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Double deal to aid specialists
00:00 25 Jul 2001
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Specialist contractors are set to enter a new era this summer with
the publication of two major documents setting out guidelines on
procurement.
A code of practice for clients will advise on the best way of selecting specialist firms. It is the result of three years' work and has been drawn up under the aegis of the now defunct Construction Industry Board.
Publication of the code is set to coincide with the long-awaited appearance of the Joint Contract Tribunal's (JCT) first-ever domestic form of subcontract. The latter is expected to see the light of day towards the end of August as final details concerning attendances are settled.
Rudi Klein, chief executive of the Constructors Liaison Group (CLG), said the documents provided a contrasting approach to the procurement of specialists. He said the code of practice was felt to be more appropriate for the engineering contractors of the CLG.
"The aim of the code is to provide advice and guidance to clients on how to select specialists to join the design team and assist it on such matters as value engineering, sustainability, and full-life costing," he said.
"The point is that, if we don't close the gap between design and construction, then we won't make any progress towards eliminating the 30% of costs wasted through the current lack of integration. The code aims to promote a seamless process."
Klein acknowledged that the new JCT form gave a major step forward for building specialists.
He added: "It is no bad thing that the JCT is at last issuing a subcontract form. We engineering firms asked for it 10 years ago. In fact, I believe the idea was first mooted in the 1970s. So you could say that it was 30 years late.
"On the engineering side, I think we have moved on from there. We are more interested in procurement issues that centre on giving the client value for money rather than subcontract forms."
Klein argued that the impact of the Construction Act was more fundamentally important for the future of specialist contracting and subcontracting.
A code of practice for clients will advise on the best way of selecting specialist firms. It is the result of three years' work and has been drawn up under the aegis of the now defunct Construction Industry Board.
Publication of the code is set to coincide with the long-awaited appearance of the Joint Contract Tribunal's (JCT) first-ever domestic form of subcontract. The latter is expected to see the light of day towards the end of August as final details concerning attendances are settled.
Rudi Klein, chief executive of the Constructors Liaison Group (CLG), said the documents provided a contrasting approach to the procurement of specialists. He said the code of practice was felt to be more appropriate for the engineering contractors of the CLG.
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"The aim of the code is to provide advice and guidance to clients on how to select specialists to join the design team and assist it on such matters as value engineering, sustainability, and full-life costing," he said.
"The point is that, if we don't close the gap between design and construction, then we won't make any progress towards eliminating the 30% of costs wasted through the current lack of integration. The code aims to promote a seamless process."
Klein acknowledged that the new JCT form gave a major step forward for building specialists.
He added: "It is no bad thing that the JCT is at last issuing a subcontract form. We engineering firms asked for it 10 years ago. In fact, I believe the idea was first mooted in the 1970s. So you could say that it was 30 years late.
"On the engineering side, I think we have moved on from there. We are more interested in procurement issues that centre on giving the client value for money rather than subcontract forms."
Klein argued that the impact of the Construction Act was more fundamentally important for the future of specialist contracting and subcontracting.
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