BAM Newsroom - News article > BAM urges Government to cut procurement costs, not schools programme

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BAM urges Government to cut procurement costs, not schools programme

05 Jul, 2010

BAM, one of the UK's largest education contractors, has urged the Government to work with the industry to assess how to deliver cuts to the BSF programme that do not hit the UK's educational needs.

Responding to speculation that the Government will announce cuts to the Building Schools for the Future Programme, Chris Gilmour, Design Director of BAM Construct UK, said:

‘The Government should aim to keep the benefits of local regeneration, employment and skills opportunities from the BSF programme. Rather than axing projects, savings could be made by simplifying the BSF procurement system, focusing on high quality, standardised school designs and refurbishment rather than new build for some of the schools. For example, you could build a primary school for the price of what it currently costs to bid successfully for a BSF.

'We call on the Secretary of State for Education to engage in discussion with the construction industry, Partnership for Schools, and local authorities about the best way of achieving savings before making final decisions on the future shape of the programme.’

BAM is currently listed by market analysts as second largest construction services group in the UK (together with civil engineering sister company BAM Nuttall) and is one of the UK's major school and hospital builders. It is one of the UK's Best Green Companies.

ENDS