The Enquirer understands that Thames has whittled down the original shortlist of seven groups to just five to deliver design and build works.
Two bid groups: Amec, May Gurney; and Kier, URS, VolkerFitzpatrick are now understood to be out of the running.
The race for overall programme manager has also been cut from six to three players.
Final Alliance shortlists
Design and Build delivery partner
- Costain, Veolia, Atkins
- Galliford, Morrison, Mott MacDonald (GMM JV)
- Laing O’Rourke, Imtech, Barhale (Tamesis Plus)
- Murphy, Black and Veatch, Aecom (MBVA)
- Skanska, MWH, Balfour Beatty
Programme Manager
- CH2M Hill UK
- MWH UK
- Amec Group
Technology and Innovation Provider
- IBM UK
- Aecom
Thames is trying alliancing for the first time after seeing programme outcomes from Anglian Water’s @oneAlliance.
It hopes to drive big savings by engaging four consortia into a two-year, early contractor involvement phase before carving up work when AMP6 gets underway in 2015-2020.
The prize of winning one of four alliance places for up to 10 years looks set to keep work keenly priced in the run-up to AMP6.
Senior staff and directors from the remaining bidding consortia are now undergoing behavioural workshops.
Thames Water wants to appoint three or four D&B contractors and a programme manager and technology and innovation partner to move into an early contractor involvement arrangement from the Spring.
In a shift away from the AMP5 model, each consortium needs to have capability to undertake all parts of the capital programme.