The Forth Bridge Experience project has been split into two after Network Rail was unable to attract relevant bids for the job.
The details have been revealed via one of two notices published late afternoon yesterday. It said that procurement began in summer 2020 for a single design and build contract covering a visitor reception and a public walkway on the Bridge, but that “no bids within the available and advertised funding envelope were received and the procurement was terminated.”
Full planning has recently been submitted for the Forth Bridge Experience, which detailed the construction of the bridge walk and reception hub on the South Queensferry side of the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Groups of between 12 and 15 people will put on safety harnesses before being led out onto the bridge’s south cantilever, walking up to a viewing point at the top using walkways built into the structure.
With the 2020 procurement not being successful, a new exercise is underway. Procurement will now be awarded as two separate packages covering the On- and Off-Bridge work. Balfour Beatty has been awarded the Early Contractor Involvement services for the on-bridge work, and there is an option for this to progress to the full design and build package – worth a total of £7 million.
The off-bridge work is estimated at £4 million. There will be a pre-market engagement event via Microsoft Teams at 14:00 on 5 April giving some background. A questionnaire will then be handed to all participants to understand interest in the project and appetite to bid under the current project status and prevailing market conditions.
