POTENTIAL bidders are being invited to express an interest in Worcestershire's £125 million Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme to rebuild Wyre Forest secondary schools.

Worcestershire County Council has published the Official Journal of European Union (OJEU) notice, which is a formal legal notice inviting potential bidders to express an interest in participating in the project. Potential bidders have until May 4 to respond to the notice.

The publication comes soon after the council received approval for its Outline Business Case (OBC) from Partnerships for Schools (PfS). This document sets out the business and financial justification for the programme.

Colin Weeden, BSF programme director for the county council, said: "This is an exciting stage in our BSF project. The publication of the OJEU means the procurement process is now officially under way.

"We are delighted to be keeping the momentum going for this innovative programme of work and are looking forward to receiving plenty of interest from organisations potentially involved in our transformational programme to improve educational opportunities for young people in Wyre Forest."

The county council held a special Bidder Open Day for potential partners on March 10 at the Ramada Hotel in Bewdley.

This gave bidders the chance to find out more about the overall BSF plans for Wyre Forest, progress made to date and the vision for the future.

The Wyre Forest is the first area in the county to benefit from BSF investment, which is designed to provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform education inside and outside the classroom across Worcestershire The county council joined the BSF programme in December 2008 and is part of the national wave 6a programme.

Its Wyre Forest programme is the first of a total of five waves of investment across the county. The initial project is scheduled in two phases planned to start next year (2011) and be completed in 2014.

The first wave of the programme will consist of five secondary schools - Baxter College, The Bewdley School and Sixth Form Centre, King Charles I School and Sixth Form Centre, The Stourport High School and Sixth Form Centre and Wolverley CE Secondary School.

The programme will also include a new build (three to 19-year-old, 220 place) special school and a new key stage three/four pupil referral unit.

For more information visit worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/education-and-learning/enjoy-and-achieve/school-information/building-schools-for-future.aspx