Five mainland firms in running to build new island schools
Did any of the local firms try to get on the tender list, or did none of them make it to the event in Glasgow?
I was told UBC were going to try to get on the shortlist.
I can see the successful bidder coming here, setting up a base to try and win other work before, during and after the schools project, and destroying the local construction industry.
Actually, the Council will be the ones destroying the local construction industry as all the capital budgets are being raided and committed to this project, meaning that nothing else of significance is going to be built or repaired.
Good news for the islands? Hardly.
Good news for the mainland consultants? Snouts in troughs.
I was told UBC were going to try to get on the shortlist.
I can see the successful bidder coming here, setting up a base to try and win other work before, during and after the schools project, and destroying the local construction industry.
Actually, the Council will be the ones destroying the local construction industry as all the capital budgets are being raided and committed to this project, meaning that nothing else of significance is going to be built or repaired.
Good news for the islands? Hardly.
Good news for the mainland consultants? Snouts in troughs.
9 comments:
Yet another example of how the SNP Government are *helping* businesses in the Western Isles.
A set-up that potentially destroys the WI building sector run, managed and undertaken by almost exclusively by mainland firms.
The lawyers and consulatants must be laughing all the way to the champagne bar....
If the local firms cannot or will not bid for and win tenders for the schemes advertised then they have no right to complain about the jobs going to mainland companies. It would be interesting to see whether UBC did bid and if not why not. At the end of the day, the council has to balance between obtaining best value for us, the rate payers, and any obligation it may have under current legislation to supporting local companies.
Perhaps now Angus you and your fellow supporters of industrial sized wind farms on Lewis will get it into your heads that when the time comes to build the bloody things the work will be undertaken by profesional seasoned experts.
There are none of this ilk on Lewis. The mobile experienced and transient work force will hit Lewis , income take all the work and leave. A few jobs to clean up the mess for us.
Told you before and repeating it now.
THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN! Well y'know I thought I'd give it a try...
6 25 & 10 10
You either forget or do not know that when the new Hospital in Stornoway was built it was a mainland company who won the contract but the majority of the Construction was undertaken by Local Contractors who won Sub Contracts. That is the nature of most large contracts awarded in the Islands. Large companies come in and take the risk, but most of the work is carried out by local contractors. I am sure none of you guys shop in tesco or the co op as they are large mainland companies who in your own words bring in experienced transient work forces.
I think that as in the past the new schools will be built by local companies and if transient workforce is required then that will be a welcome boost to all with accomodation available for such a workforce.
THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN! Nope, I'm just not getting it...
6.25
UH - remember Lewis Sports Centre!!
That was exactly the same!!!
In the sports centre the contractor also subed contracted all to mainland firms and used mainland builders merchants..
This is a COMHAIRLE problem not a government one.....
9.47
the Comhairle are happy to exclude certain local companies within the construction sector in competing for work due to peculiar rules of their own making...
Maybe I've missed something but what local company can either manage or execute a contract the size of the new Nicolson?
I thought UBC were putting together a consortium for the schools contract, have they pulled out or just not spoken up yet?
As for local sub contractors I would have thought there would have been plenty of work up for grabs as any 'mainland' firm would obviously far prefer to sub certain parts of the works to locally available resources in order to reduce costs and/or increase profits. My gut feeling is that the local contractors will do all right out of this regardless of who manages it.
As for laughing all the way to the champagne bar.... quite a few locals have done that over the years and good on them.
The council do not understand best value & anyway they do not want to support local businesses so what is the point.
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