The first round of open tenders for the Brisbane-to-Melbourne Inland Rail project will be advertised this week.

The first tenders are for engineering design and environmental services.

The massive rail infrastructure project will run through south east Queensland, across regional New South Wales and rural Victoria, linking with the existing national network to move produce around the nation more efficiently.

The first tenders will cover planning for some of the key segments of the Parkes to Narromine and Narrabri to North Star sections.

“I have charged the Australian Rail Track Corporation with developing a 10-year delivery plan for Inland Rail and appointed former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson to head the Inland Rail Implementation Group, to oversee that work,” Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss said.

Mr Truss said any successful tenderer will be required to demonstrate regional participation, to make sure companies along the length of the track can support the work.