The new purpose-built facility will consolidate several of SNBTS' activities and services, including processing and testing blood and tissue donations, at the Heriot-Watt Research Park near Edinburgh.
The project is being procured under the Scottish government's non profit distributing (NPD) model and the SNBTS team has worked with the Scottish Futures Trust and the Scottish government during the procurement process.
Interserve Construction and Japanese company Kajima Partnerships are 50/50 partners in the venture and each will invest £1.87m into the project. They will build offices, laboraties and garages, with architect Reiach & Hall providing design support. Interserve Kajima will also provide facilities management services for 25 years from the end of construction.
The defeated shortlisted bidders were: Miller Equitix, with architect Sheppard Robson; and GH+, a Graham/Hochtief consortium supported by architects Boswell Mitchell Johnston and Keppie Design.
SNBTS and its team of advisors will now work directly with Interserve Kajima to finalise the design, ensure compliance with all regulatory bodies and agree the detailed contractual arrangements that will allow the NPD contract to be signed and financial close achieved. This is expected to take place at the end of July 2014.
Construction work is expected to start on site at Heriot-Watt Research Park during the early autumn. It is anticipated that the move to the National Centre will be completed in the spring of 2017.
The project has been several years in the planning. SNBTS director Mary Morgan said: "It is very exciting to have reached this stage of the project and we are looking forward to working with Interserve Kajima to turn their winning design into reality."
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