An international consortium selected AECOM to advise on operations- and maintenance-related aspects of the 104-mile (168-kilometer) Poceirao to Caia section of the high-speed rail line between Lisbon and Madrid.

Issued in June 2008 by the Portuguese High Speed Rail Authority (RAVE), the contract is a 40-year availability payment public-private partnership scheme to provide design, build, finance and maintain services.

The project includes the provision of the railway civil and track infrastructure, power and traction power supply systems, low-voltage power supply for signaling and telecommunication systems, construction of a new station at Évora and a section of single-track Iberian gauge conventional freight line between Évora and Caia.

The rail line is designed to cater to both very high-speed trains that run at 360 kilometers/hour and freight trains running at lower speeds. The Special Purpose Vehicle will integrate with adjacent sections and with the overall signaling and telecommunications contractor.

AECOM’s team reviewed the tender documentation, the proposed alignment and preliminary studies commissioned by RAVE and in a short time frame developed:

  • A model of availability and asset performance related penalties;
  • Life Cycle Cost and Operating Expenditure forecasts related to the maintenance of the asset for the duration of the operations period;
  • Asset maintenance strategy and organization structure, staffing, buildings and necessary plant;

Materials for the bid submission included:

  • Operations and Maintenance draft manual;
  • Draft RAMS Program;
  • Security and Safety strategy;
  • Operations aspects of the draft quality manual.