Foreign Office puts repair out to tender

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is inviting tenders for a £30-£40 million project to refurbish the Old Admiralty Building just south of The Mall and Trafalgar Square.

Some staff already occupy part of the building, but others are to be relocated there. However, the Foreign Office will continue to occupy its main building on Whitehall.

The work on the Grade II listed building will include repairs and cleaning of external facades, repair and renewal of the roof structure and coverings, works to the foundations and internal structure, repairs and replacement of windows.

Additional works are likely to include replacement or repair of existing services, new lifts and the creation of vertical services routes where permitted. The office spaces will be refurbished to provide open-plan arrangements wherever possible.

All or some of the works may be let as separate trade packages, so some form of management contract is expected to be used.

Dates have yet to be finalised but the deadline for completion is likely to be the third quarter of 2000.