Public sector power

Newly appointed group director for public frameworks, Zoe Price, gives us an insight into her new role, a new task force, and why public sector frameworks are important for ISG.

A post-Brexit UK survey by the National Association of Construction Frameworks in April 2017 revealed a move away from austerity, with a forecast annual capital spend increase from £52.3bn to £74.2bn in 2021.

Although we are well positioned on a number of high-profile public frameworks, the business has recognised the potential for growth, and I will be leading the charge.

I have been tasked with developing our portfolio of public sector projects through new and existing frameworks, and increasing our current annual market share.

Since I joined ISG in 2011, I have focused on developing frameworks and major projects, helping to secure a place on the Southern Construction Framework, as well as our appointment to the now completed £55m Bristol Business School for the University of the West of England.

We’re already seeing the benefit of a joined-up approach to public sector frameworks, with the recent appointment to the seven-year UK Government Hubs Fit Out Framework.

So why do frameworks offer so much potential?

They offer a quicker route to market which is compliant with the OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union).

Although there are cost savings on procurement, it’s not all about money.

Public sector frameworks are a move away from lowest-price tendering, replaced with long-term relationships between clients, professionals and contractors, and formed around shared objectives and common values.

The result? Less waste, less duplication, local engagement and greater efficiency.

The current UK Government Construction Strategy sets out a plan to increase productivity in government construction and deliver £1.7bn of efficiencies and support 20,000 apprenticeships.

We recognise that public sector frameworks can help to support these ambitions via early contractor engagement, honest and transparent procurement and delivery processes, and a true commitment to delivering employment and skills opportunities.

The UK government’s decision to incorporate social value into its public service contracts has been adopted far and wide at ISG, and our sustainability teams work tirelessly to balance our dynamic construction delivery services with making a positive impact on the communities we serve.

These frameworks are not always public sector run. Private enterprises can also access publicly funded work, like the opportunities we are exploring with the relatively new framework provider, Pagabo.

We have also formed leisure partnerships with Alliance Leisure Services, Greenwich Leisure Limited/Trebor Developments, and SERCO, which all provide some excellent examples of this in practice.

Across the public sector, organisations are under significant pressure to build legacy into their places and systems, maximising the value of public funds by accommodating both current and future needs.

Achieving legacy requires more than just smart planning across delivery frameworks.

Organisations and the needs of people are changing faster than ever before, and as a result, legacy can no longer afford to be static.

Meeting the needs of tomorrow means building in resilience and flexibility now; leveraging technology and data for better insights; and blending best practice with innovative solutions to ensure long-term benefit.

There is now a £2bn pipeline of work on the current public sector frameworks and with a new team to spearhead the campaign, we will also be targeting further framework appointments across the UK.

Image: Summit Indoor Adventure, Selby, Yorkshire, UK, for Alliance Leisure Services.