FRAMEWORKS AND PARTNERING WHAT CAN BE LEARNED?

The Egan report on Rethinking Construction advocated “long term relationships based on clear measurement of performance and sustained improvements in quality and efficiency”. In early 2001 the Roads Service in Northern Ireland embarked on a 3 year Framework to review the work carried out on their stock of 50 post-tensioned bridges and to develop a long-term maintenance strategy. Both parties agreed to adopt a partnering approach to the Contract adopting some of the key principles outlined by Sir John Egan. This paper outlines the significant lessons learned by adopting a partnering approach to a Professional Services Framework between a Consultant and a Central Government Service provider. The partnership has been built on an ethos of knowledge share and transfer leading to significant benefits to all parties involved and developing long-term relationships that would succeed the end of the original programme. It is an example of how a partnering approach to a single project can act as a catalyst for developing each Organisation and their approach to staff and projects as a whole. One of the significant factors involved is the people, their personal and professional relationships and their willingness to innovate at all times. Partnering also brings with it expectations of both parties and problems can sometimes occur. The paper also discusses these issues. The partnering ethos has lead to innovation in terms of amending the payment mechanism under the contract as originally procured leading to potential incentives and disincentives based on performance measured using Key Performance Indicators as advocated by the Egan report.

• INTRODUCTION

• CONCLUSIONS

• REFERENCES