(February 22, 2011) The California High-Speed Rail Authority is requesting input by March 16 from companies and organizations that are interested in some aspect of the highspeed rail project.

The authority is seeking responses to its “Request for Expressions of Interest” from companies and organizations—small and large, privately and publicly owned, domestic and international—in all relevant fields.

The “expressions of interest” will help the authority shape its approach to the formal procurement process for the rail project. Expressions of interest may relate to designing and building the initial highspeed rail section in the Central Valley and/or participating in the future design, construction, funding, operations and maintenance for delivery and service of the first phase of the project (the San Francisco-to-Anaheim segment).

The submissions will not be evaluated and are not a prerequisite for participating in the procurement process. Those who respond to the “Request for Expressions of Interest” will receive information from the authority on an industry forum to be held in Southern California in the spring to further discuss private sector interest in the high-speed rail.

The release of the official Request for Proposals is expected toward the end of the year.

The “Request for Expressions of Interest” is available at the California High-Speed Rail website.