In this procurement, to save time and costs, the Trust went from three bidders to a preferred bidder without an intermediate step involving two final bidders.26 Selecting a preferred bidder quickly can, however, create a risk that the preferred bidder will be in a strong position to exert leverage in further negotiations before the contract is finalised. That was a particular risk in this deal as the new standardised contract was being negotiated and implemented for the first time. In the competition for this contract, there had been little to choose between the three bidders on price, their bids falling within a range of £1.4 million. But subsequently the price increased by £28.6 million during eleven months of further negotiations with Bywest.27 The Trust maintained that it in moving from three bidders to a preferred bidder it had balanced a wish to limit bidders' costs with the need to be as competitive as possible.28
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27 ibid, Figure 7, p6, para 2.26 and Figure 8, p17
28 Qq 109-115