Procurement

This page previously showed information on pre-construction procurement for the Forth Replacement Crossing project. Now construction is underway, further sub-contracting tender opportunities can be seen at www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk

Principal contract | M9 Junction 1A Contract | Fife ITS Contract | Advanced Works Contracts | Other Contracts

Principal contract

Type of Contract: Works
Location: Firth of Forth, Scotland
Winning Tender Value: £0.795bn
Contract Award Date: 18 April 2011
Commencement Date: 28 June 2011
Duration of Contract: 66 months

In December 2008, the Scottish Government confirmed the details of the Forth Replacement Crossing, which is to be funded by the Scottish Government through Transport Scotland and secured through a design and build contract.

The scope of the Principal Contract includes the design, construction and completion of a new bridge over the Firth of Forth together with approach roads to the North and South of the Crossing and the installation of an Intelligent Transport System (ITS).

The contract is a fixed price lump sum design and build bespoke contract based on the FIDIC Conditions of Contract for EPC / Turnkey Contracts (“Silver Book”) as a platform, with payment by installments on interim indicators based con competed milestones. The procurement competition was conducted under the competitive dialogue procedure.

The Contract Notice was issued for publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) on 26 June 2009. Subsequently, on 23 September 2009 prequalification submissions were received from two consortia, comprising eight of the world's most respected construction and specialist engineering companies.

These consortia were:

Forthspan comprising of Balfour Beatty, BAM Nuttal, Morgan Est (now Morgan Sindall) and Vinci (later changed to MT Hojgaard)
Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors comprising of Dragados, Hochtief, American Bridge International and Morrison

Both these consortia successfully passed the prequalification stage and were invited to participate in Competitive Dialogue on 4 December 2009. Invitations to Submit Final Tender were issued on 17 December 2010, and both Forthspan and Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors submitted a tender on 28 January 2011.

With The Bill receiving Royal Assent on 15 January 2011 and further to a tender evaluation the Contract was awarded to Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors.

M9 Junction 1A Contract

Type of Contract: Works
Location: M9 Junction 1A, Kirkliston, Scotland.
Winning Tender Value: £25.5m
Contract Award Date: 20 July 2011
Duration of Contract: 29 months

Lothian junction 1A on the M9 will be upgraded to enhance the vital connection to the M9 and increase accessibility to West Lothian. The works will comprise west facing connections between the M9 and the M9 Spur; improvements to the existing east facing slip roads; and widening of the existing M9 between Junction 1A and the River Almond crossing (towards the Newbridge junction).

The upgrade will require the construction of a new overbridge adjacent to the existing overbridge on the M9, widening of the existing bridge over Overton Road and widening of the existing B9080 underbridge on the M9 Spur. The existing Swine Burn will be diverted; requiring an additional culvert to be placed under the proposed east bound off slip, and together with other associated culvert extensions. Included within the contract will be the provision of an Intelligent Transport System (ITS) between Junction 2 (Philpstoun) and Junction 1 (Newbridge) on the M9 and along the length of the M9 Spur.

The Contract is a fixed price lump sum design and build contract based on the FIDIC Conditions of Contract for EPC / Turnkey Contracts (“Silver Book”) as a platform, with payment by installments on interim indicators based on completed milestones.

The procurement competition was conducted under the competitive dialogue procedure. The Contract Notice was issued for publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) on 4 June 2010. Subsequently, on 23 July 2010 prequalification submissions were received from 6 prospective bidders. The top four submissions were determined following on an assessment of each applicant financial and technical capabilities.

Balfour Beatty and Morgan Sindall JV
Morrison Construction
Roadbridge and John Sisk and Son Ltd JV
Sir Robert McAlpine and Costain JV

The above four were invited to Competitive Dialogue on 1 November 2010. Following the completion of the dialogue period, invitations to submit final tender were issued on 8 April 2011 and all four bidders submitted their tenders on 12 May 2011.

Following a tender evaluation the contract was awarded to John Sisk and Son Ltd. and Roadbridge JV with a final tender total of £25.5m.

Fife ITS Contract

Type of Contract: Works
Location: M90 Inverkeithing, Fife, Scotland.
Winning TenderValue: £12.9m
Contract Signing Date: 10 June 2011
Duration of Contract: 14 months

The design and build contract will comprise the provision of an Intelligent Transport System (ITS) on the northbound and southbound carriageways of the M90 between Junction 1 (Admiralty) and Junction 3 (Halbeath) and on the associated road connections.

The works will comprise the provision and installation of approximately twenty gantries, including foundations and associated maintenance lay-bys. The gantries will support ITS equipment and direction signing. Associated with the gantries is the provision of hard landscaping, ducting, cabling and carriageway traffic detectors.

