The group promoting KiwiRail's Hillside Engineering workshops is underwhelmed by the "local content" clause of KiwiRail's "expressions of interest" (EOI) document to potential builders of new trains for Auckland.
Chairman John Christie yesterday told the Otago Daily Times the document appeared quite "neutral" and he would have preferred to see it contain more about how overseas manufacturers and New Zealand workshops could work together.
"It goes some way to satisfying us. I don't think it's as directive as we would have liked it to have been.
"At least ... it does give some preference to New Zealand content. It's better than not having it there."
Mr Christie said the "big question" would be how KiwiRail would "score" tenders on their levels of local content.
The EOI is described by KiwiRail as a "pre-tender" document to shortlist manufacturers capable of delivering 38 electric multiple units to Auckland as part of a $500 million upgrade.
KiwiRail management has been criticised by the Rail and Maritime Transport Union and others for not having Hillside and Woburn workshops prepare a tender of their own.
RMTU general secretary Wayne Butson yesterday said "strong local-content provisions" in the document reflected the "buy local" campaign.
"We consider it a victory for our buy local campaign that the tender documents at least encourage local content."
He said the union would continue to push for the "full build" to be done locally.
Under its "local content" heading, the document says KiwiRail recognises "the benefits to itself and the New Zealand economy of maximising the use of local content".
"Offshore-based respondents are encouraged to ally themselves with New Zealand subcontractors or suppliers."
And the EOI encourages prospective tenderers to "where efficient and cost effective, include as much New Zealand content and resources in the design, construction, delivery, testing, maintenance and support of the EMUs as is appropriate".
KiwiRail marketing communications manager Nigel Parry said the company had been working for months on a "capability" report about the workshops, which would be made available to tenderers.
The "specification, design and manufacture" report says New Zealand has a "strong tradition of rolling stock manufacture".
KiwiRail will brief potential tenderers in Auckland on May 26.
