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SINGLE COPY
HKA 182/3
Mr Furnes
M
20/10
ра
FM BTC HONG KONG TO IMMEDIATE DTI TELNO INTRA 230
OF 19100OZ OCTOBER 92
FOR ARCHER, PEP1C.
•attached/
PADS. B.I.
173 147542
MDHIAN 3877
pa (H.k Airport: Un interents, M. Martin Pley often ref
YOUR INTRA 244: BRIWAY TRANSIT SYSTEMS (BTS).
1
B
not
a
no back, refs-OTI lead
Тошей
which Biel
railivan?
I HAVE BEEN KEEPING IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH JAMES CHIU, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF GEC HONG KONG, ON THIS BID. HE IS NOT HOPEFUL OF SUCCESS: HE PUTS THE CHANCES AT NO MORE THAN 10 PER CENT. BTS'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE WILL, HE THINKS, WEIGHT HEAVILY AGAINST THEM. THE PAA, WHILE CLEARLY STRIVING ALWAYS FOR THE BEST VALUE FOR MONEY, HAVE TENDED TO TAKE A VERY CAUTIOUS APPROACH, GOING FOR CONTRACTORS WITH A PROVEN TRACK RECORD. IT WOULD BE UNUSUAL FOR THEM TO AWARD A LARGE AND IMPORTANT CONTRACT TO A NEWCOMER. CHIU HAS ADVISED BTS TO WORK WITH ABB BREL OR GEC METRO CAMMELL. HE THINKS THEY MAY NOW BE IN TOUCH WITH THE FORMER. IT MIGHT JUST BE POSSIBLE FOR BTS TO WORK UP A MORE CREDIBLE BID IN JOINT VENTURE WITH A GROUP OF EXPERIENCED (AND SUCCESSFUL) COMPANIES. YOU MAY WISH TO CONSIDER THIS POINT FURTHER WITH BTS BEFORE FORMALLY CONSIDERING THEIR APPLICATION FOR OPF.
2. IN ALL, TEN GROUPS HAVE SUBMITTED PRE-QUALIFICATION BIDS. ALL THE PLAYERS LISTED AT SECTION 45B IN BTS'S OPF APPLICATION ARE THERE, PLUS SOME OTHERS. MUCH WILL NOW HINGE ON PROGRESS ON THE FINANCIAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE PRC (AND THE GOVERNOR TRAVELS TO PEKING TOMORROW), BUT EARLIER THINKING WAS THAT THE TENDER DOCUMENT WOULD ISSUE SOMETIME BETWEEN MARCH AND JUNE 1993 AND A CONTRACT AWARDED BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR.
SMITH-LAITTAN
YYYY
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