Laing O'Rourke denied in first six BSF academy schemes

Laing O’Rourke has failed to make the cut on the first six shortlisted schemes under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) academies framework contract.

The other five contractors on the framework are all on at least one of the six shortlists. The six schemes are worth a combined £275m.

Balfour Beatty, Carillion and Skanska lead the pack with three shortlistings. Balfour Beatty is vying against Kier on the £25m Darlington Academy scheme and against Skanska on the £50m Southwark Academies scheme. The firm is also shortlisted against Carillion on the £110m Sunderland BSF scheme, as revealed by CJ last May.

Meanwhile, Carillion is up against Skanska on the £30m North Nailsea one school pathfinder scheme in Somerset and against Willmott Dixon on the £30m Joseph Rowntree Academy at York. Skanska and Kier also make the shortlist for the £30m Milton Keynes Academy.

The framework was set up last year to fast-track the government’s Academies programme, as well as its one school pathfinder schemes and BSF schemes under £100m. The one school programme allows local authorities in the later tranches of the BSF programme to build one BSF-style school.

Laing O’Rourke was unavailable to comment on its lack of success so far on the framework. However, one source said: “Laing O’Rourke has bid unsuccessfully for some of these, but it is also a capacity issue at present which is stopping it going for these deals as aggressively as it would normally do.”

The four-year academies framework contract sets a tight timetable.

It aims to deliver 50 sponsored academy schools, at least 57 new secondary schools, a number of primary schools and a variety of BSF schemes under £100m.

The schools are spread over four regions: the North and Humber; the Midlands (including East Anglia); the South West; and the South East and London.