DoH calls on roster members to free-pitch

One of the first major projects to be awarded from the Department of Health’s slimmed down 38-strong literature and exhibition design roster has gone to Butcher & Gundersen.

The roster was cut back from 150 last year but Butcher & Gundersen and four other groups still had to go through a free-pitch to win the 120 000 design of this year’s corporate exhibition stand for the NHS Executive.

The London group’s first exhibition in the programme of ten shows is for the Healthcare Computing ’97 show being held in Harrogate next week.

It is not known who else took part in the free-pitch. A DoH spokesman says: “It was up to the consultancies how far they went. If anyone had given a written proposal it would have been considered.

“We are aware of the sensitivity of having an unpaid pitch. But when we do pay, the amount is not going to cover costs,” he adds.