NDFA names Prime Balfour Beatty as preferred tenderer for €140 million Primary Care Centre PPP

• Contract for 14 new primary healthcare centres in Ireland’s first healthcare PPP
• One of four projects in Europe earmarked to benefit from new EU funding initiative

The National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), part of the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), has announced that Prime Balfour Beatty has been chosen as preferred tenderer to progress Ireland’s first healthcare Public Private Partnership (PPP) project for the provision of 14 new primary care centres across the country.

The project will deliver a network of primary care facilities integrating primary, community and continuing care and social services. The project is part of the government’s €2.25bn Infrastructure Stimulus Programme announced in 2012.

The scheme encompasses the design, build, finance and maintenance of the primary care centres along with ongoing facility management services. Healthcare services will be managed by Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) after the centres have been constructed.

It is one of the first four European projects earmarked to receive funding through the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), an initiative between the European Commission and the European Investment Bank established to stimulate growth and enhance European competitiveness.

The NDFA’s role in this project is as the procuring body and financial adviser for and on behalf of the Department of Health who are the Sanctioning Authority with the HSE as Sponsoring Agency.

Brian Murphy, Director of the NDFA said: “This is a very significant development in enhancing Ireland’s healthcare infrastructure and is a key element of the Primary Care Strategy. We were very pleased with the strong interest expressed by Irish and international investors in the project. This confirms the continuing international investor confidence in the Irish economy and augurs well for commitment to future PPP infrastructure projects”.

Construction is expected to commence in Q4 2015, with delivery of the first Primary Care Centre due for delivery in Q4 2016 and the final Centre due for delivery in Q4 2017.

The NDFA is responsible for delivering €650 million of PPP projects as part of the Infrastructure Stimulus Programme. These projects include the primary healthcare centres, Grangegorman DIT campus, schools and courthouses.