Tararua District Council (TDC) are looking to investigate the establishment of a Rail Hub to transport logs from forests in the Tararua District to Napier Port, they will be procuring a consultant to do this feasibility study and present a final report.They have engaged The Integral Group Limited (TIGL) to assist with this process.

The feasibility study is part of a Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) project.

The process will be a two staged open market process:
Registration of Interest (ROI)
Request for Proposal (RFP)

This ROI is the first formal step in the process and is intended to be of minimal effort for respondents and allow TDC to create a short

list of suppliers to invite to enter the RFP process.

The contract term shall be for the duration of the feasibility study.

The background to this is:

KiwiRail has existing rail infrastructure across Hawkes Bay, Central North Island and Lower North Island (Eastern and Western) and are connected to the Port of Taranaki, Napier Port and CentrePort.

KiwiRail have identified they can support the forestry industry and surrounding communities with an investment in strategically located log hubs and rolling stock.

Dannevirke has been identified as one of these locations

Through PGF, up to $4.4m has been allocated to fund this development. $400,000 of this has been allocated for the investigation.

The outcome of investigation will enable KiwiRail and other partners and stakeholders to finalise:

• location
• design and services
• capital costs
• operating costs
• operating revenues
• commercial viability
• risks

Final cost of development will go back to Regional Economic Development Ministers for approval.
Oversight and governance to be provided by representatives from key stakeholders:
NZTA
KiwiRail
TDC
Ministry of Transport
MBIE

Formal steering group and working group will be established for the construction phase after the report has been finalised and the funding approved for the construction phase.