Civils contractors have welcomed news that the UK Government has instituted an independent review of public sector frameworks and said that reform in this area is “long overdue.”
The Cabinet Office has announced that Professor David Mosey of King’s College London is to lead an independent review of public sector frameworks, with a view to how best to implement best practice as set out in last December’s Construction Playbook.
Commenting, Director of External Affairs for the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) Marie-Claude Hemming said: “It is nearly a decade since the UK Government received a cross-industry recommendation to establish a ‘clearing house’ to avoid unfair and overlapping frameworks.
“We recognise that while commercial frameworks are a powerful tool to implement strategic planning and the delivery of optimal project outcomes, their proliferation in recent years has led to a fragmented and sometimes contradictory system that imposes burdens on businesses.
“Professor Mosey’s review should focus on identifying best practice when it comes to frameworks, and we look forward to engaging with his work with the goal of securing value for money for the client across infrastructure procurement in the UK.
“CECA’s own research has highlighted a number of areas in which frameworks should be reformed, and we hope this work will be taken into consideration by the review.
“Establishing what the ‘gold standard’ is for frameworks and implementing this model will ultimately lead to better outcomes for the UK taxpayer, the economy, and for our members, who at the current time are hamstrung by a frameworks system that is not fit for purpose.”
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