Union angry at no 'social value' score in new shipbuilding contract

Plans for the next new CalMac ferry contract have taken a step forward but a trade union has criticised the absence of any "social value" scoring of competing bids. Ferries agency CMAL has published a procurement notice to replace MV Lord of the Isles which indicates the winning bidder will be chosen based on cost and quality. The GMB union said the scoring should also include wider social and economic factors which would help UK shipbuilders compete against firms in "low-wage economies". CMAL recently awarded a £200m contract for two freight vessels for the Northern Isles routes to a Chinese shipyard, with no UK shipyards putting forward a bid. CMAL confirmed the procurement was now live but said it was unable to comment further at the current time. Previously it has said there is no legal requirement for social value scoring and the international nature of the tender would make it hard to do so without unfairly treating overseas shipyards. GMB Scotland general secretary Louise Gilmour said procurement rules should be overhauled to slow a "stream of taxpayer-funded contracts being sent overseas to low-wage economies bringing no benefit to the Scottish economy, supply chains or com