2026-01-20_IR25-01_Fiber_Optic_Spec_Industry_Review.pdf

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Attached to
Industry Review for draft Fiber Optic Technical Requirements
Solicitation number
IR25-01
Issued by
Fresno County, Kern County, Kings County, Madera County, Tulare County, Fresno City, Kingsburg City, Kernville CDP, Madera City, Madera Acres CDP, Madera Ranchos CDP, Corte Madera Town, Kings Beach CDP, East Tulare Villa CDP, Tulare City, California

About this file

This is a draft technical specification document issued by the California High-Speed Rail Authority for optical fiber cables, subject to industry review and revision. The Authority is soliciting feedback on the technical requirements for the procurement of a 192-core single-mode, loose-tube, steel-tape armored optical fiber cable designed for outdoor use along the California high-speed rail line system. The cable must be suitable for direct underground burial and installation within ducts, with a minimum design life of 30 years in accordance with IEC 60794 accelerated aging performance standards. The industry review period runs from January 20, 2026 through February 13, 2026 at 12 p.m. Pacific Time, with written comments or redlines to be submitted to materialpurchase@hsr.ca.gov. The specification does not constitute a formal solicitation but rather a request for industry input to refine the technical requirements prior to future procurement activities.

The technical specification establishes comprehensive performance, mechanical, and optical requirements for the fiber optic cable, including single-mode fiber compliance with ITU-T G.652D standards, insertion loss specifications of 0.35 dB/km at 1310 nm and 0.22 dB/km at 1550 nm, maximum pulling tension of 2700 N, and crush resistance of 2200 N/100 mm. The supplier must be ISO 9001 certified with full material traceability and batch control, and must submit a quality control plan, manufacturing process description, technical datasheet, delivery schedule, and installation guidelines for Authority approval prior to production. The supplier is required to provide a minimum 25-year warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship, water ingress, jacket cracking, excessive attenuation drift, and environmental degradation, with replacement or repair at no cost to the project. All submitted comments and materials will become property of the Authority and subject to California Public Records Act and FOIA requirements, with submitters able to designate trade secrets or confidential information accordingly.

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California High-Speed Rail Authority

Standard Specifications Rev. 1.0

Optical Fiber Cable

Draft Subject to Change and Review

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CALIFORNIA HIGH-SPEED RAIL

Fiber Optic Cable JAN 2026 REV. 01 2 of 12

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 GENERAL

1.1 SUPPLIER SCOPE

1.2 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

1.3 DESCRIPTION

1.4 REFERENCE STANDARDS

2 PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

2.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS REQUIREMENTS

2.3 OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR OFC .......................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

2.4 FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR OFC

2.5 PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR OFC

3 MANUFACTURING PROCESS

4 QUALITY CONTROL

4.1 QUALITY ASSURANCE AND FACTORY TESTING

4.2 CABLE DRUM PACKING ............................................................................................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

5 SUBMITTALS

6 WARRANTY

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1 GENERAL

1.1 Supplier Scope

1.1.1 The scope of this Technical Specification is to define the Employer’s Requirements for the Optical Fiber Cable, hereinafter: OFC.

1.2 Acronyms and Abbreviations

1.2.1 The list of acronyms and abbreviations used in this document are provided in the table below:

Abbreviation Description

OFC Optical Fiber Cable

OCC Operation Control Center

ODF Optical Distribution Frame

EMI Electromagnetic Interference

HSR High Speed Rail

CWDM Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing

DWDM Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing

ITU-T International Telecommunication Union

IEC International Electrotechnical Commission

EN European Norm (European Standard)

EIA Electronic Industries Alliance

TIA Telecommunications Industry Association

ISO International Organization for Standardization dB Decibel km Kilometer

RAM Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability

QC Quality Control

QA Quality Assurance

Table 1 List of Acronyms and Abbreviations

1.3 Description

1.3.1 The purpose of the Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) is to provide connectivity between different locations and facilities of the California High-Speed-Rail system.

1.3.2 The Optical Fiber Cable network includes the long-distance optical cable houses, ducts, the necessary bypasses, junctions, connection devices, optical cabinets and enclosures, as well as jumpers, connectors, and splices, and the local wiring of the stations, depots, and the OCC.

