Aberdeen City Council has drawn up a shortlist of firms looking to become the development partner for the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC).

The local authority invited expressions of interest from organisations wishing to be selected for the chance to develop Council-owned land. The land includes the AECC as well as land in close proximity to the building.

The procurement process is being carried out in three stages. Stage One is pre-qualification, Stage Two involves competitive dialogue, while Stage Three is the final clarification and confirmation with preferred bidder procurement process.

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Nine responses were submitted to the pre-questionnaire and those were subsequently shortlisted to four participants. A dialogue meeting was held with each to establish the key commercial terms on which participants would be willing to contract, including a pricing model and project structure, and to gain a high-level understanding of the participants' proposals.

Three participants were shortlisted for a further three months of competitive dialogue meetings, which was designed to develop the proposal to a detailed stage and build on the initial proposals provided.

The shortlist has since been reduced to two firms which have been invited to submit final tenders which include details of the project design and technical feasibility, project development and deliverability, financial and commercial arrangements and legal and contractual arrangements.

Aberdeen Council will select the preferred development partner in the summer and details of the preferred bid are due to be submitted to Full Council in October.

(JP/IT)