The contract was signed in June 2004 but did not come into effect until the outcome of the planning authority's appeal was known in November 2004

28  Having selected its main works contractor to design, build and operate the Bicester accommodation centre (see paragraph 16), the project team wanted the main works contract signed before the bid validity period expired at the end of June 2004. This was because the preferred bidder and the reserve bidder had indicated their intention to re-price their bids and reflected advice from the project team's financial consultants. In June 2004, the Home Office signed the contract with Global Solutions Limited to design, build and operate the Bicester centre on the basis of what the Home Office considered to be the most economically advantageous offer.21

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21  Taken from business case 2, not validated by the NAO.