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| Builders fear losing public work | Builders fear losing public work |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Welsh building companies say they fear that the process of bidding for new public sector projects will be stacked against them. | |
| The Welsh Assembly Government wants to bring forward public construction projects to help the home-grown industry during the economic downturn. | The Welsh Assembly Government wants to bring forward public construction projects to help the home-grown industry during the economic downturn. |
| But some Welsh firms told the BBC's Eye On Wales that the procurement process favours larger firms from England. | |
| Ministers disagree and say they have to give "value for money" for taxpayers. | Ministers disagree and say they have to give "value for money" for taxpayers. |
| The construction industry employs 100,000 people in Wales. | The construction industry employs 100,000 people in Wales. |
| The building of schools is one of a limited number of public projects now open to small or medium sized companies. | The building of schools is one of a limited number of public projects now open to small or medium sized companies. |
| Family firm Wynne Construction is building two special needs schools in Flint. | Family firm Wynne Construction is building two special needs schools in Flint. |
| School building was within a limited number of public building works not locked into big project 'frameworks' | School building was within a limited number of public building works not locked into big project 'frameworks' |
| The company, based in nearby Bodelwyddan, was formed 80 years ago by current managing director Chris Wynne's grandfather. | The company, based in nearby Bodelwyddan, was formed 80 years ago by current managing director Chris Wynne's grandfather. |
| Eighty per cent of their work used to be for the NHS but that has been dramatically reduced and he fears for home-grown companies. | Eighty per cent of their work used to be for the NHS but that has been dramatically reduced and he fears for home-grown companies. |
| "The NHS in Wales has now introduced all-Wales frameworks for all capital projects of £6m and above," said Mr Wynne. | "The NHS in Wales has now introduced all-Wales frameworks for all capital projects of £6m and above," said Mr Wynne. |
| "In Wales here, they've appointed up to date, three contractors, all of whom are based outside of Wales. They will deliver the major schemes for the health authorities within Wales. | "In Wales here, they've appointed up to date, three contractors, all of whom are based outside of Wales. They will deliver the major schemes for the health authorities within Wales. |
| "Up to 12 months ago we were able to tender for large schemes which previously were not covered by the frameworks. | "Up to 12 months ago we were able to tender for large schemes which previously were not covered by the frameworks. |
| "Now because of the budget or the bundling of projects into larger schemes [it] has prohibited us from being able to apply for these which means we are now locked out for at least another four years." | "Now because of the budget or the bundling of projects into larger schemes [it] has prohibited us from being able to apply for these which means we are now locked out for at least another four years." |
| But finance minister Andrew Davies disagrees that public sector procurement is damaging the Welsh construction industry. | But finance minister Andrew Davies disagrees that public sector procurement is damaging the Welsh construction industry. |
| In many instances, pre-qualification questionnaires are large and cumbersome documents that need to be filled in for every single job Simon Evans, Federation of Small Businesses | In many instances, pre-qualification questionnaires are large and cumbersome documents that need to be filled in for every single job Simon Evans, Federation of Small Businesses |
| "In the construction industry and particularly in the time of recession we want Welsh companies to be able to access those contracts," he said. | "In the construction industry and particularly in the time of recession we want Welsh companies to be able to access those contracts," he said. |
| "But at the same time we have to make sure we get value for money for the Welsh taxpayer, for what I call the Welsh pound, so it's trying to balance those two principles. | "But at the same time we have to make sure we get value for money for the Welsh taxpayer, for what I call the Welsh pound, so it's trying to balance those two principles. |
| "In many cases where there is a framework, contract or not, a large company will often win the contract and in many cases they may not be Welsh companies, but a lot of the business still ends up with Welsh companies that might be subcontracted and indeed it'll be local people who will be employed on those projects." | "In many cases where there is a framework, contract or not, a large company will often win the contract and in many cases they may not be Welsh companies, but a lot of the business still ends up with Welsh companies that might be subcontracted and indeed it'll be local people who will be employed on those projects." |
| EU regulations state that any project over £3.5m must be advertised, and for every one of these contracts bidders must fill in a pre-qualification questionnaire. | EU regulations state that any project over £3.5m must be advertised, and for every one of these contracts bidders must fill in a pre-qualification questionnaire. |
| Simon Evans from the Federation of Small Businesses says these also affect small companies' chances of winning contracts. | Simon Evans from the Federation of Small Businesses says these also affect small companies' chances of winning contracts. |
| "In many instances, pre-qualification questionnaires are large and cumbersome documents that need to be filled in for every single job that you tender for and for every different local authority you wish to work with, or for every government department or public sector body you with to work with," he said. | "In many instances, pre-qualification questionnaires are large and cumbersome documents that need to be filled in for every single job that you tender for and for every different local authority you wish to work with, or for every government department or public sector body you with to work with," he said. |
| "Many of the questions are the same, much of the information they request is the same and they can take upwards of two or three hours to fill in." | "Many of the questions are the same, much of the information they request is the same and they can take upwards of two or three hours to fill in." |
| Mr Evans said he knew of a building firm in Newport, where the owner was working 15 hours a day to keep his business afloat, but filling in the questionnaires was adding to burdens. | Mr Evans said he knew of a building firm in Newport, where the owner was working 15 hours a day to keep his business afloat, but filling in the questionnaires was adding to burdens. |
| 'Whole range' | 'Whole range' |
| Mr Davies admitted the tender process could be made easier for smaller companies and he wants to "simplify and streamline" the system. | Mr Davies admitted the tender process could be made easier for smaller companies and he wants to "simplify and streamline" the system. |
| He said it was a "fair point" that the industry did not have a clear understanding of the big public sector projects in the pipeline and he believes in better planning and collaboration. | He said it was a "fair point" that the industry did not have a clear understanding of the big public sector projects in the pipeline and he believes in better planning and collaboration. |
| Meanwhile, Rhondda Cynon Taf council, which has £200m of highways work, ranging from potential new roads, bus stations to car parks, hopes to deal with all sizes of construction firms. | Meanwhile, Rhondda Cynon Taf council, which has £200m of highways work, ranging from potential new roads, bus stations to car parks, hopes to deal with all sizes of construction firms. |
| Mark Adams, head of construction projects, said: "It's not helpful to the industry to have to deal with a vast variety of different styles of tender documents and different styles of projects for individual projects. | Mark Adams, head of construction projects, said: "It's not helpful to the industry to have to deal with a vast variety of different styles of tender documents and different styles of projects for individual projects. |
| "We're looking to put together a long-term partnership arrangement with a number of contractors for the delivery of a whole range of highways and transportation work embracing maintenance work, resurfacing of carriageways and new work as well." | "We're looking to put together a long-term partnership arrangement with a number of contractors for the delivery of a whole range of highways and transportation work embracing maintenance work, resurfacing of carriageways and new work as well." |
| But Mr Wynne is worried it will be too late to stop a "large proportion" of workload moving across the border. | But Mr Wynne is worried it will be too late to stop a "large proportion" of workload moving across the border. |
| "We're going to have to work an awful lot harder and unless this system of procurement is improved and packages and bundling is stopped, we're going to suffer irrecoverable damage as a company and as an industry in Wales," he said. | "We're going to have to work an awful lot harder and unless this system of procurement is improved and packages and bundling is stopped, we're going to suffer irrecoverable damage as a company and as an industry in Wales," he said. |
| Eye On Wales is on BBC Radio Wales at 1800 GMT on 23 February. | Eye On Wales is on BBC Radio Wales at 1800 GMT on 23 February. |