Balfour Beatty, Laing O’Rourke and Skanska have been selected to draw up detailed bids for the project to design, build, finance and maintain a 350-bed hospital under the Scottish Government’s non-profit distributing model.

The invitation to participate in competitive dialogue begins a long detailed process that should end with the winner named in Autumn 2014.

NHS Dumfries and Galloway then hopes to start work in 2015 at a site near the town’s bypass at Garroch Farm.

The whole process is still dependent on a final decision on the business case, due at the end of the year.

Mott MacDonald’s Glasgow office has been signed up to provide technical and procurement advisory services throughout the project development.

NHS Dumfries and Galloway chief executive Jeff Ace said it was another “key stage” of the project’s process.

“I’ve been extremely impressed with the quality of submissions and our project team will now face an extremely difficult task in selecting our eventual partner in the delivery of Scotland’s latest and best acute hospital.”

Scottish health secretary Alex Neil said: “We look forward to the board receiving innovative proposals from the shortlisted bidders that will deliver a modern, high quality facility that fits our vision of providing health services at the heart of local communities.”