Bombardier pulls out of CKS rail link bid

DPP Legislator Chen Tsiao-long (陳朝龍), convener of the legislature's Transportation Committee, said he was invited by Chang to the meeting, but did not attend it because he did not think it was appropriate.

"First, I don't think legislators should get involved in public construction projects, thereby raising doubts about an under-the-table deal," Chen said. "Second, a public hearing should be open to the public and in the legislature rather than in the MOTC."

Kathryn Nickerson, director at Bombardier's communications division, said under Taiwanese procurement law, suppliers must be totally compliant with the RFP, including the technical specifications.

The current technical specifications call for rotary propulsion and precludes Bombardier from bidding its linear-induction-motor Advanced Rapid Transit technology.

"We suggested that the technical specifications be opened up to permit all bidders can bid for the most appropriate technology in terms of safety and operational performance. This, in turn, would have given the customer the opportunity to evaluate the merits of all the proposed transit-system technologies," Nickerson said by e-mail yesterday.