RICS evidence welcomed by APPG Inquiry
By Tim Wainwright, RICS Parliamentary Affairs Officer
RICS led the construction industry during an evidence session to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Excellence in the Built Environment. Alan Muse, Director of RICS Construction and QS Professional Group provided practical examples of a new procurement model for future construction projects. The APPG has formed a commission comprising of MPs and leading figures from the industry to head an inquiry into best practice in construction procurement.
The commission comprises of Tony Baldry MP in the Chair with Nick Raynsford and Alison Seabeck two of the other notable MPs. Industry members included Gordon Masterton CBE, Chair of the Construction Industry Council; Alan Crane CBE, Chair of the Chartered Institute of Building; Sir John Armitt CBE and Lord John Lytton. Following presentations the session took the form of a true Select Committee Inquiry with MPs and the leading industry representatives asking questions of three experts. Giving evidence alongside RICS were RIBA and the Landscape Institute.
RICS gave a practical example of an alternative procurement model know as Performance Related Partnering (PRP). The advice Alan provided on a real life project gave something for the commission to get their teeth into. It was a model which has already been employed in a public sector project and the commission was able to follow through how the project has worked in practice. As a result Alan had to fend off a barrage of questions however the commission welcomed the expert insight RICS had brought to the table.
The Landscape Institute focused primarily on the role for SMEs in public procurement and the role they offer. They believe there needs to be a better contract for procurement which benefits SMEs allowing greater collaboration, sharing of risk and greater access to projects. The views of the Landscape Institute were that currently a penalty was being paid for the exclusion of SMEs. Furthermore the Government needs to go from dumb to smart clients.
RIBA’s overall view was that sensible procurement is hard to find. They focused on the need for a reduced bureaucracy. Procurement was expensive in time, money and lost opportunities. RIBA believe there is too much red tape which results in many being unable to bid for procurement projects. The red tape needed to be more proportionate to the scale of the project.
In a tour of the table each commissioner asked two or three questions. A number focused on the outcome assessments as a result of the PRP model. Sir John Armitt asked a pertinent question on how the role of the professions had to change in order to allow the buyer to understand what professions can add. As Alan remarked, RICS is leading that change as the organisation with the greatest appreciation of the whole life cycle costs. Furthermore Alan highlighted the work RICS is doing in the BIM revolution which will radically change the relationship between professionals, clients and contractors. These changes will save cost and result in greater interdisciplinary working.
The findings of the APPG will be presented to the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude MP.