Four battle for £180m scheme in Edinburgh

Edinburgh City Council is running the rule over four consortia that have expressed interest in one of Scotland's biggest ever PFI education projects - a £180m scheme to provide six new secondary schools and two new primary schools.
The line-up jostling for contention is: Sir Robert McAlpine/Amey; Miller; Balfour Beatty; and Singapore outfit Americium.
The council plans to select three of the consortia either this week or next to go forward to the invitation to negotiate stage. It hopes to issue tender documents to the three at the end of November. The aim is to reach commercial close on the project around October or November 2005.
The PPP scheme is the city's second education project and will concentrate on the secondary school estate. The first was an £80m scheme won by an Amey/Miller consortium.