Additionally, the works will comprise the installation, testing and initial commissioning of the ITS equipment provided by the Scottish Ministers. The contract will also include the upgrading of the M90 southbound hard shoulder between Junction 3 and Junction 1, and may include associated pavement works over this length.

The procurement competition was conducted under the competitive dialogue procedure. The Contract Notice was published in the OJEU on the 1 July 2010. Subsequently, on 13 August 2010 prequalification submissions were received from 5 prospective bidders. The top four submissions were determined following on an assessment of each applicant financial and technical capabilities.

Forthspan (comprising Balfour Beatty, BAM Nuttal, Morgan Sindall and MT Hojgaard)
John Graham (Dromore) Ltd
Sir Robert McAlpine and Costain JV
Morrison Construction

The above four were invited to Competitive Dialogue on 19 November 2010. However, Morrison Construction decided to withdraw from the competition reducing the total number of participants to three. Invitations to submit final tenders were issued on the 25 February 2011.

Three tenders were received on 25 March 2011 and following a tender evaluation it was determined that John Graham (Dromore) Ltd had the most economically advantageous tender and were awarded the contract with a final tender total of £12.6m.

Advanced Works Contracts

Wind Tunnel Testing

Wind Tunnel Testing – Full Bridge Aerolastic Tests, Windshield Modelling and Confirmatory Deck Section Test.
Type of Contract: Services
Contract Values: £100,000 - £220,000
Contract Award: 12 August 2009, 30 June 2009 and 22 July 2009.
Current Status: Contract Completed

The Forth Replacement Crossing bridge design model was required to be put through a number of Wind Tunnel studies to test the durability of the specimen design before construction. Three series of tests were tendered for:

1. Full Bridge Aerolastic Tests

This contract required wind tunnel studies compromising a scale model of an entire cable- stayed bridge structure to confirm the aerolastic stability for the final bridge and key stages of construction, including free-standing towers, longest deck cantilever during construction.

Four tenders were received and following a tender evaluation the contract was awarded to the Politecnico di Milano on 12 August 2009.

2. Windshield Modelling

This contract involved wind tunnel studies, comprising a fixed bridge deck section model at different skew angles with various different wind shield configurations.

Five tenders were received and following a tender evaluation the contract was awarded to the Politecnico di Milano on 30 June 2009.

3. Confirmatory Deck Section Test

This contract was to study a bridge deck section model mounted on end springs to represent the dynamic properties.

Five tenders were received and following assessment the contract was awarded to, the Politecnico di Milano on 22 July 2009.

Archaeology

Type of Contract: Works
Location: North and South Queensferry
Tender Value: £248,190
Contract Award: 16 July 2010
Duration of Contract: works contract period: 14 Months
Reporting period: Variable, anticipated to be March 2013
Current Status: Site Works Completed, Laboratory work underway.

The works comprise land based invasive (trial trenching and hand excavation) and non-invasive (geophysical survey) archaeological survey of several areas of archaeological potential, which may be affected by the Forth Replacement Crossing Project. Post survey assessment, analysis and reporting, including publication as appropriate, also forms part of the scope of works which will be packaged and timed to suit land access arrangements within the survey area.

The Contract being adopted is the ICE Conditions of Contract for Archaeological Investigation, First Edition (September 2004) with amendments and additional clauses. The Contract shall be a lump sum agreement for services on a phased availability basis.

The procurement competition was concluded under the restricted procedure. The Contract Notice was submitted for publication in the OJEU and on the Public Contracts Scotland portal on 17 March 2010. Seven pre-qualification questionnaires were received and six companies were invited to tender;

CFA Archaeology Ltd
GUARD
Headland Archaeology
Oxford Wessex Joint Venture
Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd
Wardell Armstrong LLP

Further to a tender evaluation, the contract was awarded to Headland Archaeology on the 16 July 2010.

Civil and Electrical Work for Radar

Type of Contract: Works
Location: North Queensferry
Tender Value: £126,291
Contract Award: 6 December 2010
Duration of Contract: 2 months
Current Status: Contract Completed

A new radar facility has been installed for Forth Ports, as the new Forth Replacement Crossing will restrict the existing facility.

The contract comprised the civil and electrical engineering works associated with the installation of a new radar station. The Civil engineering works comprised removal of a listed archway structure, construction of a concrete foundation and radar station compound, arboriculture coppicing works, provision of new Public Utility connections and construction of a masonry radar building. Electrical engineering works comprised provision of new power and telecommunication supplies into the radar building, installation of power supply feeder pillar and permanent standby generator, installation within the container of equipment for the incoming power supply and associated UPS, automatic transfer switch and LV panel board and disconnection and termination of archway lighting and associated power supply at source.

The Conditions of Contract used were the “ICE Conditions of Contract” for Minor Works, Third Edition (“April 2001”) with amendments and additional clauses and will be on a re measurable basis.

