České dráhy recently started a competitive dialogue for the new headquarters of the ČD group in Prague. The goal is to find the most efficient and advantageous solution to the current situation, when administrative and operational employees of Czech Railways and their subsidiaries are scattered in buildings all over Prague. Participants in the competitive dialogue can offer the Czech Railways suitable existing administrative complexes, as well as the construction of a new building on land owned by ČD or other entities. The new building should offer modern premises for nearly 1,400 employees.
“We want to modernize our entire company, and I consider it necessary that we move to premises corresponding to today’s times. The historic building on the Ludvík Svoboda embankment, where the ČD General Directorate is now located, is dark, non-ecological, not near the railway, and due to heritage protection, it is not possible to make any major construction interventions in it. A modern headquarters will help us attract young employees and create a 21st century work environment, as well as get rid of many leases and redundant assets. In this way, we will save tens of millions of crowns annually on the operation itself,” says Michal Krapinec, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Czech Railways.
A competitive dialogue was chosen as the form of the selection procedure, which will ensure the widest and most transparent selection method possible. As part of the competitive dialogue, offers for existing buildings, land owned by third parties with a project for the construction of a new headquarters or projects for new buildings on land owned by Czech Railways can be expected. The goal is to move administrative and operational employees from all over Prague to one place. “As part of this, three suitable plots of land in Prague were selected, which are located at three main railway junctions – the main railway station, the Libeň railway station and the Holešovice railway station,” adds Michal Krapinec.
The new headquarters should provide comfortable premises for approximately 1,400 employees. The total gross floor area of the building will be approximately 18,100 m2of which 13,164 m2 will be determined by the offices. The area will also include an adequate number of parking spaces. “We also place great emphasis on the environmental friendliness of the building. We want the building to include, for example, areas with an appropriate proportion of mature greenery and vegetation, equipment for rainwater management, and photovoltaics on the roof.” emphasizes the ecological aspect of the Krapinec building. The premises will correspond to the standards of the 21st century, will be air-conditioned and equipped with modern communication electronics, which will expand the possibilities of distance meetings.
The procedure was initiated by sending the notification form for the initiation of the procurement procedure for publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. The current schedule assumes that individual bids will be accepted until approximately June, from which a shortlist of three bids will be selected. Subsequently, the tender documentation criteria will be specified and a return study will be created. At the turn of this year and next year, the results of the competitive dialogue can be expected to be submitted for approval to the Board of Directors, the Supervisory Board and the Management Committee of ČD, and then the results of the competitive dialogue will be announced and the contract signed with the winner.
The General Directorate of Czech Railways is currently rented in the historic building of the Ministry of Transport on Prague’s Ludvík Svoboda embankment, which was built in the 1930s. However, due to the capacity limitation, the ČD Group’s employees are also based in other buildings throughout Prague, which complicates the entire functioning of the ČD Group.
TZ ČD
Tags: Czech Railways launching competitive dialogue modern headquarters
