This depends on your role in procurement, construction, operation and maintenance. These (local government) roles are shown in the process map, and summarised below. Everyone is involved in frameworking, right from the first stage “Demonstrating the need”. This diagram shows how the Programme officers are at the centre of activity, leading and pulling it all together.
Clients and Users
Clients and users are in for a pleasant surprise because consultation is a fundamental tenet of frameworking. They will be wondering:
- Why should frameworks produce better outcomes?
- How will customer satisfaction become the No. 1 driver in a framework?
- How will the selection process ensure their voice is heard?
- How will they be involved in selecting suppliers and developing the projects?
Constructing Excellence
Constructing Excellence is the first place to look for independent advice and support. All organisations have gaps in knowledge, skills and resources. We can help you to over come this.
Our consultants can help you to acquire the know-how to make a success of frameworking. This includes the project delivery and supply chain management skills needed to make continuous improvement happen in you local construction community.
Framework Officers
You are in the ‘driving seat’ – probably an engineer, architect or QS – ambitious to lead the development and delivery of the council’s construction projects.
You will need to inform and encourage all the other players to support the new process.
One officer should be selected to ‘champion’ the frameworking process.
Regulatory officers, finance and audit
Frameworking is different because the sustained competition element found in traditional one-off contracts is diminished. The issues likely to arise here include:
- Is there sufficient competition in the Quality Based Selection process to ensure we get best value?
- How do we maintain the best value through the life of the framework?
- How will the targets and incentives to improve work in practice?
- Isn’t there a risk of developing cosy relationships?
- Will the fundamental rules of probity and accountability the preserved?
Supply Chain
Combining a series of projects under one agreement with one supplier (who may be local or from further afield) will have consequences for local suppliers. Hence suppliers will need to be alert to take the best advantage of frameworking.
Expect many doubts and concerns, such as:
- How will frameworking lead to a more stable business?
- What will they be expected to do differently?
- Many will have been loyal suppliers are many years. What happens if they miss out on a framework agreement?
Framework Service Delivery Team
The framework service delivery team will work with the construction team to plan, design, construct, operate and maintain facilities. Possible questions include:
- How will the ‘inclusive’ nature of frameworking ensure their views are valued and taken into account?
- What kinds of ‘continuous improvements’ are expected and how will this affect what they do?
Council Members
Depending on how long they have been on the Council and their background in construction, members will be somewhere along the difficult transition between thinking ‘lowest price’ and ‘best value’. Frameworking will raise issues such as:
- How will a framework produce better results and fewer complaints from electors?
- How do we avoid getting stuck with poor performing suppliers?
- How do we know whether the framework is ‘best value’?
- Do we need to change standing orders and why?
- What’s this got to do with sustaining the local community?
