Hospital heads have just returned from a North American roadshow where they were courted by possible bidders for the multi-million dollar contract to build the new hospital wing.

The $315 million job will be done under a public private partnership (PPP) with a firm chosen to design, build, finance and maintain the project.

Last week Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) was in New York and Toronto taking responses from interested parties including some from Europe.

According to Project Finance Magazine, a series of one-on-one meetings attracted 30 interested entities with a request for qualifications due in the middle of this year, a shortlist of bidders to receive a request for proposal by late 2009 and a bidder selected by mid 2010.

BHB Deputy CEO Venetta Symonds told The Royal Gazette that companies had been excited by Bermuda's first PPP project and that Government would underwrite the project.

She added: "They talked about Bermuda's stability, they talked about our financial rating and they are very interested in getting involved.

"I think there will be a healthy number of bidders. We had back-to-back meetings the entire week."

And additional teleconferences had to be put on this week because of demand, said Ms Symonds.

"We only have one hospital so they don't worry we will get halfway down the road and then decide we are not going to do it.

"They see this as a great opportunity."

Ms Symonds said the BHB was hoping for five to six bidders and then maybe move to a shortlist of three.

BHB has approval to construct a new patient tower, an ambulatory care centre and central utility plant over the next five years.