About SCF

SCF is a bold joint venture between Devon County Council and Hampshire County Council. We offer efficient construction, residential and consultancy frameworks for public sector organisations. Having delivered over £8bn of public sector construction we are leaders in achieving value from two stage open book procurement.

Our main focus is to support users through the project management and procurement process to ensure that they get maximum value and benefits.

Our team of framework managers have helped clients to deliver around £500m building work every year since 2006 and we are experts in this way of working.

We offer high quality delivery and proven added value

We demonstrate industry leading performance, commenced and completed on budget via a comprehensive choice of industry leading contractors and consultants.
Our dedicated Framework Management team provide unrivalled technical support from first contact to one-year post occupation.
Our frameworks offer a quick route to market whilst maintaining competitive tension. Our flexible approach allows full breadth of delivery and our quality management process ensures a high level of quality despite complex requirements.

Our collaborative and integrated team approach allows us to continuously offer a flexible means of delivering social and environmental values targeted to the needs of each project.
We proactively manage contractor performance through data driven intelligence at project, framework and industry levels.
We are forward looking and respond to rapidly changing client needs through innovative solutions.

Where we operate

Our frameworks can be used by all public and third sector organisations within the specified geographic area which broadly covers Greater London, the South East of England and the South West of England. It can also be used by other client organisations where public money is being expended.

Selection Methods

Mini Competition (Two Stage Open Book)

1st Stage

The mini competition stage is where bidders compete for the contract based on their capacity, capability, stability, experience and strengths of their supply chain. This stage acts as an opportunity for you (the client) to review the approaches of bidding contractors and compare their rates for profit, fees, overheads and other additional costs associated with the project. From this, you will be able to select the most suitable contractor that can fulfil your operational requirements.

2nd Stage

The contractor you choose, and their key supply chain members are engaged as early as possible. They become part of the pre-construction team with your key stakeholders, professional advisors and supply chain members. The team will work to an agreed objective, cost and programme. They will fully scope the project and assess risks early on. This reduces any chance of unforeseen issues occurring later in the project that impact costs and deadlines.

Direct Award

NEW to SCF5 is our direct award option in addition to mini-competition.

Direct award allows clients to appoint a contractor from the framework without further mini competition. Clients must demonstrate that the direct award option provides best value. SCF can advise how to achieve this and support clients through this process.

Form of Contract

NEC/JCT

Typically NEC/JCT but any form supported including client specific amendments

Type of Contract

Construct only

Where the contracting authority employ their own consultants, or in-house designers, and the contractor is first engaged by the client as a member of the project team to contribute to the pre-construction stage before satisfying requirements and being awarded a works contract.

Design and Build

Where the contractor provides design services, including Contractor Designed Portions, during the pre-construction stage before satisfying requirements and being awarded a works contract. In this instance the client will usually retain a project and cost manager and appropriate design guardians.

What projects can the frameworks deliver?

Our frameworks cover a variety of projects and our tier 1 contractors and consultants have extensive experience in all sectors.

Schemes we deliver include individual projects or programmes for new build work, extensions, improvements, renovations, repairs and associated site infrastructure works. These typically include:

Education (Primary, Secondary, SEN, Academies)
Health (Offices, Clinical Space, Wards)
Sport and Leisure (Wet & Dry Leisure Centres, Concert Venues, Museums)
Fire and Police (Operational HQ’s, Custody Units, Vehicle Depots etc.)
Passivhaus
Residential (Houses, Apartments, Flats, Care, Student Accommodation)
Build to Rent (Hotels, Industrial Units, Offices, Including to specific design requirements)

View Case Studies

A collaborative approach

While the two authorities in SCF share a central management system, common processes and work closely together, each provides a local point of contact for their region. Devon County Council provides support for framework projects in the South West, Hampshire County Council for those in London and the South East.

View the SCF video

Sharing best practice

SCF is structured into three ‘lots’ to reflect the geography of the regions. All SCF contractors, regardless of the lot they are appointed to, meet together on a monthly basis with the framework management team to share best practice, drive forward new improvements, and review performance, workload and market intelligence. Together as a partnership we are committed to giving framework users the best possible construction experience, and to improving year on year.

History

SCF is the fourth generation framework in the South of England, and succeeds previous generations most recently Southern Construction Framework but also including the South East and London Framework (SEaL), Construction Framework South West (CSFW), Improvement and Efficiency South East (iESE) and South East Centre of Excellence Construction Framework (SECE).