy. Only Class I local suppliers are eligible to bid in this RFP. Class I local supplier means a supplier or service provider whose goods, services or works proposed for procurement have a local content equal to or greater than 60%.

Published on

September 11, 2022