Urban Vision Partnership Ltd - Rethinking Construction in Salford
Client: Salford City Council / Urban Vision Partnership Ltd
Value: £1.2 million p.a.
Duration: 5 years (with potential 2 year extension)
Completion: July 2011
The Project Brief was to develop a Partnering Contract that
operates under the Principles of Rethinking Construction.
Tarmac work alongside Urban Vision Partnership (Salford City Council, Capita Symonds and Morrison Construction)
and Birse to deliver Salford City Council's Highways and Civil Engineering capital works programme.
All works on Salford's highway network are allocated on an annual basis, with equal values split between each
Partnership member. Each scheme that Tarmac is allocated is greater than £100k in value and can contractually
be worth up £2m.
A forward thinking Client appointed Tarmac based on our understanding of Rethinking Construction and our previous experience.
Rethinking Construction is the banner under which the construction industry, its clients and the government are working together to improve performance.
In 2005 Salford City Council commissioned Urban Vision Partnership (UVP) to implement Rethinking Construction Partnering in order to manage and enhance development across a wide range of disciplines.
The tender process required Tarmac to demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, Rethinking Construction as well as showing where we were already partnering with other Local Authorities such as Blackpool BC, Enterprise Liverpool and St Helens BC.
Partnering involves ongoing liaison and co-ordination
Immediately following allocation of each scheme we undertake site visits with UVP. These meetings are used to identify cost savings through alternative designs and value engineering, where possible embracing environmental sustainability and recycled products. Buildability issues such as traffic management constraints and customer care issues are also agreed.
Upon receipt of the scheme's design documents we submit a target price for the work based on the NEC Option C form of contract. Invoices are submitted on a monthly basis using Causeway accounting software that allows fully auditable, transparent rates.
UVP appoint an Engineer to each scheme to attend an early pre-start meeting with our Contracts Manager and his Site Agent. These same personnel also attend post completion meetings and, on longer duration schemes, monthly progress meetings. The onus is to provide continuous improvement by identifying best practice and taking these forward onto future schemes.
At a higher level, our senior management attend quarterly meetings with similar representatives from the other Partners. These meetings are used to discuss and agree the timing and content of future workload; any areas of best practice that can be shared; and performance measurement. A Framework Charter, agreed at the commencement of the contract, comprises a number of performance indicators that are used to measure each scheme and the contract as a whole.
Continuity of staff has ensured continuity of relationships
We have employed the same Contracts Manager throughout the contract. He is involved with each scheme from initial allocation through to agreement of the final account. The same team of external supply chain partners (and their respective site management teams) are consistently used on each scheme.
The developed level of trust has resulted in reduced levels of site supervision by UVP. Our Site Agent liases with UVP's Engineer on a daily basis, allowing him to make an informed decision without visiting site. UVP also utilise a visiting Clerk of Works rather than maintain a constant site presence.
An In-house Supply Chain facilitates a rapid decision making process
By value, Tarmac undertakes over 80% of each scheme using in-house resources. This includes the supply of all bound and unbound materials, surfacing works, all aspects of civil engineering, traffic management, safety fencing and cold milling.
In addition to reconstruction and repair of existing carriageways a typical scheme may involve the construction of parking bays, creation of new footways and cycleways, drainage improvements, traffic calming measures, kerbing, fencing, landscaping and new and improved street lighting.
The use of Local Resources promotes Social Inclusion
One of the performance measurement targets is the percentage of supply chain companies from within Salford. All asphalt and concrete is supplied from within the Salford boundary and where the need for specialist supply chain partners is identified they are, wherever available, similarly sourced.
A Proactive approach to Customer Care that encouragespositive recognition
Each site is registered with the Considerate Constructors Scheme and we employ a dedicated Traffic Safety and Control Officer who also acts as a Public Liaison Officer.
Sustainability Issues
To meet the Framework's measurement targets for recycling, all site arisings are taken to Tarmac's local recycling depot,in Salford, for crushing, grading and resale into the market.
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