Rumour is still 25 March at our end.

£1 in the sweepstake anyone? Monday 11th March to any point in the future, take your pick...

26 march. Day before the politicians disappear on their expense fuelled Easter jollies. All the controversial decisions traditionally announced in this manner so the news is forgotten by the time they come back to work....

SW
A Cynic or what

Unparliamentary language 500e! :)

Can I have a pound on 19 April please? It's just a rumour...

We were briefed last week that the announcement in 'The House' ref contract award, basing decisions, etc, is expected towards the end of April, possibly around the 19th ish.

Is it the same muppets in the D of T dealing with this contract that were involved in the East Coast Mainline railway f##k up? Just wondering......

Hawksridge - yes it is the same muppets I believe.

Does anyone know where Bristows are planning to use the 12 EC175s they have just ordered?

Probably to be used by GOMer's and maybe around Norwich or somewhere warmer...:}

BRS 175 are for East Africa and Australia. The winner of Long SAR will be informed on the 26 March. Everyone else will have to wait til 29th.

How quiet this thread has become! An announcement must be imminent yet no banter on here at all.
Hope all those CVs are lined up and ready to post y'all. Fancy South Wales and a shiney new 189 myself.;)

Announcement will be made on Monday 25th March. It will disclose the winners and also the future footprint of the bases. This is a change to the original in that the base positions were to be disclosed much later on.

My bet: Bristows and their AW189's / S92's and NO MoD sites.....:E

That is assuming that no other bidders (who are all now fully aware of who has won) don't submit any complaints in the 10 day standstill period that is now in force. If they do then it could be months before any formal announcement.

Lawyers will be working hard this weekend.

Hi TC,

We at the "coal face" have been told to expect the public announcement on the 19th of april by da management. Could be wrong though.

My bet: the whole process gets delayed again so westminister can buy some deck chairs in time for summer and we all listen (hear) Crab tell us we're all doomed for the next 5 years.............cant wait. :)

Pig

IFR - as Ron Fenest says - the decision has already been made and the delay in public announcement is whilst toys are thrown out of cots by the losers and the lawyers earn enough for another ski chalet in the Alps;)

Time to dust off the CVs I guess.

Rearrange the following letters into the abbreviation of a well known helicopter company - L, B, H.......

I am running smaller scale public procurement and heaven help you if you award without proper evidence. Unless there is clear blue water between the bidders (is that likely?) what would be the reason for not having a two-contractor solution like Gap that spread the considerable risk.

Jim671
As to "clear blue water", unless you are privvy to both bids its a case of "who knows?" but one has to assume that if the result is a Lot 3 solution then there must have been a good reason?

You are assuming that 2 contractors actually reduces the risk but you haven't quantified the "risk" you are talking about, or explained why you think that to be the case?
I am guessing that for every risk you think of against a single contractor solution an equally weighty argument can be made for a single contractor solution. All that said we don't actually KNOW who has won yet or what the solution is so its all just hot air but its passed 5 minutes till the deciding 6 nations match starts lol.

The risk profile is heavily loaded by insurance and and financing aspects.

The case for Lot 3 is bound to be a purely cost issue and thats not the whole story on something this complex.

Really, you know that for a fact do you jim? You might be right but the problem with rumours and gossip is that they are just that, and that unfortunately people who gossip rarely consider the "whole story" before bashing away at the faceless people who are often really trying to do their best and cannot defend themselves.

How about we all wait for the official announcement, gather some actual facts and then see if we would have done it any different? Or does that take the fun out of it all ha ha