Consultation commenced last week with representatives from all rail agencies to assess needs, practical requirements, and scope of a National Pre-qualification Scheme for rail. The ARA is working in partnership with Austroads and Hadron Group to undertake consultation to develop a national pre-qual criterion for rail infrastructure projects as part of the proposed expansion of Austroads’ National Prequalification System for Civil (Road and Bridge) Construction Contracts to include rail infrastructure.  

Establishing a national pre-qual scheme for major rail infrastructure projects holds substantial benefits in addressing the current administrative duplication burden for procurers and contractors, and the lack of clarity and transparency and consistency among procuring agencies.