The procurement competition was conducted under the restricted procedure.

A total of 25 expressions of interest were received of which 6 submitted a prequalification submission. Following an assessment of each applicant’s financial and technical capabilities, on 1 October 2010, 6 participants were invited to tender.

Blackbourne
Clancy Docwra
C Spencer Ltd
DCT Civil Engineering
ERH Communications
John Graham (Dromore) Ltd

Both Blackbourne and C Spencer withdrew from the competition due to other tendering commitments. As such four tenders were returned on 5 November 2010.

Following an assessment of the tenders, John Graham (Dromore) Ltd was awarded the contract on 6 December 2010.

Replacement Badger Sett Contract

Type of Contract: Works
Location: South Queensferry
Tender Value: £13,367.60
Contract Award Date: 25 August 2010
Duration of Contract: 30 days
Current Status: Contract Completed

An Environmental Statement (ES) was submitted to the Scottish Parliament in November 2009 in support of the Forth Crossing Bill. Due to the proposed alignment of the road connections to the south of the crossing, the mitigation measures stated in the ES included the exclusion of two badger setts and the provision of two replacement setts. This was progressed as advance works contract to ensure no delay to the principal contract construction works.

The Conditions of Contract adopted for this Contract was the Scottish Government SGTC2 Conditions of Contract for the Purchase of Services. As the estimated contract value was below £50,000 and it was considered a low risk project, the Scottish Government’s Route One Procurement Journey was adopted.

Three specialist ecological contractors were invited to quote for these works;

Grampian
JDC Ecology
Three Shires Ltd

Further to a quotation assessment, Three Shires Ltd was awarded the contract on the 25 August 2010.

Competition for Supply of Plant Material

Type of Contract: Services
Location: Lothian and Fife
Tender Value: £229,900
Contract Award: 6 May 2011
Estimated Completion: March 2016
Current Status: Contract Awarded

The contract notice for the Competition for the Supply of Plant Material was published in the OJEU and on the Public Contracts Scotland Portal on 22 October 2010.

The contract comprises the preparation, supply and delivery of specified plant material. This is a requirement of the Forth Replacement Crossing landscape and ecological mitigation.

The Conditions of Contract being adopted for this Contract is the Scottish Government SGTC4 Conditions of Contract for the Supply of Goods and will be on a remeasurable basis. The procurement competition is being conducted under the restricted procedure.

Three prequalification questionnaires were received from the following companies;

Cheviot Trees
Johnsons of Whixley Ltd
McLaren’s Nurseries

Following and assessment of each applicant’s financial and technical capabilities, both Cheviot Trees and Johnsons of Whixley Ltd passed the evaluation criteria, enabling them to progress to the next stage of the procurement competition.

On the 3 February 2011, both Cheviot Trees and Johnsons of Whixley were invited to tender. Both companies submitted a Tender submission on the 11 March 2011. Further to a tender evaluation, the contract was awarded to Johnsons of Whixley Limited at a value of £229,900.

Other Contracts

Insurance Advisory Services

Type of Contract: Services
Contract Value: £279,000
Duration of Contract: 36 Months
Current Status: Contract Awarded

The procurement competition commenced on 8 September 2009, when the Contract Notice was submitted for publication in the OJEU and on the Public Contracts Scotland portal. The procurement competition was conducted under the restricted procedure. A total of nine PQQ submissions were received and following an assessment, it was determined that the following four insurance advisors be invited to tender as follows:

Marsh
Heath Lambert Ltd
Willis
Jardine Lloyd Thompson Ltd

Following evaluation of the submitted tenders, on 30 December 2009 Heath Lambert Ltd were awarded the contract for Insurance Advisory Services for the Forth Replacement Crossing.

Heath Lambert are now tasked with advising the Scottish Ministers on the insurances required in respect of all aspects of the Forth Replacement Crossing Project including the design, construction and completion of the new bridge across the Firth of Forth, the trunk road connections to the north and south of the new bridge, the upgrading of the M9 Junction 1a and the installation of an Intelligent Transport System (ITS).

Fee Audit Commission

Type of Contract: Services
Contract Value: £59,000
Contract Award: 17 May 2010
Estimated Completion: 2013
Current Status: Contract Awarded

The contract is to provide a fee audit service to assess the Jacobs Arup Joint Venture whom provides multi-disciplinary consultancy services in support of the FRC project. This service will also audit costs incurred by the unsuccessful participant for the appropriate tender costs associated with the Principal Contract.

On 13 April 2010, invitations to quote were issued to six prospective framework auditors via the OGC Buying Solutions tendering system. These were:

BDO Stoy Hayward
Deloitte LLP
Grant Thornton
Pricewaterhouse Coopers
RSM Tenon
Tribal

Following assessment of tenders, on the 18 May 2010 the contract was awarded to Deloitte LLP.