Four battle for £30m Cambridge University deal

Four firms are in the line-up for a high-profile education-sector deal in Cambridge, worth at least £30m.

The bid list for the design and construct Cambridge University project is Shepherd Construction, Willmott Dixon, Morgan Ashurst and Kier Marriott.

A source close to the project said: "All four bidders have tendered for Cambridge University projects before and are well-known to the client.

"So the knives will be out in this contest, which like so many others in these difficult times will be a no-holds-barred affair as firms struggle to win precious work."

The task is to construct a new building for the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy.

The facility will be built on the West Cambridge site, adjacent to the M11 at junction 13.

The job takes in civil, structural, mechanical and electrical projects as well as general building works plus external hard and soft landscaping.

It is understood that the university is due to hold a bidders' meeting this month and that the client is expected to announce the winner of the first stage of the two-stage tender contest within the next six weeks.

A start on site is expected towards the middle of next year.

The first-stage winner will be appointed on the basis of a tender for preliminaries, overheads, profit and preconstruction services.

Then the preferred bidder will work up the design and will tender sub-contract packages to arrive at the final price.

The contract is expected to be finally rubber-stamped in March 2012.

Davis Langfon is the scheme's project manager, with Turner & Townsend the cost consultant.