Move comes one year into seven-year deal to manage 31 sites for defence company QinetiQ
Balfour Beatty has had a 拢105m seven-year contract with defence technology company QinetiQ terminated, in a blow to its facilities management business.
The contract to manage 31 sites for the client was cancelled after QinetiQ said it could do the work better in-house.
A spokesperson for QinetiQ confirmed the contract had been terminated a little over a year into the seven-year deal.
鈥淲e can provide better flexibility, better service and better responsiveness for our business requirements in-house,鈥 it said.
QinetiQ is working with Balfour Beatty on a six-month transition plan and will take on all the Balfour staff affected, QinetiQ said.
A Balfour Beatty spokesperson said that Balfour Beatty WorkPlace, which includes the FM business, was 鈥渘aturally disappointed鈥 about QinetiQ鈥檚 decision. 鈥淏alfour Beatty WorkPlace has a number of contracts worth substantially more than the contract with QinetiQ with one worth some 拢1bn,鈥 they said.
Since its creation, the division has won several facilities management contracts including a joint venture with Romec covering Royal Mail sites and a 拢25m contract for the Metropolitan Police. Last week it acquired Romec in a bid to boost its standing.
Latest group accounts available reveal that the FM business turned over 拢414m in 2009, which accounted for 5% of Balfour Beatty鈥檚 revenue for that year.
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