On Oct. 28, 2026, the California High-Speed Rail Authority board was scheduled to vote in California on a proposed contract award allowing the chief executive to sign contract HSR23-18 with Siemens Mobility for three high-speed trainsets. The board vote would decide a ceiling contract value of up to $772.1 million for manufacturing, delivery, commissioning, service mobilization, 10 years of maintenance and spare parts, plus an additional contingency of up to $63.7 million to cover import duties and tariffs. The authority characterized Siemens Mobility as the apparent best value proposer after a single submission and a best-and-final-offer step.
The procurement scope specifies German final design, manufacturing and factory testing, with final testing and commissioning in California and a delivery schedule intended to support dynamic testing in the Central Valley by February 2030 and start of authority-track testing in spring 2030. Approval would increase the program baseline and budget by $195.9 million to about $35.86 billion, and the contract funding is stated as coming from the authority’s commitment of Cap and Invest greenhouse gas reduction funds. Options for up to 19 additional trainsets and service extensions up to 30 years are included in the contract framework but are not part of this award and would require separate board approvals.
Lead
On Oct. 28, 2026, in California, the California High-Speed Rail Authority board was scheduled to vote on whether to authorize the chief executive to award and sign contract HSR23-18 with Siemens Mobility for three high-speed trainsets. The board consideration follows staff recommendation that Siemens Mobility is the apparent best value proposer after it was the sole bidder to submit a proposal and a best-and-final-offer was obtained.
Verified facts
The proposed contract carries a ceiling value of up to $772.1 million composed of three elements: a $281.7 million lump sum for manufacturing, delivery and commissioning of three trainsets; a $284.1 million lump sum for service mobilization, full service, spare parts and 10 years of maintenance; and provisional sums of up to $206.3 million to cover escalation, currency fluctuations, taxes and other costs. Separately, staff estimate import duties and tariffs at 20% of the trainsets’ cost and requested a contingency of up to $63.7 million to cover them, to be paid to the U.S. government directly or through a customs broker.
Approval of the contract, staff said, would increase the program baseline and budget by $195.9 million, raising the capital plan to about $35.86 billion from the prior $35.66 billion 2026 Program Baseline and Budget accepted by the board on June 24, 2026. The authority stated the contract is funded through its commitment of Cap and Invest greenhouse gas reduction funds. The contract scope includes design, manufacture, delivery, testing, commissioning, spare parts, preventive and corrective maintenance and scheduled overhauls; on-site support for aligning and testing interfaces on authority track; and options for up to 19 additional trainsets and service-extension options in five-year increments for up to 30 years overall. The contract terms follow an August 2026 revision of procurement under the authority’s updated 2026 Business Plan.
Organizations and responsibilities
- California High-Speed Rail Authority: procuring authority; staff recommended authorizing the chief executive to award and sign contract HSR23-18; responsible for funding allocation (Cap and Invest greenhouse gas reduction funds); responsible for program baseline and budget adjustments and board approvals before exercising options. The authority set delivery readiness milestones to match track and systems construction contracts and specified compliance and testing requirements.
- Siemens Mobility: identified by authority staff as the apparent best value proposer and sole submitted offer; proposed to perform final design, manufacture and factory testing in Germany; deliver trainsets to California for final testing and commissioning; provide service mobilization, full service, spare parts and 10 years of maintenance; and provide on-site support for interface alignment and testing on authority track.
Operational and commercial context
According to the report, the three trainsets are intended to support the Merced to Bakersfield Early Operating Segment and are described by the authority as a priority for getting that segment into operation by 2033. The August 2026 procurement revision reduced the initial order to three trainsets with 19 options and removed federal Buy America requirements for the initial trainsets; the authority said the initial trainsets will be built in Germany. The procurement documents set delivery readiness for dynamic testing in the Central Valley by February 2030 and a presentation for the Oct. 28 meeting indicates start of testing on authority track in spring 2030. Revised proposals were due Oct. 16, 2026.
The contract framework retains technical requirements for 220 mph capability and FRA Tier III safety compliance, per the authority’s statements. The option trainsets and any service-extension exercise are not part of this board action and would require separate board consideration. Staff also said the authority was considering a lease-purchase financing structure for the trains. Small business participation requirements will apply to eligible subcontracting opportunities, according to the report.
Sources
Source URL: https://www.railway.supply/california-high-speed-rail-board-to-vote-on-772-1m-siemens-train-deal/
Source organization: Siemens Mobility News (reported by Railway Supply)
Disclosure
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