Latest News

September Update

• Following the meeting of the Comhairle held on 6 September 2007, notices of intention to award the Private Sector Development Partner contract were issued to the two candidates.  A meeting with the successful bidder (Faithful & Gould) to finalise the contract terms took place on 19 September 2007.  The Comhairle is currently in the mandatory standstill period while awaiting approval from the Scottish Government to proceed with the formal contract award.


• An Invitation to Tender was issued to the five Design Team Candidates on 14 September 2007 and a clarification meeting was held with each of the candidates with each of the candidates on 20 September in order to fully explain the Comhairle's Tender requirements.  Tenders require to be submitted by 12 November 2007 with Design Teams presenting to the evaluation panel on 28 and 29 November. 


• Negotiations with the owner of the preferred site at Balivanich have ended without agreement being reached.  Fourteen alternative sites were identified and are in the process of being narrowed down to those sites that will be taken forward for further investigation.  Once further site investigations are concluded and a preferred site selected, a further statutory consultation on the preferred site will take place.


• At the Comhairle meeting held on 6 September 2007 the Comhairle instructed officers to consider a new Greenfield site for The Nicolson Institute as a preferred option.  Work is ongoing to identify potential sites and to cost alternative options.  Reports will be presented to forthcoming meetings of the Education Committee and the Comhairle before any decision is made on whether to take this option forward.


• The SPV has been incorporated as a Limited Liability Partnership called Sgoiltean Ura LLP.  The Chief Executive is meeting with candidates for the posts of Independent Director to the SPV before the end of September and appointments will be made shortly thereafter.
  
  

ACRONYM LIST

CNES                 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

FM                      Facilities Management

ITPD                    Invitation to Participate in the Dialogue

OBC                    Outline Business Case

OJEU                  Official Journal of the European Union

PFI                     Private Finance Initiative

PPP                   Public Private Partnership

PQQ                  Pre-qualification questionnaire

PSDP                Private Sector Development Partner

SSSC                Scottish Schools Standard PPP Contract

SPV                  Special Purpose Vehicle