Stupid question for non flyers, but...

[Conan the Librarian]

Just spent a quick swiftie with a poor soul that has worked at BZN for a contractor and has allegedly been shafted for £4,300. Question. Do the MOD require proof of financial probity before awarding a contract? Any useful info will no doubt assist the poor bugger and maybe provide me with a pint.

Is everything done down to a price these days? Why is it, that I feel confident that this might not be a one shot thread?

Any help will be gratefully recieved and a vicarious pint will be sunk on your behalf.

Conan

[Pontius Navigator]

Conan, as always it all depends.

My MAC was one of the prefered bidders and preceived as both value-for-money and low risk. The latter suggests that the acquisition branch (AST) knew of the financial probity of that bidder.

OTOH the MAC can employ sub-contractors quite outside the oversight of both AST and on-site CMT. If your man worked for the sub-contractor I think that is the end on that one.

Then AST don't always get it right. For a number of years now, on one airbase the winning contractor invariably got it wrong, did not get the bid right and won the contract. The cash margins were too tight, they had cash flow problems, and there were increasingly long gaps between bills being submitted and their sub-contractors being paid.

The net result was that sub-contractors stopped contracting, the prime contractor didn't have the staff, debts mounted and the contractor folded. Now although AST say their remit is to let the contractor make an honest proft they have never, in this instance, bailed out the prime contractor. I have no knowledge of how sub-contractor creditors have fared but I think they have just had to grin and bear it. Sorry.

Best he can do it to put it all in writing to OC Forward or OC CMT of whoever and hope.

[Conan the Librarian]

Thank you very much Pontius - much appreciated

Conan