DIO contracts Mitie for infrastructure

Mitie Defence Limited has been awarded a 256-million-pound ($321 million) contract by the UK Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to provide critical infrastructure services to British military facilities in Cyprus. The agreement includes maintenance work, repairs, and hard facilities management for all of the UK defense sites on the island, including RAF Akrotiri, Episkopi, Dhekelia, Ayios Nikolias, Troodos, Bloodhound Camp, and Radio Sonde. The project will begin in the autumn, with the initial phase lasting seven years. The supply chain will be supported by additional contractors from the region.

According to the UK, the project will provide “more flexible and responsive” support to British personnel in Cyprus by providing secure and resilient infrastructures to each installation. The DIO’s Overseas Prime Contracts program seeks to revamp British defense installations in other regions, and this latest contract is part of the program. Last year, the UK began similar works in Gibraltar worth 155 million pounds ($194 million). The Falkland Islands, Ascension Island, and Germany will be the next facilities to be upgraded in subsequent phases.

DIO Chief Operating Officer David Brewer said, “DIO is committed to supporting people across the Armed Forces who depend on us to provide facilities and essential services which allow them to work safely and securely. This important milestone follows years of hard work to design a contract that builds on the successes of existing hard facilities management arrangements while adding additional services and improvements to improve the quality of life for our Armed Forces in Cyprus.”

British Forces Cyprus Commander Air Vice Marshal Peter Squires expressed his pleasure with the award of the contract and his anticipation for the benefits it will bring to the British military personnel in Cyprus, both uniformed and civilian. The Ministry of Defence’s sites in Cyprus are diverse and spread out from each other, which adds to the challenge, but Squires is confident that the team is ready to meet it.