Rochdale seeks suppliers to deliver council offices

Rochdale Council is giving local suppliers the opportunity to bid for contracts worth up to £5m to help deliver its new customer service centre, library and municipal office building in the town centre.

The council said the event, titled Think Local, will give suppliers information on contracts, which vary from £5,000 to construction projects worth up to £5m.

As well as construction, the council is also looking for services such as painting and decorating, carpentry and joinery, electrical and mechanical services, concreting and roofing, plus businesses which supply materials and fittings, from steelwork to fixings.

In May, the council appointed Sir Robert McAlpine for the design and build of its new municipal office building. The council said the event will give suppliers the chance to meet the contractor and discuss opportunities.

The new building will be extended to between 250,000 sq ft and 320,000 sq ft in gross floor area and also include offices for the NHS.

The current municipal offices, dubbed the Black Box locally, will be demolished together with an adjacent bus station to make way for the £100m-plus retail and leisure development.

Sir Robert McAlpine will start construction on the Smith Street site early next year, once VHE has completed remediation of the site, which started a few weeks ago. The council said the building is due to be completed in 2012.

Cllr Keith Swift, Rochdale Council's cabinet member for skills and economic recovery, said: "This is a really exciting opportunity for local businesses. The building promises to be a fantastic development; it will change the skyline forever and anyone involved in bringing it to life will really have something to be proud of.

"The relocation of the municipal offices is a key stage in the regeneration of the town centre. When all staff are relocated, the current municipal offices along with the bus station and car park and other nearby buildings will be demolished to make way for the retail and leisure development which will completely revitalise the town centre and give workers and staff more great places to shop and spend their free time."

The Think Local event takes place at Rochdale Town Hall on Thursday 15 July between 5pm and 7pm.

• Anyone interested in attending must register no later than Monday 12 July by calling Rochdale Council's corporate procurement team on 01706 925479 or e-mail corporate.procurement@rochdale.gov.uk