Three bid for £20m school PFI

Three firms are on the register for a £20m-plus private finance schools deal in Northern Ireland.

The project, in Bangor, has attracted Jarvis, Japanese firm Kajima, and the Northwin consortium. German firm Bilfinger BOT is now a member of Northwin in a move designed to shore up its position in the PFI sector.

Bilfinger takes the place of developer McGuinness in the consortium, for which building work is carried out jointly by Ulster firm John Graham and Farrans.

Northwin has four PFI deals in schools and higher education already under its belt.

But Kajima hopes to continue on its current roll, which has seen the company net four PFI schools projects since entering the fray two years ago.

The Bangor deal, for the province's Southeast Education Board, centres on two schools. The Bangor Academy, currently split on two sites, will be rationalised onto one and involves building a new academy for 1,800 students between the ages of 11 and 18.

The second project is to build the Comber High School on the outskirts of Bangor for 400 pupils between 11 and 16 years.

Bids are due back on 13 June and it is understood the client will go straight to appointing a preferred bidder by the middle of August. A start on site will be made next year, with completion due in time for the September 2005 intake of pupils.

The maintenance and operation concession will run for at least 25 years.