Bovis Lend Lease has been named preferred bidder for the first phase a £1bn Ministry of Defence prime contract to upgrade armed forces accommodation across the UK.
The firm, whose Debut consortium includes Babcock Support Services, beat off a shortlist that included Carillion, Amec and Citex to win the five-year project, know as SLAM.

The competition was narrowed last month when Carillion bought Citex’s facilities management arm, which includes its defence operation, for £11.5m.

The Debut consortium is due to be formerly appointed by the end of October. Work on the scheme is scheduled to start between 2003 and 2004. It will then run for 10 years and will involve upgrading 30,000 beds spaces.

Vice admiral Peter Dunt, chief executive of Defence Estates, described the announcement as significant for the prime contracting initiative.

The Bovis win follows the award of a £460m prime contract to Amec Turner for property management service for the MoD in Scotland, also announced this week.