Changed working method for railway safety management requirements
Use the form if you have questions about the safety permit and the change in working method.
The Swedish Transport Administration has applied for a renewed safety permit for railways from the Swedish Transport Agency. A change in working method helps us to bring forward verification of evidence of the bidders’ safety management systems.
The railway safety permit is certified according to the EU Regulation (2018/762) establishing common safety methods on safety management system requirements.
The change in working methods, verification of evidence before award instead of after, helps the Swedish Transport Administration to comply with this regulation and thereby increase and ensure safety on the railways. The change also helps to focus on requirements for a common safety management system for the Swedish Transport Administration and the supplier as early as the procurement phase.
The decision on a change in working method has been taken jointly by the Swedish Transport Administration's National Coordination Group together with the steering group for projects for permit applications.
What does the change in working method mean for bidders?
The new working method means that submission of evidence as set out below will be required before the award can take place:
- Documented risk management process at the supplier
- The supplier's documented safety plan for the assignment
The evidence is checked and assessed. The assessment at the Swedish Transport Administration is carried out by a working group consisting of Qualified Purchasers, Project Management and Risk and Safety Specialists.
The requirements may be found in the Administrative Instructions (AF), AFB.314 Supplements to the tender. These requirements already existed in AF in the past, but evidence and verification of this has previously been carried out after signing the contract – usually at the assignment’s initial meeting.
The change consists of these two pieces of evidence being checked and assessed before the award decision is made.
The change will take effect on 15 September 2020
The Swedish Transport Administration will introduce clarifying text on the new working method in the 15 September release of the Swedish Transport Administration's Purchasing Templates, the basis for tender documents in the procurement. Specifically, in AF, Administrative Instructions.
This means that procurements announced after 15 September 2020 will include this change in working method.
Does the change apply to all procurements?
The change in working method applies to contract procurements for railways.
Your contribution as a supplier to the Swedish Transport Administration matters
An important prerequisite for establishing a common safety management system is that you as suppliers are involved in ensuring that safety requirements are met in order to minimise accidents and incidents on the railway. An early dialogue about these requirements and working methods gives us better conditions for establishing good, secure safety management together.