1.3.3 The supplier shall provide the main long-distance optical cable.

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1.3.4 The optical fiber cable shall be a single-mode, loose-tube, steel-tape armored cable designed for outdoor use along the California high-speed line system. The OFC cable shall be suitable for direct underground burial and inside ducts.

1.3.5 The main optical fiber cable along the track shall be provided by the Supplier. The passive components for this optical fiber cable, including ODF, ducts, and patch cords, will be provided by others.

1.3.6 The design life requirements of the OFC shall be minimum 30 years in accordance with IEC 60794 accelerated aging performance.

1.4 Reference Standards

1.4.1 The Supplier shall fully take into account and apply the following standards, the in-force standards shall be applied.

Standard Title

[R1] EIA-TIA-455 Standard Test Procedure for Fiber Optic Fibers, Cables, Transducers, Sensors, Connecting and Terminating Devices, and Other Fiber Optic Components

[R2] EN 50121 Railway Applications – Electromagnetic compatibility (All Parts)

[R3] EN 50122 Railway Applications – Fixed Installations, Electrical Safety (All Parts)

[R4] EN 50125 Railway applications - Environmental conditions for equipment (All parts)

[R5] EN 50126 Railway Applications – The specification and demonstration of Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety (RAMS) (All parts)

[R6] EN 50129 Railway Applications – Communication, signaling and processing systems – Safety-related electronic systems for signaling

[R7] EN 50173 Information technology - Generic cabling systems

[R8] IEC 60794-1-21 Optical fiber cables - Part 1-21: Generic specification - Basic optical cable test procedures

[R9] IEC 60794-3 Optical fiber cables - Part 3: Outdoor cables - Sectional specification

[R10] IEC/EN 60793-1-1 Optical fibers - Part 1-1: Measurement methods and test procedures - General and guidance

[R11] IEC/EN 60793-1-20 Optical fibers - Part 1-20: Measurement methods and test procedures - Fiber geometry

[R12] IEC/EN 60793-1-21 Optical fibers - Part 1-21: Measurement methods and test procedures - Coating geometry

[R13] IEC/EN 60793-1-22 Optical fibers - Part 1-22: Measurement methods and test procedures - Length measurement

[R14] IEC/EN 60793-1-30 Optical fibers -- Part 1-30: Measurement methods and test procedures - Fibre proof test

[R15] IEC/EN 60793-1-32 Optical fibers - Part 1-32: Measurement methods and test procedures - Coating strippability

[R16] IEC/EN 60793-1-33 Optical fibers - Part 1-33: Measurement methods and test procedures - Stress corrosion susceptibility

[R17] IEC/EN 60793-1-40 Optical fibers - Part 1-40: Attenuation measurement methods

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Standard Title

[R18] IEC/EN 60793-1-45 Optical fibers - Part 1-45: Measurement methods and test procedures - Mode field diameter

[R19] IEC/EN 60793-1-47 Optical fibers - Part 1-47: Measurement methods and test procedures - Macrobending loss

[R20] IEC/EN 60793-1-48 Optical fibers - Part 1-48: Measurement methods and test procedures - Polarization mode dispersion

[R21] IEC/EN 60793-2-50 Optical fibers - Part 2-50: Product specifications - Sectional specification for class B single-mode fibers

[R22] IEC-60332-1 Tests on electric and optical fiber cables under fire conditions

[R23] IEC/ISA 62443 (ISA/99) Security for industrial automation and control systems.

[R24] ITU-T

G.652/G.655/G.656 Fiber Optic Cable Specification

[R25] TIA/EIA-568-E Telecommunications Cabling Standards

[R26] TIA-526-7 (OFSTP-7) Measurement of Optical Power Loss of Installed Single-Mode Fiber Cable Plant

[R27] TIA-569-B Standards for Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces

Table 2 List of applicable standards st ry

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2 PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

2.1 General Requirements

2.1.1 The OFC shall be designed in accordance with the requirements described in this specification.

2.1.2 The fiber type shall be compliant with ITU-T G.652D with full compatibility for CWDM and DWDM applications.

2.1.3 The Supplier’s scope shall include manufacture, supply, and delivery of the optical fiber cable that consists of a minimum of 192 fibers.

