7 Questions you should ask before selecting a Framework

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7 Questions you should ask before selecting a Framework

Does the framework comply with the guidelines published in the Construction Playbook and why should it matter to me?

The Construction Playbook was developed to capture commercial best practice in public sector procurement, and the Southern Construction Framework reflects that best practice through its collaborative ethos to provide best value, eliminate risk and promote local business.

Reflecting this good practice through your chosen framework should yield the best possible results for your project.

This is based upon clear communication and collaboration, early engagement and participation, and outcome-based factual project assessment for cost, quality, and programme certainty.

A structured two-stage process, using a framework that reflects the government expectations of how contracting authorities should operate, provides clear risk management and assurity.

The SCF offers carefully selected framework partners, selected on a quality of delivery basis whilst providing cost and programme certainty through the second stage process.

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Can the framework illustrate experience of delivering projects in my sector of work?

It is imperative that a framework can illustrate relevant experience through capacity and capability to deliver your project.

This is a fundamental requirement of the Southern Construction Framework’s Mini Competition 1 process, which is assessed against key criteria to ensure tenderers can sufficiently illustrate capability and capacity of their regional team, delivery team, consultant team where applicable and critically, specialist supply chain.

The SCF offers carefully selected framework partners, selected on a quality of delivery basis whilst providing cost and programme certainty through the second stage process.

View our case studies to see our range of sectors.

What added value can a framework provide to me?

A framework isn’t just a procurement vehicle, there should be tangible benefits beyond those contractual and non-core requirements specified in the tender documentation.

At SCF, we ensure we accurately record client-verified data in relation to added value.  Our added value is not to be confused with value engineering. Our calculation is based on the calculated value of the early contractor involvement, through buildability advice to efficiency in design while ensuring the same or enhanced outcomes.

The SCF offers carefully selected framework partners, selected on a quality of delivery basis whilst providing cost and programme certainty through the second stage process.

Added Value

Over £69m over 34 projects verified added value through Generation 3 and current Generation 4.

How can a framework support me in achieving cost certainty?

In this ever-unpredictable marketplace, with tightening budgets, governance protocols and increased sustainability credentials, cost certainty should be part of an effective risk management process.

Using benchmarking data at the earliest stages of contractor appointment, SCF uses this figure to benchmark subsequent market-tested and delivered cost plans and final account.

This benchmarking figure is quantified through work package cost, and changes tracked along with ongoing value-add exercises and where applicable, value engineering.

A good framework should provide you with statistical evidence of cost certainty through its performance data, in tandem with a structured process to verify the data and check against out-turn costs / final accounts.

  • Our current framework has shown an average reduction of  -7.4% of construction cost plan vs benchmarked preconstruction cost plan from our top 3 performing contractors.

  • These 3 contractors record a 0% increase or decrease in costs from commencement of construction to post construction, proving the effectiveness of the two stage in the ‘no surprises’ approach.

How can a framework be flexible to my specific requirements?

A good framework needs to blend rigidity of its governance with flexibility to select forms of contract, entry points for contractor procurement through RIBA stages and its mini competition process.

SCF is steadfastly a two-stage process. This is a proven mechanism mandating a second stage gateway prior to on-site construction, a point in which most design risks can be mitigated and a project can progress with an assured level of cost and programme certainty.  Over 15 years of data collated through the SCF has proven this achieves results as it should.

SCF contractors and consultants can respond to any of the delivery models and can support clients of any maturity, supported by the range of contractors and supply chain with different skills.

SCF has proved in a Cabinet Office Procurement Trial case study that there is flexibility in the two-stage approach to review how the supply chain is engaged, when to engage, how to put individual projects into programmes of work, and how to bring benefits of aggregation to clients while giving pipeline certainty to the supply chain.

This flexible approach and use of pre-construction to analyse and appropriately apportion risk, means that any form of contract can be used for construction.

Our market intelligence allows us to discuss particular market issues with clients for individual projects or larger programmes of work.

Our framework offers are: 

Who are the Contractors on a framework, are they well established Tier 1 Contractors?

A large part of our strength is our collaborative partners.  From the top Tier 1 contractors in delivering education projects to our consultants and subsequent sub-consultants who are award-winning educational specialists, we are able to utilise this expertise to bring expertise and a competitive competent and complaint procurement process that continues to exceed expectations.

Our Construct Partners
Our Consult Partners
Our Residential Partners

What can a framework offer me with regard to social value, climate emergency and delivering on the localism agenda?

Focussing on the project’s legacies, ensuring the social value approaches provide long-lasting sustainable outcomes, SCF uses both a quantified Employment and Skills Plan and a client-weighted Themes and Measures table for the basis of tenderers’ proposals and subsequent data reporting.

These outcomes are set at preconstruction and compared to the tender commitments, and as we strive to improve performance across all stakeholders, we have recently introduced a client scoring system where contractors score our clients in their support of the delivery of social value outcomes.

  • 672 weeks (equivalent to 13 years) worth of employment for new entrant trainees, in addition to 53 years’ worth of employment for apprentices and trainees under generation 3.
  • £92m spend to date on our current framework with micro and SME’s within 30 miles of projects.
  • Local Supply Chain – over 2,000 unique supply chain members registered on our Local Supply Chain portal, providing access to all current generation projects for bidding opportunities.
  • New partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School, providing free access to resources to help SMEs upskill and tender for public sector projects, as well as SCF specific training.
Making construction sites safer places to workSCF publishes PIN for £4.5bn ‘Construct’ Framework