Victorian suppliers are encouraged to get involved with Inland Rail, Australia’s largest ever freight rail infrastructure project, that will transform how goods are moved around Australia and generate significant opportunities for our regions and our economy, now and well into the future.
Inland Rail comprises 13 individual projects, one in Victoria, seven in NSW and five in Queensland, spanning more than 1,700 kilometres.
Approximately 1,100km of the alignment will involve enhancing or upgrading existing rail lines, while approximately 600km will require construction of new infrastructure.
The Tottenham to Albury project is the only section in Victoria and will be delivered in two phases, the first being Beveridge to Albury.
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) recently announced it has engaged McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd as the Design and Construct Contractor for Phase 1 Tranche 1 works, awarding a major contract valued at approximately $200 million. Phase 1 will be delivered in two tranches of construction.
Given the project comes under an Australian Industry Participation Plan, Inland Rail Supply Chain Manager, Jason Manttan said contractors need to “provide Local and First Nations businesses with full, fair and reasonable opportunity to bid to supply goods and services to Inland Rail projects.”
ARTC Inland Rail and its construction contractors partner with ICN Gateway, on online portal that connects local businesses and suppliers offering goods, services and equipment with major contractors promoting procurement and contracting opportunities for their construction projects.
ICN Victoria had been working closely with Inland Rail over the last few years to communicate with local industry through the portal and at briefings and events.
“We also engage regularly with supplier advocates like regional chambers of commerce, local councils and industry associations to ensure they are aware of the upskilling and business capability opportunities available to their members and local businesses,” Jason said.
ARTC Inland Rail has previously engaged ICN Victoria to map and analyse supply chains for the T2A section.
“The supply chain mapping undertaken by ICN Victoria has been shared with McConnell Dowell to help them understand what local capability and capacity exists and to assist with the development of their procurement packages,” Jason said.
Local Victorian business interested in supplying to Inland Rail contractors such as McConnell Dowell, are encouraged to not just create an ICN Gateway company profile, but to also register their interest in work packages they have the capability and capacity to deliver. This also allows ARTC Inland Rail’s contractors to build robust and accurate local supplier databases more efficiently.
Of the 12 sites that comprise Phase 1 of Tottenham to Albury, four will be delivered as part of tranche 1, in addition to corridor wide works:
- Murray Valley Highway, Barnawartha North
- Beaconsfield Parade bridge, Glenrowan
- Seymour-Avenel Road bridge, Seymour
- Wangaratta precinct works
- Track slew and signal gantry modification works at multiple locations.
Major works at tranche 1 sites are expected to start in early 2023 and will likely include:
- lowering rail track under road bridges
- replacing existing bridges with taller bridge structures
- removing footbridges
- construction of a pedestrian underpass
- track slews (process of moving a track horizontally)
- relocating or raising signal gantries
- modifying or relocating overhead power poles.
Inland Rail is expected to generate $18 billion in economic benefits and over 21,500 direct and indirect jobs during construction and the first 50 years of its operational life.
The Parkes to Narromine section in NSW is complete, with the Narrabri to North Star Phase 1 section expected to be complete in 2023.
In New South Wales and Queensland, ARTC Inland Rail and its contractors are also calling for registrations of interest on ICN Gateway for a number of projects between Albury in New South Wales and Kagaru in Queensland.
Business registered with ICN Victoria can register for work package alerts, receive project updates and information on upcoming supplier information events. Small businesses offering specialist capabilities are also encouraged to partner with complementary suppliers to strengthen their offering to construction contractors.
For more information about supplying to Inland Rail construction contractors, go to the Tottenham to Albury ICN Gateway page or visit the ARTC Inland Rail website.
