The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) is responsible for planning, designing, building and operating the first high-speed rail system in the United States. It will connect eight of the 10 largest cities in the state, contribute to economic development and a cleaner environment, create jobs and preserve agricultural and protected lands. The system will run from San Francisco to the Los Angeles basin in under three hours at speeds capable of over 200 miles per hour. The system will eventually extend to Sacramento and San Diego, totalling 800 miles with up to 24 stations.
KPMG invited Crossrail International to join its team in successfully tendering to CHSRA for a four-year extension to its existing framework for the provision of Financial and Commercial Advisory Services, awarded in October 2020.
KPMG’s multi-capability team comprises international strategic advisers and technical consultants as well as local Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBEs) based in California. Crossrail International is a member of KPMG’s ‘Global Insights’ team, which also includes global law firm, Ashurst, and transport consultants, Steer, both of whom we have teamed with previously.
Services under the four-year agreement will include commercial, planning, and procurement advisory services; financing and funding advisory services; contract compliance management; business and economics advisory services; project financial advisory services; and strategic advisory services.
The programme is facing large and complex challenges and CHSRA is keen to share knowledge and exchange lessons learned, international benchmarking and UK good practice to help them cut through complexity and avoid significant pitfalls in the future.
The first phase of CI’s work is to undertake a review of CHSRA’s current procurement for track and systems and to offer suggestions on possible next steps for the Authority.
