Bidders Await Navy Choice
Newcastle Herald
Friday June 28, 2002
NEWCASTLE shipbuilders Forgacs and ADI are waiting to hear whether they have made a Federal Government short list for a $400million Navy patrol boat contract.
A spokeswoman for Defence Minister Senator Robert Hill said yesterday that a short list of suppliers would be announced soon.
The Navy wants 15 new patrol boats to replace its ageing Fremantle class fleet.
Forgacs and ADI are the only two NSW bids from at least 14 companies believed to have pitched for the contract, and the NSW Government has offered support to both bids.
A Hunter Economic Development Corporation study of the project's impact found that `conservatively' 1000 jobs would be created in the region over each of the five years it would take to build the vessels if the job came to Newcastle.
Several State governments have been lobbying Canberra over the project, and The Bulletin reported this week that the Navy's preferred short list was ADI and the Melbourne-based Tenix.
Senator Hill's spokeswoman declined to comment on the article.
The patrol boat contract comes as Canberra is working on a major plan to rationalise Navy shipbuilding and ship repair work around a single major port.
© 2002 Newcastle Herald