§ Mr. Rhodri MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 20 March 1998,Official Report, column 734, if he will make a statement on the contract let to Gooch and Wagstaff; if it was (a) advertised and (b) let by competitive tender; what part Gooch and Wagstaff played in advising his predecessor on the original lease of Crickhowell House; what is the approximate value of the contract; and which company has been awarded the other contract. [37468]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesGooch & Wagstaff were selected following a limited external competition where 4 specialist firms were invited to submit bids to provide independent professional property advice in respect of the 2 sites shortlisted for the National Assembly for Wales. They were selected because of their specialist knowledge, their previous experience with PFI schemes and their fee structure which offered the best value for money. The value of their contract will depend upon the time spent preparing their report, but is not expected to exceed £25,000.
629WGooch & Wagstaff were previously appointed by the Welsh Health Common Services Authority (WHCSA) in 1991 to advise WHCSA and to negotiate with Grosvenor Waterside the original lease of Crickhowell House.
In addition to Gooch & Wagstaff, AYH Partnership, Chartered Surveyors have been appointed to review the likely construction costs for both options.