28 firms chasing £1bn Express LIFT deal

Twenty eight firms are chasing the £1bn Express Lift framework deal with a shortlist of between ten and twenty bidders due to emerge this week.

Tim Challis, LIFT Development director at Community Health Partnerships, told CJ there is “very high interest” in the new initiative, which aims to extend access to the NHS LIFT programme to at least another 70 Primary Care Trusts.

Challis said half the bidders were NHS LIFTcos.  Other bidders include major PFI contractors and a number of third party developers.

A final framework of six to ten members will be chosen by the end of the year. The successful bidders will then compete to win 20 year LIFTCo partnering deals with Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).

Challis defended Express LIFT from contractors’ criticisms that it was too bureaucratic and would slow down the delivery of health care facilities. He countered: “People get hung up on the delivery of facilities when what PCTs really need is help to plan the process over the long term. Express LIFT involves the private sector in the very early stages of project delivery.”

Challis said bidding costs under Express LIFT would be “decimated” by the absence of sample schemes. Instead of working up sample schemes framework members will undergo a beauty parade similar to that used by NHS ProCure21 with PCTs choosing their preferred partner within six to eight weeks.

Previously, under NHS LIFT, procurement could take two years with up to three bidders asked to work up designs for sample schemes. Savings are also expected from the introduction of market testing for construction and FM work.