Peterborough City Council names Bouygues consortium as preferred bidder for £68m PFI.

A Bouygues consortium has been named preferred bidder for Peterborough City Council's £68m PFI schools project.

Investors in the Community in a joint venture with Bouygues Education (IIC Bouygues Education) will provide a new secondary school and the refurbishment of two others by September 2007.

The consortium, which was PFI sponsor of Jubilee Library in Brighton, will have to build new facilities and manage them for the long term.

Investors in the Community is the majority shareholder of the SPV. Bouygues and Ecovert FM will undertake the construction of the new schools, as well as the provision of facilities management services for a 30-year period. The selection of the preferred bidder for the project follows an in-depth evaluation of the final submissions from two bidders.

The new Voyager School will be built to replace Walton Community School and Bretton Wood High School, while the Jack Hunt School is to be expanded to provide 175 extra places. The Ken Stimpson Community School will receive an extra 250 places.

Jeremy Tilford, Director of Mill Group and the Investors in the Community Programme, commented: "We are delighted to be chosen as preferred bidders for this project. Investors in the Community prides itself on delivering facilities that inspire and benefit pupils, teachers and the broader community. We look forward to building a successful long-term partnership with Peterborough City Council to drive the effective delivery of our shared vision and goals."

Mohammed Mehmet, Director of Children's Services with Peterborough City Council, adds: "Both the final bids were very impressive and reflected the tremendous amount of time, effort and commitment that our two final bidders have put in. However, the rationale for our ultimate decision was the overall quality of IIC Bouygues' design solutions and their fit for meeting the educational aspirations of the three schools."

Investors in the Community's latest success follows the achievement of financial close on England's biggest schools PFI to date with Leeds City Council in April 2005. Across the UK, the Programme is already providing inspiring environments to 15,000 school pupils.