BHB Holds Meeting in Bermuda with Potential Bidders

Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) today announces that it has held a meeting with potential bidders who are interested in delivering the new facilities on the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital site as part of the KEMH Redevelopment Project.

The RFQ information meeting was opened by the Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Paula Cox, JP MP and the Acting Minister of Health, the Hon. Walter Roban, JP MP.

Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Paula Cox, JP MP, reflected on the achievement and vision of the late Minister of Health, the Hon. Nelson BA Bascome, JP MP, then noted: “The redevelopment of the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) represents one of the most important capital projects ever undertaken in our small island community. It is also one of the most costly and its success is of paramount importance to the Government, and indeed to all parties involved in the process. To ensure the success of this project, as Minister of Finance, I wish to affirm the Bermuda Government’s full and unconditional financial commitment to this project.”

Acting Minister of Health, the Hon. Walter Roban, JP MP, spoke, saying: “I have every confidence that the Bermuda Hospitals Board team can deliver a first-class facility and clinical programmes for the community of Bermuda. And although the sad passing of Minister Bascome is requiring a change of Minister, the commitment of the Ministry and Government is to continue the robust and fair process that is already in place.”

Following the Ministers’ speeches, potential bid teams then heard more about the project and the procurement process from Chairman of the Bermuda Hospitals Board, Mr Herman Tucker; Deputy CEO, Mrs Venetta Symonds; CEO, Mr David Hill; and Director of the KEMH Redevelopment Project, Mr James Campbell.

After the meeting, Chairman Herman Tucker commented: “This was a positive meeting with potential bidders that bodes well for the project. It has been a good opportunity to share information about the project and procurement process. It also offered a moment to reflect on the immense contribution of the late Minister Bascome, whose commitment and support got us to where we are today.”

Deputy CEO, Venetta Symonds, added: “Looking forward to the procurement process, international PPP standards require us to have a strong anti-lobbying approach and also manage our communications carefully so that all potential bidders are treated fairly. This means that we are not able to talk much about the bid process until certain milestones are met. For example, our next main communication about the PPP process will be in late 2009, when the Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued to a shortlist of potential bidders.”

The KEMH Redevelopment Project is driven by the need to increase our acute care space by 50%, as recommended by the Johns Hopkins Medicine International Phase II Report* (released in November 2008 and available on BHB’s website). The project includes the addition of a patient tower and ambulatory care centre plus a new central utility plant on the KEMH site, as well as the renovation of the existing KEMH facility. The new facilities will be delivered by a form of public private partnership (PPP) called design, build, finance and maintain (DBFM). It is expected that the first patients will walk through the doors of the new acute care facilities in less than five years. The project is on schedule and BHB anticipates groundbreaking in late 2010.

*See Notes To Editors for further background and the website for the full report

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