Interserve Regulatory News (IRV)

16 Nov 2009 07:00

16th November 2009 INTERSERVE SELECTED FOR GBP4bn ACADEMIES FRAMEWORK

Interserve has been awarded a place on the new 4 billion Partnerships for Schools (PfS) national Contractors' Framework, covering the design and build of Academies and other educational facilities throughout England. There are two separate regions for the framework, North and the Midlands, and London and the South, and Interserve has been selected for both, giving it two places of the 24 awarded.

PfS expects to be able to offer the successful contractors up to 500m of work for which to bid in the first five months of the framework from November 2009 onwards, with the framework then expected to run for four years. It will operate in tandem with the current Academies Framework, which will remain in place until December 2010.

Local authorities that are currently engaged in the BSF programme will continue to procure Academies through Local Education Partnerships (LEPs) in the same way as other educational facilities. The procurement and project management expertise which PfS already provides to the BSF programme will ensure that similar economies of scale are achieved in the Academies programme, and that it is delivered in the most cost-effective and efficient way.

Tim Byles, Chief Executive of Partnerships for Schools, said: "The new Contractors' Framework offers a great opportunity for all sectors of the construction industry, particularly at a time when conditions are undeniably tough. With over 127 Academies being delivered through BSF currently, with over 100 more in the pipeline, the new Framework will enable contractors and suppliers from across the country to get involved in a scheme that has a predictable flow of work, supported by direct grant Government funding."

Adrian Ringrose, Interserve Chief Executive, commented: "The National Contractors Framework represents an excellent opportunity to provide outstanding educational facilities across England. Interserve has a great deal of experience in planning and building schools at all levels and we look forward to working within the framework to create the kind of learning environments that will enable pupils to excel."

- Ends -

For further information please contact:

Giles Scott 0118 960 2307

Head of Corporate Communications

Elizabeth Morley / Tom Roberts 020 7379 5151Maitland

More information about the PfS Contractors' Framework is available at: www.partnershipsforschools.org.uk/media/press/ pr_2009-10-20-contra_frmk_20_10_09.jsp

About Interserve

Interserve's vision is to be the Trusted Partner of all our stakeholders. We are a services, maintenance and building group operating in the public and private sectors in the UK and internationally. We offer advice, design, construction and facilities management services for society's infrastructure and provide a range of plant and equipment in specialist fields. Interserve is based in the UK and is a FTSE 250 company. It has revenue of 1.7 billion and a workforce of 50,000 people worldwide.

Education website: www.education.interserve.com

General website: www.interserve.com.