Whitehall now open to offers
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by Amanda Bradbury II The Government is planning to out tender £40m worth of transport contracts over the next three years in the most lucrative central Government departments. The news comes as employers' organisations warn operators bidding for Government contracts that they may be subject to employee transfer rules—which could scupper some deals.
Unpublished plans of areas to be market tested reveal the size of the contracts will be gradually stepped up: with the most valuable deals coming in the 1995-6 round.
What is generally seen as the most valuable department, the Ministry of Defence, intends to offer a small £295,000 tranche of the navy's transport provision on naval bases in 1994-5. But this will be followed by 1..5m worth of the whole of the service's motor transport operations on bases in 1995-6.
What is believed to be among the most valuable single transport deals, a £20m contract to provide warehouse distribution for the whole of airforce support and command, will be tendered in 1995-6. Around 1,500 staff work in this area alone—also providing vehicle repair, maintenance and general transport.
Operators such as Heron Distribution, which has already bid for MoD controls, says it is very keen to bid for further work—including transport operations in sensitive "command" areas such as naval bases.
Heron Distribution commercial director David Hall: "We are working on the MoD's 1992-3 contracts now with the help of a consultant from the department.
"We would be interested in dis tribution work in 0 areas," he says.
But operators could problems in bidding for c where a high level of screening is involved. F levels of clearance, vettir vers could take up to a 34
Opposing market tes national secretary of the Union of Civil and Pul vants says: "Contractors MoD contracts will face ride as they will have to vet all their staff and gel sign the Official Secrets I C Companies understoc bidding for Home Office dered prisoner transfers are believed to include: S Securiguard, Reliance, Group 4 and Wacenhutnies are not allowed to which contracts they arc for under Government 11