ProCure21 firms line up for £1bn Scottish Framework

The £1bn Scottish equivalent of ProCure21, due to be launched this spring, will see all bar one of ProCure21’s eight contractors vying for a place on its four-year framework.

In a straw poll of all eight ProCure21 contractors this week only Medicinq (Midas Construction, Geoffrey Osborne and Simons Construction) said it was unlikely to be interested in bidding for a place on the NHS Scotland framework, due to “geographical reasons”.

However the other seven contractors, Balfour Beatty; Costain; HBG; Integrated Health Projects; Interserve Health; Kier; and Laing O’Rourke confirmed they were keen to bid.

Observers say HBG, Interserve and Laing O’Rourke could be in pole position because of their membership of not only ProCure21 but also its Welsh equivalent, the Welsh Health Estates’ Designed for Life framework, which is closest to the Scottish model.

Interserve has the added bonus of carrying out the Scottish model’s first pathfinder - a £40m hospitals contract at  Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline. A second £19m pathfinder scheme in Lanarkshire is in the pipeline.

However Scottish contractors are preparing to defend their turf, with Miller and Morrison expected to throw their hats in the ring. Other contenders include Robertson Group, Galliford Try and Skanska.

The Scottish model, which has yet to be named, is seeking between three and five Principal Supply Chain Partners (PSCPs) to deliver up to £150m of capital works a year on behalf of Scottish Health Boards across Scotland. The framework will run for four years with a two year renewal option.

It is a streamlined version of ProCure21, spurning the unpopular membership fee and keeping the number of PSCPs down to no more than five, unlike ProCure21 which launched with 12 members. However the jury is still out on whether the framework will be mandatory for Scottish Health Boards.

Peter Haggarty, director of property and capital planning at Health Facilities Scotland, commented: “That is still being considered. However since the Health Boards have been driving this initiative and have always been in strong support of it, it may not be necessary.”

A professional services framework will also be launched at the same time as the construction framework. Both OJEUs will be advertised this spring. The frameworks will be chosen by Autumn 2008.