Four of the industry’s big guns – Carillion, Kier, Lend Lease and Skanska – have been in talks with the MoD’s estate procurement arm for nearly two years.

Now the firms have been issued with an invitation to submit final tenders for the main barracks redevelopment to help accommodate two new signal regiments returning from Germany.

These are due in next month and will see a winning bidder named shortly.

The job involves design and build of single living accommodation, regimental headquarters, mess and catering facilities, technical workshops and medical and dental centre facilities.

A parallel project will provide some 360 military houses on MOD-owned land next to the barracks for service families stationed in Stafford.

Seddon Construction, Lend Lease Construction, Lovell Partnerships, Mansell and Bouygues-owned Thomas Vale Construction are drawing up tenders for this element of the project.

Stuart Gallacher, DIO Principal Project Manager, said: “DIO’s priority is to support our Armed Forces and their families.

“This project will be of great benefit to existing and rebasing troops, as well as the Staffordshire economy.

“Following HM Treasury approval to move to the next stage of the bidding process the ISFT represents a key milestone in the project and formally closes the dialogue undertaken with the Participants following the evaluation of initial bids and technical solutions.”

The ISFT will enable the project to continue on to meet the In Service Date of August 2015.