News

Boosting regional recovery with SCAPE Construction

Tue, 8th Jun, 2021 Updated: Mon, 13th Dec, 2021

Greater choice for public sector as SCAPE launches construction framework to boost regional recovery.

Local communities across the East Midlands and the East of England are set to benefit from as much as £750million of new public sector construction activity as part of the launch of the new SCAPE Construction framework.

As one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement authorities, we are proud to announce that we will begin the search for contractors to support the next generation regional construction framework.

Part of the SCAPE Construction suite of direct award frameworks, the new framework will launch in June 2022 and help local authorities and public sector organisations to accelerate the procurement of construction projects up to a value of £7.5million. Public bodies using the framework will gain instant access to high quality construction contractors and an extensive local supply chain, supporting the delivery of projects that will generate social value, training and apprenticeships, leaving a positive legacy for local communities.

The new four-year framework will build on the positive impact of SCAPE’s existing Regional Construction framework which has successfully delivered 362 projects to date. This current framework is due to expire in Summer 2022.

Following detailed consultation with public sector clients in these regions, a new, innovative feature of this framework is a unique parallel lotting structure, which will provide an option for early engagement with multiple contractors before awarding a project.

In response to additional feedback from clients, this framework will provide further flexibility by offering a commercial choice option, in addition to a direct award procurement pathway, as part of the contractor selection process. Those organisations procuring projects through the framework will also benefit from the removal of value bands within the new structure, providing clients with greater choice over which contractors and services they would like to select.

Another important new feature of the framework is the lifecycle agreement that will be supported by the successful delivery partners. This agreement will enable the adoption and achievement of ambitious sustainability goals and deliver vastly improved building performance to support an effective response to the climate emergency.

This evolution of the framework comes at a time of critical importance for our public sector colleagues, as they begin to put their post-Covid recovery strategies into action and work towards the net zero target for 2030.

John Simons, acting group procurement director at SCAPE

John continued, "By introducing a parallel lotting structure within a direct award framework, we feel that we can help to clear a path to achieving those objectives, whilst maintaining a bedrock of rigour, compliance and client support.

By evolving this framework offer, we will provide a simplified and high-quality route to market that will enable clients to get projects off the ground quickly through delivery partners who have the expertise to help them achieve their ambitions.”

Our role is to facilitate positive relationships between the private and public sector.

Adrian Hill, acting deputy managing director at SCAPE

Adrian continued, "Underpinned by a model that has a proven track record of successful delivery, we believe that this latest framework will not only nurture those partnerships and deliver great spaces and places, but will ensure each and every project drives even better economic outcomes for local communities.

Construction contractors need confidence to grow their businesses and employ new staff from their local communities. This framework offers contractors a four-year framework that, through collaboration, will help them to deliver projects that will keep the pound local, create security for their businesses and tangible social value, whilst helping clients realise the potential of their estate.”

Invitations to tender will be announced at the end of this year following a period of pre-market engagement later this summer.

The SCAPE Construction framework suite is used by more than 1,200 public bodies across the UK. In the past 15 years, SCAPE has supported £4.6bn-worth of public sector-led construction, generating more than £2.1bn in social value for local communities.

View full details via our procurement portal