PPP project newsletter

In February 2006 East Dunbartonshire published a PPP newsletter explaining the objectives of the project.

They list the following evaluation criteria:

Education
Design and technical
Legal
Finance
Facilities/Life cycle management
Project/Construction management

Note - Education is top of the list (where it should be)

They also include this paragraph...

"In addition to the standard bids submitted by both
bidders, each has tabled alternative proposals. The
overall objective of both bidders is to reduce the construction
period from four years to a period of two to
two-and-a-half years in order to deliver all schools in
one phase. At a meeting on 12 January 2006 the Council
agreed to test these proposals which will be developed
over the next two months."

The bidders wanted to build the schools quicker than the ITN (Invitation to Negotiate). This could result in substantial cost saving in construction.

Could this be one of the reasons they wanted to move Bishopbriggs Academy from the preferred location to the Thomas Muir
site? This option allowed them to keep St Ninian's on it's existing site and decant the pupils to Thomas Muir - thus completing the project in a faster time scale. Educational advantages?

"Bidder A - Alternative Proposal

Site - New school to be constructed on existing Thomas
Muir High School site while Thomas Muir High School
building will be occupied by St. Ninian’s High School
during construction phase.

Decant arrangements - The new amalgamated school
(i.e. pupils from both schools) will be located on existing
Bishopbriggs High School site for the duration of the
construction period. Supplementary accommodation
will be provided on site to accommodate pupil numbers
and curriculum needs."

The full pdf document is available here.