This is a first stop for IDFM and the Paris 2024 Games. The Ile-de-France regional transport authority has so far received no response to its first call for tenders to transport the approximately 200,000 people accredited during the 2024 Olympics. . According to The chained Duck published this Wednesday, potential candidates could have been frightened by excessively heavy penalties promised in the event of delay and/or malfunction.
The call for tenders launched on July 28, divided into three lots and for a total amount of 36.7 million euros, was declared unsuccessful. IDFM consequently relaunched another call for tenders on December 21, for a lesser amount of 33.9 million.
Ile-de-France Mobilités must take buses and coaches – electric and biogas – from its Ile-de-France fleet and designate operators who will run them during the summer of 2024 between the Olympic village, accommodation, press rooms, training places and stadiums, to transport athletes, members of sports federations and organisers.
A new call for tenders launched until January 20
The organizing committee (Cojo) must reimburse IDFM – authority chaired by Valérie Pécresse – for the establishment of this ephemeral network, presented in June as having to be the size of that of Lyon. The general manager of IDFM Laurent Probst then stressed that the operators chosen should have “an obligation of regularity and punctuality”.
According to The chained Duck, who quotes an RATP executive, the first call for tenders “was a ton” on the penalties, which are very heavy in the event of a malfunction. “It was unmanageable,” said executive. “How can we know today what the traffic conditions will be at the time of the Olympic Games as long as Valérie Pécresse does not indicate what the level of supply of the classic bus and metro network will be for ordinary visitors? “, he asks.
The penalties provided for are significantly lower in the new tender, according to the satirical weekly. Interested companies have until January 20 to respond. “One of the markets launched by IDFM to organize the transport of accredited members of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was unsuccessful, as happens in other public markets in the current situation,” said a spokesperson for the regional authority of the transport to AFP. “We relaunched it, in accordance with the procedure, for a period of 30 days. The schedule will be respected. We are on schedule,” he added, without further comment.