£55m PFI race

The race to close a £55 million deal for Sheffield City Council's grouped-school PFI deal has now narrowed to two consortia led by Tilbury Douglas and Sir Robert McAlpine. Bids by two other consortia headed by Ballast Wiltshier and Jarvis are now out of the running.

A spokeswoman for the council said a preferred bidder should be selected by December. A financial close is due to be reached in February 2000 and work is expected to start on site in April of the same year.

The project involves the design, financing, building and facilities management of non-core services over a 25-year period. The scheme is made up of six schools, four secondary and two primary. The secondary schools range in pupil size from around 700 to 1,750. The primary schools average around 200 pupils.

The secondary schools will be largely rebuilt on available land at the existing sites, with some refurbishment of existing buildings. The two primary schools will be completely new build projects at new sites. A number of the schools may include the provision of sports facilities that can be shared with the local community.

The Sheffield project is one of five pilot PFI schemes in the Government's New Deal for Schools and involves grouping a number of schools together for redevelopment and long-term maintenance under one large contract.

The other four schemes are at Kirklees, where three consortia headed by Bovis, Jarvis and WS Atkins are to submit bids for a £35-40 million project later this month (see last week's CJ). The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is issuing invitations to negotiate to its shortlisted consortia within a week or two for a £75 million, 40-school scheme. Cornwall County Council's £50 million, 37-schools project is currently at the pre-qualification stage and Stoke-on-Trent's £125 million project has recently selected Balfour Beatty and Innisfree as its preferred bidder.