Compliance and governance assurance through SCAPE frameworks

We are committed to providing the best experience for the public sector and the communities in which we work, above and beyond the legal requirements and, as such, our frameworks are designed to deliver value for money, efficiency, sustainability and positive social impact.

SCAPE’s suite of construction, consultancy, civil engineering and utilities frameworks are compliant with UK law and are subject to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCRs), the Utilities Contract Regulations 2016 (UCRs), and the UK Procurement Act 2023.

Our frameworks are ‘two-stage tender’ frameworks and fully procured through an open and transparent tender process to ensure fair competition. Our 23 delivery partners have been specifically chosen as they are able to evidence their past achievements, demonstrate best practice and embed innovation throughout their processes.

Through our active performance management processes, our teams can assure compliance of the project with the Framework Agreement, as well as project delivery on KPIs and social and economic outcomes, each of which is specific to the client, location and project. Our team also undertake an auditing process where every stage of a project is reviewed against the delivery partner's key commitments and deliverables, ensuring the highest level of commercial compliance for the project.

Additionally, all SCAPE frameworks are Gold Standard verified, demonstrating that our approach to procurement, performance management and framework operation is compliant and aligned with Central Government policy as set out in the Construction Playbook, aimed at delivering better, safer, faster and greener project outcomes.

SCAPE’s audit team support the framework team and delivery partners to ensure projects have been compliantly called off and are consistently delivered in accordance with Framework Agreement requirements. They also provide support on KPIs and social value, and to uphold the commercial expectations set by clients.

Through the auditing process, the risk, controls and governance within our frameworks is assessed to ensure that delivery partners are maintaining the highest level of compliance in accordance with their framework responsibilities. This audit process provides a robust system which enables us to check, and where necessary, challenge compliance, so that we can evidence best practice and value for money at every stage of a project.

With robust governance in place, SCAPE frameworks deliver efficiency, transparency and value for money. With embedded early contractor involvement and collaboration, project outcomes are enhanced and risk is mitigated.

In 2024/25, our team audited:

• 54 audits completed across all SCAPE Frameworks
• 196 projects audited, collectively valued £1.3bn+
• 98% achieved an audit opinion of compliant
• 100% of delivery partners were satisfied with the process

Following an audit, where a project has areas for improvement or non-compliance, we will include actions within the audit report, and work with the delivery partners to implement and manage moving forward.

As advocates of industry best practice, these positive assessments of the delivery of projects through our frameworks highlight the management and support provided by all teams who interact with our delivery partners. Importantly, it also emphasises that the delivery partners have collaborated positively to audits and reacted to actions made following an audit, further improving processes for the benefit of our clients to drive continuous improvement.