Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne has today (Wednesday) released the proposals offered to the Scottish Government for a ferry service between Mallaig and Lochboisdale with its bid for Clyde and Hebridean ferry services.

The proposals, which were submitted on May 10, 2007 as part of the company's overall bid for the lifeline ferry services, have been the subject of considerable speculation in the media and the communities affected.

CalMac is posting details of the relevant documentation submitted to the Scottish Government in its website www.calmac.co.uk in the Company Information section.

The two documents, which have financial details redacted, explain the propositions offered to the Scottish Government. The first of these (Volume 3 LCosted Bid) is the company's response to the Invitation to Tender, which suggested a new vessel would be required for a Mallaig to Lochboisdale service.

The second document, "Volume 4 : The Optional Variant Bid", details the company's response to the invitation to produce innovative solutions to the proposition.  CalMac recognised that this proposed alternative solution would have been a medium term option, which would have required the support of all communities affected had it been deemed appropriate by the Scottish Government.  This potentially attractive solution was submitted by the company as an innovative alternative to the main proposal and was, as such, confidential.

CalMac Managing Director Lawrie Sinclair said: "The documents lay before people the whole range of options which were offered by the company. There has been a great deal of misinformed speculation about what the company did or did not do. There are clear protocols and procedures laid out in terms of how bids such as these are processed and the company has followed these scrupulously. It is, however, not in anyone's interests to allow the current furore about our proposals to continue. We have therefore decided that, in the interests of our communities, we will explain to them what was offered. Obviously, this bid was submitted at a specific time in response to a detailed Invitation to Tender.  The Scottish Government's procurement rules precluded them from including this variation in the final Contract. It is now a matter for the Government to take forward in the light of changed circumstances and our successful conclusion of the tender process."

The material placed on the CalMac website does not include financial and operational details which are of a commercially sensitive nature.

Pdf versions of the documents accompany this news release.

ends

For further information on the contents of this News Release, please contact Hugh Dan MacLennan, Communications Director, Caledonian MacBrayne. Tel: 0776 435 4021; e-mail hugh.maclennan@calmac.co.uk.

Note to editors:
Caledonian MacBrayne and CalMac are trading names of CalMac Ferries Limited.

Issued: Wednesday 16 January 2008: 0900