Procurement Initiatives 2005/6 Appendix 3

Additional Proposals

Second Tier Framework Pilots

With second frameworks pilots now all in place, work is in hand to establish the working arrangements with the 5 appointed contractors. The successful contractors are Nolan Davis, RV Dart, Coleborn, Hampshire Partitioning and Gregory Havant. The work will comprise any new build, extension, improvement, alteration work, reinstatement or major maintenance work. The pilot is designed to undertake a select group of projects where a preferred contractor would otherwise be required due to the timing, complexity and sequencing of the work. The current anticipated value of each pilot is between £500,000 and £1m allocated to each contractor involved dependant upon their capacity.

A strategic forum has been established for the pilot framework to look forward at potential workload and review contractors' capacity to respond. An internal governance body has also been established to review emerging projects, and to decide which are applicable to be allocated to the pilot framework. This body will allocate projects based on competence and the capacity identified from the strategic forum. The body will also review performance and use this information in support of the allocation of further work and report on the outcome of the pilot study. It is intended to develop these arrangements for use in the final framework procedures. The allocation of projects will be reported to future meetings of this panel together with detail of the performance of the contractors.

The output from both these forums will be reported to BLAPP in the October 2006 and will summarise performance and working arrangements up to the end of the six month pilot framework trial period.

The following future schemes have been identified for procurement through the second framework pilot arrangements during 2006/7:

Pilot Package 1:

Pilot Package 2

Flat Roofing Framework

The flat roofing framework has now been in place for 3 years and with Survey and Construct with general good performance. The framework has now come to the end of its original term, however a programme of future projects for 2006/7 is still under consideration. It is proposed to extend the existing arrangements until the end of 2006 up to a maximum value of £500,0000 until new arrangements are in place. The total value of work procured through the framework to date is £2.6 million. The precise details of the re-tender exercise will be reported to a later panel, but it is envisaged that the process will be as described for Ramps and Hard Landscaping below.

During the next financial year it is also proposed to pilot an arrangement for reactive repairs for both flat and pitched roofing which will be run in parallel with the framework arrangement and may be incorporated with the arrangements.

External Repair and Redecoration

The mainly NDS funded budget for external repair and redecoration will be reduced to approximately £2 million next year and it is proposed to negotiate eight packages of work with preferred contractors. The emphasis will be changed next year from painting and prior repairs to window replacement which is anticipated to offer increased benefits in terms of long term cyclical maintenance costs.

The performance of all the contractors who were awarded packages of work last year has been reviewed. Based on the outcome of this review it is proposed to negotiate the packages of work for 2006/7 with the contractors listed below. A further two packages of work will be competitively tendered and these packages will provide a cost benchmark for the negotiated works. As the packages are developed some variance in the lists of schemes and values may occur.

An additional £2 million of external redecoration and repairs work has been identified in the Capital Repairs report to the Panel, of which it is proposed to negotiate approximately £1.5 million with preferred contractors. The contractors, schemes and package values for this element of the programme of work will be reported to a future Panel meeting.

Ramps and Hard Landscaping Framework

Two pilot frameworks were put in place in 2004/5 following a competitive tender process. These were extended for a further year in April 2005. It is now proposed to tender a 2 year framework arrangement with the option to extend for a further two 1 year periods subject to the satisfactory performance of the selected contractors. The framework will be awarded to up to three contractors depending on projected workload and the needs of the County Council, from a shortlist of six or more specialist contractors. Each framework will be worth up to an estimated value of £750,000 per annum. The frameworks will cover both small schemes to provide improved access arrangements and resurfacing works to external paved areas and larger hard landscaping projects.

A number of schemes have been identified to be undertaken during the spring and summer 2006, before the new arrangements are in place. It is therefore propose to extend the existing framework with Rocon to undertake these works. The following projects have been identified:

Handyman Arrangement - Castle Complex

It is proposed to tender a term contract for reactive maintenance and a `handyman' service for minor improvement works within the Castle Complex buildings. The arrangement would be for an initial 1 year period, with the option to extend for up to a further 2 years. The annual value of the contract is estimated to be up to £150k. It is envisaged that this work will be tendered to a shortlist of three or more preferred contractors.