2.1.4 The OFC shall transport all required video, voice, and data between OCC, Stations, Depot, maintenance facilities, train care facilities, traction power, solar sites, and wayside facilities along the California high-speed line.

2.1.5 The OFC cables shall be fully immune and protected to all Electromagnetic Interference (EMI).

2.1.6 All cables shall be labelled in a permanent manner, and the naming convention for labelling should be upon the Authority´s approval. Cable color codes shall be unique for the whole project and shall be in compliance with IEC 60304.

2.2 Environmental Conditions Requirements

2.2.1 The Supplier’s OFC design shall respect local climatic conditions.

2.2.2 All equipment shall be protected from damage or degradation in performance due to shock or vibration as experienced in the railway environment.

2.2.3 The cable shall be of an outdoor type and operate within a temperature range of - 40°F (-40°C) to 158°F (70°C) and a humidity level of 100%.

2.2.4 No deterioration in cable performance shall result during storage at temperatures 4°F (-20°C) to 158°F (+70°C).

2.2.5 The cable shall be able to withstand ultraviolet radiation from sunlight without a significant reduction in the service life of the cables.

2.3 Functional Requirements for OFC

2.3.1 The Optical fiber cables shall consist of a minimum of 192 fibers distributed in multiple tubes.

2.3.2 All fiber cable supplied shall be suitable for installation into a wayside cable containment system such as concrete trough, ducting, or direct buried.

2.3.3 Cable shall meet crush, impact, tensile, and bending requirements per IEC 60794-1-21 test methods E1, E3, E4, and E11.

2.4 Performance Requirements for OFC

2.4.1 The Supplier shall ensure the minimum requirements for the fiber optic cable:

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Outdoor fiber optic cables shall be, at least, compliant with the following standards: ITU-T Recommendation G.652D, G.655, G.657, IEC/EN 60793-1- 20/21/22/30/32/33/40/42/45/47/48, IEC/EN 60793-2-50 Category B-652.D, EIA/TIA 455, IEC 60794-1-2, IEC 60794-3, EIA/TIA 568-E EN 50173-1, ISO/IEC

11801;

Single-mode fiber optic cable shall be compatible with CWDM, DWDM, and non- DWDM technologies.

Fiber optic color coding shall be as per IEC 60304.

Optical Performance

Single-mode Fiber optic insertion loss shall be ≤0.35dB/km at 1310 nm and ≤

0.22 dB/km at 1550 nm.

Fiber optic splice fusions insertion loss shall be ≤0.05dB.

Mechanical Performance Testing shall be in accordance with TIA/EIA-455, IEC/EN 60793-1 and IEC/EN

60794-1-2x.

Maximum pulling tension ≥ 2700 N Crush resistance ≥ 2200 N/100 mm Minimum bend radius: Dynamic ≥ 20×OD; Static ≥ 10×OD

The supplier shall be able to provide an indoor variant of the Fiber optic cable that shall be low smoke, halogen-free (HFFR), flame retardant, and shall comply with IEC-60332-1.

2.4.2 The length of cable/cable drums shall be specified by the Authority to the Supplier.

2.4.3 The Supplier shall coordinate with the Authority for the delivery of optical fiber cable.

The Authority shall provide the design inputs related to optical fiber cables to the Supplier.

2.4.4 All materials supplied by the Supplier shall conform to the requirements and test methods of the relevant EN standards or other applicable recognized standards.

2.4.5 All materials supplied shall be of sufficient grade and quality to meet the design life requirements.

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3 MANUFACTURING PROCESS

3.1.1 The supplier shall perform all manufacturing, transportation, storage, and testing of the OFC.

3.1.2 The manufacturer shall be certified ISO 9001. Cable shall have full material traceability and batch control.

3.1.3 The Supplier must submit to the Authority for approval a workplan of the manufacturing process including all hold points.

3.1.4 The supplier shall guarantee that the materials used for production of the fibers and coatings shall be of the same origin for all cables. Combination fibers and coatings from different suppliers are not acceptable. Factory splicing of optical fiber is not permitted.

