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Government Must Fix Schools Building Tender: IngramThe Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has called on the State Government to fix the tender process for the Building the Education Revolution program, which will result in many Gippsland builders losing out on work. By Craig Ingram - 1st June 2009 - Back to News Mr Ingram has raised the matter with the Minister for Education calling for a change to ensure local builders have access to local jobs under the program, which is funded by the Federal Government.
"A number of schools in Gippsland have been bundled together into large job lots, placing them outside the contract tender size available to most local builders," Mr Ingram said.
"Local builders who are registered with the Department of Education have a maximum job cost limit and because these projects are bundled together the size of the contract will be outside most local builders’ financial limits.
"Many builders have proven that they are extremely capable and efficient in constructing schools in the area and have the staff and capacity to build these projects, but due to bureaucratic bungling will not be able to tender for local jobs.
"In some cases, the proposed works are for single new buildings at schools that these builders have recently built."
Mr Ingram said the government must address this issue that has been caused by the department.
"Local builders who have been told they cannot tender for local jobs will have to travel over three hours to get work under the plan," Mr Ingram said.
"The program has been cobbled together in such a manner that local builders, architects and others who should be benefiting will most likely miss out.
"The nation building plan is starting to look a bit tarnished and the government must fix this mess so that local builders can at the very least bid on local jobs," Mr Ingram concluded.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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