BRITISH Car Auctions has won a solus three-year contract to dispose of all the Ministry of Defence's non-armoured vehicles. The deal is one of the UK's biggest fleet disposal arrangements, and will see BCA sell 7,500 MoD vehicles per year, including cars, Land Rovers, vans, trucks, coaches, tank transporters, bridge layers, Sno-Cats and aircraft de-icers.

Eight companies tendered for the business, with the MoD initially expected to nominate a few suppliers, but after a detailed six-month review of the UK disposal market, assessing all the companies' remarketing channels, the location and quality of their facilities and their commercial terms, the MoD opted for a solus arrangement with BCA.

The auction giant has sold vehicles on behalf of the MoD in recent years, but this is the first time it has been appointed as the sole remarketing supplier. This will also see BCA provide ancillary services such as transport, appraisals and inspections, valeting, MoTs, rectification work and valuation.

BCA will develop the MoD brand, promoting it heavily to buyers through a variety of means including its Internet website and Auction View stock locator system, and it will even set up a MoD telephone hotline. The five BCA sites holding MoD sales are Newmains in Scotland, Belle Vue in Manchester, Peterborough, Blackbushe and Aston Down.