3.2 Cable drum Packing

3.2.1 The cables shall be supplied in lengths as specified by the Authority at the time of contract. Each length of cable shall be wound on a separate drum, unless otherwise specified or agreed to by the Authority. The diameter of the drum barrel shall be large enough to prevent damage to the cables during reeling or unreeling. In no event shall the diameter of the barrel be less than 40 times the outside diameter of the cable.

3.2.2 The drum shall be substantial and constructed to prevent damage to the cables during shipment and handling. Other suitable means of protection shall be applied to the drum to prevent damage to the cable during shipment and storage.

3.2.3 A protective wrap shall be applied over the outer convolutions of the cable on each reel. The wrap shall be weather and UV-resistant and shall remain in place until the cable is installed.

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4 QUALITY CONTROL

4.1 Quality Control and factory testing

4.1.1 General

1. The Supplier will operate a quality system, which is defined and maintained in a quality manual. This manual must address all actions, functions and resources, procedures and practices concerned with achieving and providing documentary evidence that the quality of the delivered material that the Supplier provides are to the agreed requirements.

2. The Supplier will maintain records of each order OFC.

3. The records will be retained by the producer for at least five years and must be available for inspection by the Authority at any time, according to the Contract provisions.

4. On request, any quality records or production records will be submitted to the Authority.

5. Supplier will provide a spot OTDR spot test on each drum after material has been delivered and provide passing test results with each certificate of conformance.

4.2 Quality Control Plan

4.2.1 Prior to the start of manufacturing, the Supplier will submit to the Authority, for review and formal approval, a quality control plan including all quality documents relating to acceptance of materials and manufacturing.

4.2.2 The quality plan will detail:

1. The QC vs production organization, structure and responsibilities.

2. All testing requirements included but not limited to a definition of testing equipment, method of testing, frequency of tests, acceptance criteria, batch or lot definitions.

3. Hold point descriptions.

4. The Contractor shall maintain a log to record and track each test performed by QC. The log must indicate the date of the sample, location of the sample, the date of the test, test designation or type, description of area, quantity, lot, structure, etc. that describes what work is represented by the test, acceptance criteria, test results, notation if the test passed or failed. The log shall be attached to each shipment’s Certificate of Compliance.

5. Mechanism used to increase the inspection frequency when defects are identified

6. The Contractor must include in the QC Plan all methods and responsibilities for the identification, documentation, control, and processing of non-conforming Work. A Non-Conformance will be considered to exist when any work exhibits a deficiency in either physical Inspection characteristics or documentation and cannot be brought into Compliance before an established Hold Point or the specific work is considered to be completed. An NCR can be initiated by QC or QA. This system must apply to all material, equipment, processes and all work including the actions

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JAN 2026 REV. 01 10 of 12 associated with installation or construction which for any reason fail to conform to the Contract Documents. All NCRs including all details and records associated with the NCR are subject to approval by the Authority.

The Supplier must submit all NCRs for approval before any corrective actions take placeprior to shipment.

7. An NCR log tracking each NCR, the disposition, and resolution at a minimum.

8. The Authority may, at its sole discretion, choose to sample, test, and inspect any nonconforming work or any work associated with the corrective actions. QA test samples must be made available upon request by the Authority for any material associated with the corrective actions as identified by the Authority at no cost to the Authority.

9. The Contractor will develop and implement a tagging process that is used to denote that all material has been inspected by QC inspectors as part of the material management process.

10. Material traceability processes.

11. All other quality control procedures to ensure and verify that the concrete ties and services provided are to meet the stated requirements.

4.2.3 Testing of cables to be supplied under the contract shall be carried out by the bidder in accordance with the agreed QC procedure. Test results shall be provided to the Authority.

4.2.4 Independently certified test records of specified materials and components and assembled cable parameters shall be submitted to the Authority if so requested.

4.2.5 The Supplier shall submit to the Authority, on or before the delivery of the cables, detailed test reports for every delivered length and for each production batch of a given size and type of cable.

5 SUBMITTALS

5.1.1 The supplier shall provide the following documentation for review and approval prior to beginning production:

• Manufacturing Process Description: Overview of the production process

• Quality Control Plan

• Technical Datasheet: Detailed specifications of the 192-core cable, including optical, mechanical, and environmental characteristics.

• Delivery Schedule: Timeline for production and delivery to the project site.

