The UK's Education Funding Authority (EFA) shortlisted three bidders just before Christmas for the third batch of PF2 schools in the North West of England. According to sources, Morgan Sindall, Laing O'Rourke and Vinci Construction have been shortlisted for the £93 million batch of schools.

Responses to the pre-qualification questionnaire were required by 12 December 2013.

Contractors are being asked to design, build, finance and maintain the schools over a period of 25 years.

Funding will be provided through the Government's PF2 aggregator model which will see a single organisation provide debt funding for contractors.

The PSBP North West private finance batch comprises 12 schools including 2 first schools, The Deanery Church of England High School and Sixth Form Centre in Wigan and Plymouth Grove Primary school in Manchester.

Laing O'Rourke, Miller Construction and Sir Robert McAlpine had been shortlisted for the £120 million batch of schools in the North-east, which was the second batch of private finance schools to come to market through the PSBP.

While in August, Wates, Morgan Sindall and Interserve were shortlisted for the first batch of Pf2 schools, a £150 million batch in the Hertfordshire, Luton and Reading area.