More than 135 companies initially expressed an interest in the deal, but prequalification questionnaires returned last week narrowed the number of contenders to just 14.
Kate Priestley, chief executive of NHS Estates' new organisation Inventures, said: 'We are quite pleased that the 14 are significant bidders . . . it is an encouraging level of interest.'
The reduction from 135 to 14 companies and consortia at this stage is 'not surprising' because taking over £400m worth of assets requires a lot of capital, she added.
The bidders, three-quarters of which are consortia, are mainly UK-based, but include 'a number' of European names from financial houses, Priestley said. However, she declined to name them because NHS Estates has agreed to keep their identities confidential at this stage.
The partner is being brought in so that the secretary of state can get money up-front, rather than take three to five years to sell off property in lots, she said.
The private sector company will take 51 per cent of the equity, and take on existing staff under TUPE. However, Priestley stressed that these terms need to be discussed and finalised with the preferred bidder.
A preferred bidder would be named in early autumn, with the deal finalised early next year.
The new company is due to launch in April 2002, but Priestley said she believed this still allowed enough time to finalise the deal as 'most of the companies are used to doing this sort of thing.' The PPP does not include provision of clinical services.
Source
The Facilities Business