SCOLA Panel Repairs - Phase 2

A second phase of SCOLA masonry panel repairs is programmed to take place during the summer covering a number of sites across the County at an estimated cost of £170k. It is proposed to negotiate this programme of works with West End Roofing and Construction who were successful in winning the first phase of repairs in a competitive tender. The tendered rates will be used as the basis for the negotiation which will also be subject to the satisfactory performance of West End on site during the Phase 1 works

Yateley Infants School - re-cladding

NDS funding of £300k has been identified for Phase 1 of the re-cladding of a timber framed building at Yately Infant School. The Phase 1 works have been competitively tendered with Drew Smith identified as the lowest tenderer. It is anticipated that further NDS funding of £600k will be approved in April and it is proposed to negotiate these further works with Drew Smith, subject to their satisfactory performance in the early stages of the project. Drew Smith have the necessary capacity to undertake the full scope of works and have previously completed a number of successful re-cladding projects for the Council. The proposed negotiation will enable the works to be completed as a single project which will minimize the disruption to the school.

Portchester School - SAI works, Science Laboratory Refurbishment and Dance Studio

The Executive Member Policy and Resources approved the proposal to negotiate this package of work with Brymor Contractor Ltd in November 2005. Since that report additional SAI and NDS modernisation funding has been identified for 2006/7 increasing the total value of the works from £600k to £795k (including fees). The revised estimated cost is included in

Appendix 2.

Bridgemary Community School - Multi purpose sports hall

It is proposed to construct a multi-purpose sports hall at Bridgemary Community School commencing during 2006. The estimated value of the works is £294k, which is to be funded by the school. It is proposed to negotiate the contract with LST Building Services who are currently undertaking a very similar project at Toynbee School where they are performing well. The negotiation would allow continuity of the main contractor's team and key supply chains which will facilitate learning transfer from the Toynbee project.

West Meon Primary School - Classroom Extension

Design work is currently ongoing on a £180k extension at West Meon Primary School to provide an additional classroom at first floor level above the existing structure. The existing school building is Grade II listed and situated in a conservation area which has influenced the design for the extension which incorporates oak cladding. The site is also very small which means that access arrangements and site set up will require careful consideration and planning prior to commencing work on site. To meet the requirements of this complex project it is proposed to negotiate the contract with John Hobden Ltd who have recently completed a RIBA award winning project in Southampton using similar construction techniques. Early involvement of the contractor will also ensure that the various site constraints are fully considered and addressed prior to construction.

Cowplain Community School - MUGA / Synthetic Turf Pitch

The works involved in the scheme at Cowplain Community School are mostly of a specialist nature for which there are limited suitable firms on the Property Services' Register of Contractors. It is therefore proposed to tender this scheme, which has an estimated value of £715k, to a short list of four specialist contractors.

The Mountbatten School and Language College - Fire Damage Reinstatement

An electrical fire occurred at the Mountbatten School and Language College on 7 March 2006 causing a complete disruption to the School's electrical supply. A report was commissioned with Engineering Design Partnership, one of Property Services' Consultant Partners, into the cause and the initial conclusion is that it appears to be an electrical fault rather than a specific workmanship issue associated with any contractors. Emergency works have been put in hand, including reinstatement of electrical supply using generators, amounting to £40,000. The main contract has been negotiated with Tew Brothers, amounting to £242,000. The Chief Executive has confirmed that the cost of the fire damage reinstatement works will be funded by the County Council's Fire Insurance Vote. Tew Brothers have successfully undertaken several other fire reinstatement projects. The negotiation allows continuity of the main contractor and key supply chains from the initial emergency works.

Winchester Cultural Centre - Archaeological Investigation

The initial archaeological site evaluation required at the site of the new Winchester Cultural Centre development was won through a competitive tender process by Oxford Archaeology. The results of the initial evaluation work identified the need to undertake a more extensive and detailed investigation, including a watching brief during the construction work for the new Cultural Centre.

In order to maintain continuity of the investigation and recording of findings, the additional work was negotiated with Oxford Archaeology who have previously undertaken work for the County Council, including the extensive archaeological works at the site of the Osborne Special School. The total value of the investigation, watching brief and evaluation, reporting and publishing of the archaeological findings is £350,000.

Asbestos Type 2 Surveys

Approval was given at the panel meeting on 19 October 2004 to the appointment of Asbestos Surveying Consultancy Partners to undertake a programme of Type 2 asbestos surveys. A tender for the provision of asbestos surveying and testing services was undertaken through the OJEU tendering procedures. Following an initial shortlisting process 21 contractors were invited to tender.

The six lowest price contractors were subsequently shortlisted and invited to take part in the final stages of the selection process which comprised a trial Type 2 survey using HCC paperwork and systems. Two contractors were eliminated due to major non-compliances during the trial surveys, the remaining four contractors were interviewed. Two of these four contractors were then eliminated on the basis that they missed asbestos containing materials in the trial surveys. It is therefore proposed to award the asbestos surveying contracts to the two remaining contractors, Environmental Evaluation Ltd and Gully Howard Technical Ltd, on the basis of their tender price and performance during the trial surveys. The total value of the contracts is £637,815 over 5 years.