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Committee Reports and Agendas
May 2007 to Present
 | NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL The Executive of North Ayrshire Council |
| Agenda Item 8 19 February 2008 |
| Subject: | Kilwinning: Eglinton Park: Tournament Bridge Restoration Project |
| Purpose: | To consider the tenders for the restoration works for the bridge. |
| Recommendation: | That the Executive agrees to accept the lowest tender in the corrected amount of £557,061.44 submitted by W.I. & A. Gilbert Ltd., subject to confirmation of grant from Historic Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund. |
1. Introduction
- 1.1 The restoration of the Tournament Bridge is the final part of a programme to upgrade the structures within Eglinton Country Park, which is an educational facility under the remit of Educational Services. The works form part of a corporate project to use the restoration of a structure of major historical significance as the focus for an educational project for schools whereby children will be able to study natural, social and heritage subjects linking to areas of the 5-4 curriculum. The project will be accessible to the core path network and thereby the wider community and local interest groups who use the Country Park. A grand opening event will be incorporated into the Country Parks Events programme for this year and it is intended that the project will become a feature of the annual events programme.
1.2 This report considers the tenders for the restoration works which involves a faithful and historic renovation of the Tournament Bridge, based on surviving documentary evidence. The existing concrete arches are to be removed as is the infill above. The arches will be replaced with the existing refurbished cast iron arch sections and new cast iron fascia sections, which will restore the original width of the structure. The bridge will be given a new timber deck with anti-slip coating.
1.3 The current timber parapets will be replaced with cast iron sections to match the original items. All of the cast iron elements are to be fabricated and fitted by an approved foundry to restore the splendour of the original structure.
2. Current Position
2.1 The restoration works were first tendered in August, 2005 and were to consist of replacement of the current timber parapets with cast iron sections to match the original items, replication of other cast iron elements in steel and the provision of a steel deck. At that time, it was envisaged that the works would have been funded solely by the Council, however, during consultations with respect to Listed Building Consent, it became apparent that a much more extensive restoration would be necessary to satisfy Historic Scotland’s exacting standards. Accordingly, the tender process was halted and no report was submitted to Committee.
2.2 Historic Scotland requires a ‘faithful restoration where all details are replicated as closely as possible in terms of material, design and construction’. Historic Scotland also suggested that an application to them for grant would be likely to succeed, and a successful application was duly submitted. During this time, further investigations were carried out which brought to light more information on the original construction techniques and the works were then re-designed and re-tendered.
3. Proposal
3.1 On 23 April 2007, six contractors were invited to submit tenders for the proposed contract. All six of the contractors returned their tenders before the due time on the 8 June, 2007. These tenders were checked by the Council’s staff and the results are summarised as follows:-
Contractor | Barr | IH Borland | Kelburne | Mackenzie | PLS | WI & A Gilbert |
| Tender total | £580,714.41 | £589,447.99 | £565,945.00 | £607,798.86 | £443,421.80 | £654,436.00 |
| Corrected tender total | £580,724.41 | £589,447.99 | £565,945.00 | £607,798.67 | £599,491.00 | £535,636.00 |
| Difference | +£10.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | -£0.19 | +£156,069.20 | -£118,800.00 |
3.2 The Tender submitted by PLS Construction, was submitted a week early as they had not read the email sent to all contractors extending the Tender Period. They were therefore unaware of some further information also forwarded to all contractors, including an extra item to be included in the Bill of Quantities and some minor alterations to the Specification for the Works.
3.3 PLS Construction were subsequently contacted regarding the above items and requested to submit details of how these would affect their submitted tender.
3.4 A revised tender total of £599,491.80 was received from PLS Construction on Friday 15 June, 2007.
3.5 A simple mathematical error where £132,000 was entered instead of £13,200 resulted in the tender submitted by W.I. & A. Gilbert being reduced by £118,800.
3.6 The lowest tender was still substantially above the funding available from the Council and the grant offer from Historic Scotland. Accordingly the Heritage Lottery Fund was approached and they invited a bid for grant for an educational based project which included the restoration works. Following discussions between Educational Services, Technical Services and Country Parks, a suitable project was devised and an application was submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund. The HLF Committee for Scotland will determine the application on 26 February 2008.
3.7 In accordance with the Council‘s Standing Orders and advice from the Council's Procurement Section, all tenderers were then contacted and asked if they would extend the period during which their tenders would remain open until 6 March 2008 and what effect that would have on their tenders. This is summarised on the following table.
Contractor | Barr | IH Borland | Kelburne | Mackenzie | PLS | WI & A Gilbert |
Tender total | £580,714.41 | £589,447.99 | £565,945.00 | £607,798.86 | £443,421.80 | £654,436.00 |
Corrected tender total | £580,724.41 | £589,447.99 | £565,945.00 | £607,798.67 | £599,491.00 | £535,636.00 |
Response to request to extend open period of tender | Preference is to re-tender | add 2% per month to rates | Confirmed submitted tender sum would stand | Revised tender total of £617,585.10 | Failed to respond | Confirmed increase in rates of 4% |
Projected revised tender total | N/A | £660,181.74 | £565,945.00 | £617,585.10 | N/A | £557,061.44 |
4. Implications
4.1 Consultation has taken place with the lead service, Educational Services, Technical Services, and Roads and Transportation Services. Consultations have also been ongoing with Historic Scotland and The Heritage Lottery Fund in respect of availability of grant should the bids be successful. Formal consultation with statutory bodies, local organisations and other interested parties has also taken place.
5. Consultation
5.1 Should this application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for grant be unsuccessful, the project will not go ahead due to lack of funding. Should the application, however, be successful, the tender has to be awarded immediately the offer is received in order to secure the grant from Historic Scotland. Historic Scotland has to make a payment before the end of March, 2008 or the funding will go elsewhere.
5.2 The project is considered to meet the objectives of the Prudential Code for capital finance and expenditure and funding of £200k has been approved for year 2007/08 within the Council’s General Fund Capital Plan 2005/2009. The estimated total project cost is £720k. Historic Scotland have indicated that they would be able to contribute some £161k, around £5k will be provided in kind, and the shortfall of £354k is the subject of the grant application to the Heritage Lottery Fund.
6. Conclusion
6.1 It is recommended that the Committee accept the lowest extended tender submitted which was by W.I. & A. Gilbert amounting to £557,061.44 subject to confirmation of grant from the Historic Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
| TOM ORR Corporate Director (Property Services) |
Reference : RJS/RMH/ap
For further information please contact Mr Small, Head of Roads and Transportation Services , on 225211
Background Papers :
Committee Reports and Agendas
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