§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in selecting the contractor to manage the Atomic Weapons Establishment sites from April 2000; and what is the timetable for selecting the contractor. [80825]
§ Mr. SpellarThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 26 April 1999:
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the progress that has been made in selecting the contractor to manage the Atomic Weapons Establishment sites from April 2000, and the timetable for selecting the contractor. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.As you may be aware, the Atomic Weapons Establishment is a Government Owned, Contractor Operated facility—a "GOCO". The present operator is Hunting-BRAE Ltd. whose 7 year Term Contract started on 1 April 1993. A further competition for the management and operation of the Atomic Weapons Establishment from 1 April 2000 is underway and progressing to schedule.Initial interest has now consolidated into three consortia. A bidders' conference was held on 19 October 1998, and a Request for Quotations was issued on 30 November. Responses are due in by 1 June 1999 and we aim to award a contract by the end of November 1999, thereby providing a four month lead-in for the new operating contractor.