SCAPE frameworks achieve Gold Standard Verification through Constructing Excellence

Our suite of consultancy, civil engineering, construction and utilities frameworks has achieved Gold Standard verification, demonstrating that our approach to procurement, performance management and framework operation is compliant and aligned with Central Government policy set out in the Construction Playbook.

Smarter procurement helps drive efficiency, innovation and quality in public services, so it is important that government departments and local authorities are making the right choice and use compliant frameworks effectively to achieve value for money and community benefits.

As a mark of quality, the Gold Standard enables us to further demonstrate the value of our ongoing work to deliver continuous improvement for our local authority clients, shareholders and the wider public sector. We share their aspirations for using procurement to drive meaningful change and are committed to maximising value for the taxpayer through improved efficiency, social value and environmental outcomes.

Through this approach to smarter procurement and Early Contractor Involvement, we have saved the public sector more than £118m over the past five years.

Constructing Excellence’s Gold Standard Verification scheme was established in 2021 by Professor David Mosey CBE on behalf of the Cabinet Office, with the aim of ensuring that the public sector adopts urgent measures to improve value, reduce risk and achieve strong socioeconomic outcomes through its procurement.

SCAPE has been championing public procurement best practice for over a decade, and in 2023 we joined the Gold Standard scheme Task Group. Since then, we have worked collaboratively with selected industry peers, including the Ministry of Justice, Environment Agency and CHIH to inform criteria in areas such as building safety and information, risk management, collaborative delivery, sustainability and supply chain engagement.

Among the success criteria for the Gold Standard is the ability to demonstrate high levels of SME and supply chain engagement, providing visibility of future pipelines and fostering a collaborative, outcomes-based approach to the design and delivery of procurements.

From our transparent pre-market engagement and evaluation processes through to the project and commercial delivery models that underpin our approach, we have rigorous procedures in place throughout the lifecycle of our frameworks to ensure they are compliant, competitively tendered and driving value for money at every stage.

The mandate for public sector procurement to have a greater focus on the outcomes for local communities is aligned with how SCAPE has operated since it was first established by its six local authority shareholders in 2006. For almost 20 years, we have been helping clients with significant buying power, such as central and local government, to maximise the value of their investment, as well as providing price and quality assurance.

Our focus on improving communities, creating jobs and promoting local economic growth drives projects that regularly exceed the legal requirements for social value return.

This in turn supports better supply chain engagement, enabling local SMEs to operate more sustainably, invest in technology, skills and resources and build resilience – reflecting one of the core tenets of Construction Excellence’s criteria for Gold Standard status.

We recognise the important role that our framework delivery partners, local SMEs and supply chains play in designing solutions to the problems that clients face. Measures are in place to ensure that each delivery partner acts with transparency and integrity, pays their supply chains fairly and promptly and adheres to ethical labour best practice.

In addition, our approach to technology and innovation also ensures that SCAPE frameworks provide solutions throughout the lifecycle of a project, which helps clients to reduce their carbon, construction waste and environmental impact.