5.
I suppose the supporters of multi-contracts would argue that all this is inevitable, and that if the consortia cannot make the running, then they must give way to more conventional methods of tendering. This would be more convincing if the conclusions of the paper did not appear to concentrate almost exclusively on the crude balance of price against credit terms. The management aspect, although mentioned, is thereafter largely ignored, both as a strain on manpower and as an additional cost.
Moreover the suggestion that a consortium would have to delay starting work by up to twelve months is, as far as we can judge, the reverse of the truth. The consortium are, we believe, poised ready to go. It seems less credible that a new management structure could be set up, contracts called for and meaningful work begun under a multi-contract system before 1 January 1974.
6.
All this is, however, your business and will already have occurred to you.. We are grateful to you for keeping us informed, and look forward to hearing how the next round develops.
(Duncan Watson)
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