Defence Estates unveils £400m eastern prime contract

Defence Estates has advertised the last of its five regional prime contracts in the Official Journal of the European Union. The contract is worth more than £400m.

The eastern contract will provide property maintenance and capital works at more than 180 Ministry of Defence establishments in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Rutland and Nottinghamshire.

Contractors have until 28 November to express an interest. Qualifying firms will be invited to an industry day next January. Defence Estates will invite five or six contractors to tender in July 2004. A preferred bidder should emerge in late spring 2005 with the contract award concluded by the end of that year. Start on site should follow in summer 2006.

The contract will run for seven years, with the possibility of a three-year extension.