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024543 MDLIAN 5471
65
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FM BTC HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE MODUK
TELNO U/N
OF 18012OZ DECEMBER
INFO ROUTINE FCO, DTI
la
HKC 032/1
1990
SIC
FOR GROSSMAN CARMD 3C)
DTI FOR LOVE OT2/2.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 120214Z DECEMBER: PATROL BOAT ORDER.
1. HONG KONG'S MARINE DEPARTMENT HAVE TOLD ME OF TWO RECENT DEVELOPMENTS. THEY HAVE WRITTEN TO ''JUST ABOUT ALL' OF THOSE WHO HAVE TENDERED TO ASK WHY THEIR TENDER PRICES ARE VERY MUCH
ABOVE EARLIER QUOTED INDICATIVE PRICES. (FMB HAD ALREADY GIVEN ME
THEIR ANSWER TO THIS: A HIGHER SPEED REQUIREMENT FROM THE HONG
KONG GOVERNMENT WILL MEAN BIGGER ENGINES THAN THOSE ORIGINALLY ENVISAGED, WHILE THE NAVIGATION COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM SPECIFICATION IS ALSO MORE SOPHISTICATED AND THEREFORE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN NORMALLY REQUIRED IN BOATS OF THIS SIZE). IT SEEMS THAT BOTH BRITISH CONTENDERS (FBM AND VOSPER THORNYCROFT) HAVE ALREADY REPLIED. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ALSO WROTE A FEW DAYS
AGO TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE TENDERED TO SAY THEY COULD OFFER ALTERNATIVE ELECTRONICS KITS TO THAT INDICATED IN THE SPECIFICATIONS, WITH REPLIES TO THE CENTRAL TENDER BOARD BY LATE JANUARY, AND THIS THE MARINE DEPARTMENT THOUGHT COULD LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE TOTAL PRICE.
2. I HAVE PASSED THIS INFORMATION ON TO BOTH COMPANIES. I HAVE ALSO TOLD BOTH THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY MAY COME HERE IN MID-JANUARY AND HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THEY WOULD DO WELL TO ENSURE THAT THOSE BRIEFING HIM ARE FULLY UP-TO-DATE
WITH THEIR OFFERS AND STRATEGY.
HEAP
YYYY
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