Opportunities for businesses in MOD construction supply chain
Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is aiming to give a boost to businesses of all sizes by encouraging them to get involved in supply chains for future build, repair and maintenance contracts for the UK’s Defence estate.
DIO is currently seeking expressions of interest (EOI) for three contracts covering all of England and Wales to provide repair and maintenance of airfields, army bases and naval sites (excluding main dockyards) and new building works up to a value of £3.93 million.
Its Next Generation Estate Contracts (NGEC) team is procuring contracts for the South West, South East and Central areas. DIO is calling on businesses of all sizes, who feel they can make a contribution to the supply chain for these works, to get involved.
Small and medium-sized companies providing services such as building work, grounds maintenance, mechanical and electrical and civil engineering, catering and cleaning can join the process, as those larger companies that may wish to bid as Prime Contractors.
Specialist companies providing energy management services, electric vehicles, recycling and environmental services will also have a role to play.
Steve Rice, the NGEC programme director, said:
“Supporting our Armed Forces as they prepare for operations is DIO’s priority. The stewardship of first-class facilities is central to fulfilling that aim. These contracts cover a vast geographical area, including key bases vital to the delivery of military capability.
“The challenge for industry will require excellent supply chain companies, supported by an excellent prime contractor. We are determined to put in place the best possible prime contractors, supported by strong, healthy supply chains and subcontractors.”
He added that one advantage for small and medium-sized companies of doing business with the MOD was that strict rules apply to the timely and complete payment of the supply chain contractors as well as the provision of stable workloads.
The NGEC team is preparing for engagement with industry, focused on these regions during April 2012. It is hoped these opportunities will continue to draw the best providers with the most innovative solutions – small, medium or large.
To attend the industry day for one or more of these contracts, a company must read the advertisement in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), and register an EOI before 29 March 2012. The industry day will be on 18 April 2012, in Wiltshire.
This will be a full day explaining the contracts available, the procurement process and giving potential supply chain members the opportunity to meet the companies who may be bidding as prime contractors.
Tenders will be invited in the autumn of 2012, and the contracts will begin in the second half of 2014. Not being at the industry day will not exclude companies from bidding for work as part of the supply chain, but it does put companies at the top of the list for a Prime Contractors consideration when choosing supply chain partners.
ENDS
Further information:
Press enquiries to: Tony Moran (DIO Senior Communications Officer) on 0121 311 3879 or email tony.moran572@mod.uk
NGEC programme: http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/MicroSite/DIO/WhatWeDo/NextGenerationEstateContracts.htm
Notes to editors
1. Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is part of the MOD. It is responsible for managing and maintaining land and properties to meet the current and future needs of the MOD and personnel at home and abroad, and to support current operations.
2. Our work includes providing, supporting and improving: operational units; single living and service family accommodation; training areas and historic military sites. DIO actively manages these to ensure the needs of Defence are met, value for money is achieved, our heritage is protected and to achieve our environmental goals.
3. The estate is worth £15.3 billion and spans 230,000 hectares and 45,000 buildings, including barracks, airfields, naval establishments, military training estate, workshops, offices, messes, family housing, 1,300 scheduled monuments, and 289 sites of special scientific interest.
4. This call for expressions of interest closes on 28 March 2012. Information on how to register an expression of interest is contained within the OJEU adverts which can be accessed via Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) - the public procurement database of the European Union and can be accessed on http://ted.europa.eu/.
5. References for the adverts are as follows:
South West - 2012/5 37-060204;
South East - 2012/5 36-058546; and
Central - 2012/5 37-060206.
6. The UK Government Construction Strategy was launched by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on May 2011. More information is available at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/taxpayers-get-more-their-money-construction-projects
7. The European Commission defines ‘Small and Medium-sized Enterprises’ (SMEs) as companies with an employee headcount of below 250 employees and annual turnover of below €50m.
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