Bidders for the Forth Replacement Crossing could be compensated up to £10m each in the event that the project is abandoned.
The Scottish Government’s unprecedented proposal to introduce a ‘contingent liability’ in order to encourage industry interest has cast fresh doubt over the future of the crossing and sparked anger among MSPs.
Transport secretary Stewart Stevenson is seeking approval from the finance committee to set aside £30m to reimburse three potential bidders should Parliament reject the Forth Road Bridge Bill, or because of ‘any other reasons of Government policy’. It is estimated that each bidder would incur costs of around £10m. But even if the project goes ahead, the losing bidders would be reimbursed half that figure.
Mr Stevenson said bidders were reluctant to tender because of uncertainty surrounding the project, and because of the size and the ‘design and build’ nature of the contract, which could only be handled by a small number of contractors.
But the finance committee has ‘concerns’ over the plans, a parliament spokesman said.
Scottish Labour’s finance spokesman, David Whitton, accused Holyrood of effectively bribing companies to tender for the contract.
‘Scottish tax payers are effectively being asked to fork out tens of millions of pounds because big business doesn’t trust the SNP to deliver this project,’ he said.
‘What was more astonishing was the revelation that even if the bridge does go ahead the two losing tenders would be able to claim up to £5m for their failed bid.’
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said the justification that uncertainty surrounded the parliamentary process was ‘complete nonsense’ given that 127 of the 129 MSPs support the construction of the new crossing.
And the justification that there was a lack of competition due to little interest ‘contradicted the officials initial view that there was no problem with the level of interest,’ she told Surveyor. ‘Indeed the committee's understanding was that there had been 39 expressions of interest.’
She added: ‘It reflects poorly on the Scottish Government to have to incentivise the tender process in this way and further, it creates an unhelpful precedent for the future.
Mr Stevenson intends to introduce the Bill to the Scottish Parliament later this year to provide statutory authority for the construction of the crossing.’
A Holyrood spokesman said: ‘This Scottish Government will deliver a new Forth Crossing on time and on budget using our own resources by 2016 at a cost of between £1.7bn - £2.3bn.’
The committee will meet with the minister next week to discuss the plans further.
It is the first time since devolution 10 years ago that the Scottish Government has requested contingency liability.
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