EMAC deals only for CAT-registered firms

The Highways Agency (HA) has moved quickly to settle contractor fears after rumours that it was considering allowing contractors to bid for maintenance work without a Capability Assessment Toolkit (CAT) score.

Contractors were fuming after discovering that up until last week the HA was seriously considering allowing firms like Jarvis/Accord, which have not gone through the CAT process, to bid for the Area 2 (Somerset & Dorset) Enhanced Managing Agent Contractor (EMAC) through a new prequal system.

"Such a move would have been a slap in the face to [CAT-registered] contractors and would have undermined the whole process," said one contractor. "Many companies have already invested around £200,000 on staff and resources to achieve high CAT marks to give themselves first rights to future work. We don't see why companies that have decided not to go through the CAT process should be allowed to bid for work now."

The HA told CJ that after some consideration it has decided that the EMAC contract will only invite CAT-registered contractors and others will not be allowed to enter the bidding. The EMAC prequal documents will be released in the next few weeks.

CAT's scoring system, based on company performance, was introduced last year as the only means of prequalifying for major projects. This has now been introduced into all future maintenance contracts.
But despite the agency's decision on the EMAC, some contractors are still nervous.

"It is worrying that the agency even considered letting Jarvis/Accord into the running, given the hoops it has made contractors jump through to sign up to CAT," said another contractor. "We will be watching developments very closely."

Although it will be another two weeks before the HA will start to formulate its contractor lists, based on CAT scores, another insider told CJ that companies are calling each other to find out their CAT scores and forge new relations with the top performers.

CJ understands some of the top-ranking companies, scoring between 55 and 60 (out of the maximum total of 70), are Balfour Beatty, Edmund Nuttall, Skanska, Atkins, Mouchel/Parkman, and Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Despite notching up three Early Contractor Involvement scheme wins, Interserve scored only 49, CJ was told by a source. The contractor refused to comment.

HA procurement director Steve Rowsell told CJ that he could not comment on any specific scores.