The company that wins the contract to run the cement distribution facility at Dockyard will not be required to sell 20 percent of its shares to the public.

Nor will it necessarily have to build new silos, according to the West End Development Corporation's (Wedco's) request for proposal (RFP).

Those requirements have been removed from the RFP since Government was in negotiations with Bermuda Cement Company two years ago.

Majority shareholder Jim Butterfield decided to sell the business rather than shell out for a costly relocation of the two silos at Wedco's insistence.

The company had operated the site for more than 40 years.

The new RFP invites bids from all parties who can demonstrate an interest and ability to lease and operate the current facility or a new plant on another site. Yesterday, Mr. Butterfield said he was not surprised that the RFP differs fundamentally from negotiations he had with Wedco in 2008 when he was looking to renew the lease.

The protracted negotiations centred on Wedco's insistence that the plant be moved.

BCC was also asked to sell 20 percent of its shares to the public and informed it would have to pay for the creation of new silos, and the dismantling of the current ones.

The company decided that doing so did not make financial sense as it felt the current silos were usable for another 20 years.

MaxCem has since been running the facility on six-month contracts.

Yesterday, Mr. Butterfield said: "We were assured that the conditions would remain the same. That is why I find this painful. We will not be bidding for the contract."

The businessman said he believes only people who have run a cement facility before will be able to answer some of the RFP requirements, such as how much cement would cost by the bag.

In the RFP, Wedco also asked bidders to provide a list of all company directors and officers as well as a list of all shareholders. It also asks for information on how the company plans to finance running the current facility and "proposed improvements to the existing facility".

Wedco also stated it would give "strong consideration" to companies able to provide an "interim facility" to ensure there is no disruption of the supply of cement in the future.