• Installation Guidelines: Instructions for handling, storage, and installation of the cable.

5.1.2 Certificates of Compliance

A. The Supplier shall furnish a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) with each shipment of material. The CoC shall be issued and signed by an authorized representative of the Supplier and shall certify that the materials supplied:

1. Fully conform to the requirements of:

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a. This contract

b. All additional requirements specified in this procurement document.

2. Identify the supplied product

a. Lot or batch number, production date, and shipment quantity.

3. Verification Summary

a. The CoC shall summarize verification and control activities demonstrating that:

i.All sampling, testing, and factory production control (FPC) activities have been performed in accordance the contract requirements;

ii.All test results meet or exceed the specified acceptance criteria for the declared categories; and iii.Results are traceable to the sample identification, test date

4. Supporting Documentation

a. The CoC shall include or reference the following supporting documentation:

i.Test reports for all required properties ii.All inspection and test records

5. Declared Performance

a. The CoC shall list the declared performance categories and corresponding test results for all specified properties. Where no performance is determined for a particular characteristic, “NPD” (No Performance Determined) shall be indicated.

6. Sampling and Testing

a. The CoC shall identify the sampling location, date, and frequency, confirming that sampling was conducted at the place of production or other approved location.

7. Buy American Compliance

a. The CoC shall affirm that all materials and processing comply with Buy America requirements.

8. Statement of Conformance

a. Each CoC shall include a clear declaration of conformity, such as:

i.“We hereby certify that the ballast supplied under this shipment was produced, tested, and inspected in accordance all project-specific requirements, and that the results meet or exceed the specified acceptance criteria.”

9. Warranty Certificate: Documentation of warranty terms and conditions.

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6 WARRANTY

6.1.1 The supplier shall provide a warranty for the 192-core optical fiber cable, covering:

6.1.2 Duration: Minimum of 25 years from the date of delivery.

6.1.3 Coverage: Defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and environmental conditions specified in this document. Warranty shall also cover water ingress, jacket cracking, excessive attenuation drift, and environmental degradation.

6.1.4 Remedy: Replacement or repair of defective cables at no cost to the project, including transportation and labor.

6.1.5 Exclusions: Damage due to improper installation, misuse, or external factors beyond the supplier’s control.

7 QUALITY ASSURANCE

7.1.1 The Authority may conduct Quality Assurance (QA) inspections and tests at their sole discretion at any place of fabrication during any/all phases of fabrication.

7.1.2 The Authority may conduct a facility audit before fabrication begins. Coordinate with the Authority to allow time for this facility audit.

7.1.3 The Authority may perform follow-up audits during any phase of fabrication.

8 STANDARDS EQUIVALIZATION

8.1.1 Where this specification references specific EN or ISO test methods, the fabricator may propose the use of ASTM or other internationally recognized equivalent test methods, provided that:

a) The proposed test method is technically equivalent or more stringent in procedure, accuracy, and acceptance criteria than the referenced EN/ISO method.

b) The equivalency is clearly demonstrated in writing, including:

i.A cross-reference matrix comparing the scope, procedure, equipment, calibration, and reporting requirements of both standards; and ii.Evidence that the alternate method yields comparable or superior results for the relevant material property.

iii.The proposal is submitted to the Owner for written approval prior to use of the alternate test method(s).

iv.Once approved, the alternate standard shall be applied consistently for all testing of that type throughout production; and v.All test reports shall clearly identify the standard used.

8.1.2 Approval of an alternate test method shall not waive any other requirement of this.

The fabricator remains fully responsible for ensuring that all materials conform to the specified performance and acceptance criteria.

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1 General
1.1 Supplier Scope
1.2 Acronyms and Abbreviations
1.3 Description
1.4 Reference Standards
2 Product specifications
2.1 General Requirements
2.2 Environmental Conditions Requirements
2.3 Functional Requirements for OFC
2.4 Performance Requirements for OFC
3 Manufacturing process
3.2 Cable drum Packing
4 Quality control
4.1 Quality Control and factory testing
1.1.1
2
3
4
4.1
4.1.1 General

4.2 Quality Control Plan

5 Submittals
6 Warranty
7 Quality Assurance
8 Standards Equivalization

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