Heuking team led by Ute Jasper accompanies Europe’s largest tram-train tender
Dr. Ute Jasper, Dr. Christopher Marx, and Dr. Laurence M. Westen, Partners in Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek’s public procurement law team, are advising six German and Austrian transportation companies on the awarding of contracts for 504 regional light rail vehicles. In addition to vehicle development, production, and permitting, the innovative invitation to bid includes vehicle maintenance for 30 years. The project for transport companies from Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Mössingen, Saarbrücken, Linz, and Salzburg has a total volume of about EUR 4 billion.
Ute Jasper’s experienced public procurement team designed the invitation to bid and accompanied the transport companies throughout the entire process. “We are glad to be able to accompany this major project. The project partners jointly developed a standard design for the trains, sharing development and permitting costs. In addition, five options with operator-specific requirements are to be produced. This allows them to save considerable amounts per vehicle,” said Ute Jasper, Partner and Head of Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek’s Practice Group.
“The manufacturer is also responsible for maintenance, offering the operators good quality in the long term,” said Dr. Christopher Marx. “The key factor is not which train is the most inexpensive; what matters is the most economical offer over the service life,” added Dr. Laurence M. Westen.
The “Public Sector & Public Procurement” department has been one of the market leaders in public procurement law for years. Its lawyers hold top spots in German and international lawyer rankings. Since 1991, they have advised on awards, restructuring, large-scale projects, and cooperations in the public sector and have accompanied several hundred large-scale projects of federal, state, and local authorities and their subsidiaries with a total volume in excess of EUR 40 billion without any procedure having been successfully challenged to date.
Dr. Ute Jasper is one of the most renowned lawyers for procurement and infrastructure projects in the public sector. She advises federal and state ministries, municipalities, and businesses, particularly on innovative and complex projects. Ute Jasper heads Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek's “Public Sector & Public Procurement” department. For years, she has been ranked number 1 with her team in JUVE Handbook of Commercial Law Firms. According to “Law Firms in Germany,” she is the “premier contact on the market” for infrastructure. In October 2016, she received the JUVE Award for Regulated Industries with her team.
Dr. Christopher Marx is a lawyer and has been a Partner in the “Public Sector & Public Procurement” practice group, Düsseldorf, since 2020. His practice focuses on advising on public procurement law and contract law relating to complex and innovative projects as well as on drafting civil law contracts.
Dr. Laurence M. Westen is a lawyer and has been a Partner in the “Public Sector & Public Procurement” practice group, Düsseldorf, since 2020. His practice focuses on advising contracting authorities on the award of large-scale projects and on defending against applications for review.
Image sources:
VDV Tram-Train project model k, source: VBK.
VDV Tram-Train project vehicle simulation, source: Tricon AG.
VDV Tram-Train project vehicle simulation Interior, source: Tricon AG.
