Four teams have emerged as the main bidders for a £3bn PFI barracks scheme launched by the Ministry of Defence this week.
The consortiums bidding for the Allenby and Connaught schemes are: Bovis Lend Lease and Amey; Skanska and Interserve; Mowlem and Halliburton KBR; and a team led by Jarvis.

A fifth team is also believed to be preparing a bid. This is a joint venture between consultant WS Atkins and contractor Balfour Beatty. Amec had expressed an interest in joining this bid but has since dropped out.

Architects Abbey Holford Rowe and HLM are also believed to be in the consortiums bidding.

Teams have been working for nine months on preparing for the contract, which is a combination of new build and facilities management.

Allenby covers the upgrading and rebuilding of facilities around the Salisbury Plain Training Area. Connaught will do the same for Aldershot. A contract for the Connaught project will be in place by 2003, subject to ministerial approval.

The bid costs are so big, I can only see a few major players going for this

Contractor who dropped out of bidding

One contractor that dropped out of the project said there would be limited competition. He said: "The bid costs for this job will be so big that I can only see a few major players going for it."

Bovis Lend Lease and Amey have formed a joint venture firm called Abraxis for the scheme.

The contract is part of a move from shared accommodation to single flat-like units fitted with en-suite bathrooms. The project will provide 10,700 beds starting in 2005.