Building schools for the future shortlist announced
24 September 2008
The radical transformation of secondary education in the borough
has moved a step closer with the announcement of a shortlist of
three bidders to undertake our Building Schools for the Future
programme (BSF).
Rochdale is the first Wave 4 authority to shortlist bidders and
to start competitive dialogue for the BSF programme which will see
the creation of 4 new PFI schools together with the
refurbishment/remodelling of the remainder of the borough’s
existing secondary and special schools. The combined construction
and ICT investment is valued around £200 million.
Short-listed consortia were notified by Tuesday 16 September, in
accordance with our programme timetable.
Over the past few months, we've been working with contractors
interested in bidding for our Building Schools for the Future
contract, which will bring Rochdale's vision of schools fit for
21st century learning to life. Four consortia were taken forward
having passed the initial pre-qualification stage and this number
was reduced to three following a subsequent evaluation stage.
Today (24 September 2008) we're announcing our preferred
shortlist of bidders, who are as follows:
- AURA Learning Communities
Sir Robert
McAlpine (Construction)
Robertsons FM (Facilities Management)
Telindus/Core (ICT)
- Galliford Try/Equitix
Galliford Try
(Construction)
Galliford Try FM (Facilities Management)
RM (ICT)
- Inspired Spaces
Carillion (Construction, FM and ICT)
with support from Ramsey’s (ICT Partner)
Once the preferred bidder is selected, it is anticipated that
work will commence in January 2010 at Hollingworth Business and
Enterprise College, Milnrow and Siddal Moor Sports College,
Heywood.
Councillor Irene Davidson, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools
and Families said that the council are confident that they have
strong contenders, one of whom will be the ideal partner to work
with them in delivering their vision for state of the art learning
centres fit for the twenty-first century:
Councillor Davidson said: "The selection of the shortlist of
bidders is an important step forward for everyone with an interest
in education in the borough. Building Schools for the Future will
transform the way we educate our young people. It is an exciting
opportunity to give young people access to a world class education
system and the best possible environments for learning, allowing
them to reach even higher levels of achievement. This announcement
allows us to move forward positively with the school organisation
process."