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HA and councils link for giant roads deal
10:22 31 Mar 2005
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Roads contractors could soon be able to bid for the first ever combined Highways Agency (HA) and local authority highways maintenance contract. It will cover HA Area 1 (Devon and Cornwall).
CJ has learnt that the HA is in talks with Devon County Council and Cornwall County Council about rolling out the bumper multi-million pound contract, which will cover maintenance work for both the strategic network and local authority roads.
The move is part of the HA’s role in working with councils in a bid to push through efficiency savings following last year’s Gershon review (CJ 18 August 2004).
“Talks are still in their early stages, but we hope to have a clearer idea of what we will do around mid-April,” said HA procurement director Steve Rowsell. “If the contract is approved by the local authorities it will be the first of its kind, which will see collaborative working between the two parties.
“This will help in providing standardisation and improve efficiencies on how contracts are won and procured. Although it is too early to determine the contract’s value, it is likely to be very considerable as it will mean suppliers will be responsible for work for both the agency and the councils.
“We are now looking to sit down with groups such as the Civil Engineering Contractors Assoc-iation and the Association for Con-sultancy and Engineering to see how the contract can be rolled out.”
Rowsell added: “If the proposals are not accepted, then we still have time to give a short time extension to the current Area 1 contract so that it can be renewed next year.”
He strongly denied that the move was a form of detrunking and added that both councils would retain their current roles and responsibilities, with the HA taking the lead in the procurement of the contract, which could start as soon as this summer.
Area 1, which is currently a Managing Agent Term Maintenance Contractor deal run by Parsons Brinckerhoff and Amey Mouchel, was one of two maintenance contracts that the HA was looking to retender this year after extending all other maintenance contracts for another year.
The other area up for renewal was Area 10, although the HA has now decided to renew this agreement until 2006 and has written to suppliers notifying them of the change.
CJ has learnt that the HA is in talks with Devon County Council and Cornwall County Council about rolling out the bumper multi-million pound contract, which will cover maintenance work for both the strategic network and local authority roads.
The move is part of the HA’s role in working with councils in a bid to push through efficiency savings following last year’s Gershon review (CJ 18 August 2004).
“Talks are still in their early stages, but we hope to have a clearer idea of what we will do around mid-April,” said HA procurement director Steve Rowsell. “If the contract is approved by the local authorities it will be the first of its kind, which will see collaborative working between the two parties.
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“This will help in providing standardisation and improve efficiencies on how contracts are won and procured. Although it is too early to determine the contract’s value, it is likely to be very considerable as it will mean suppliers will be responsible for work for both the agency and the councils.
“We are now looking to sit down with groups such as the Civil Engineering Contractors Assoc-iation and the Association for Con-sultancy and Engineering to see how the contract can be rolled out.”
Rowsell added: “If the proposals are not accepted, then we still have time to give a short time extension to the current Area 1 contract so that it can be renewed next year.”
He strongly denied that the move was a form of detrunking and added that both councils would retain their current roles and responsibilities, with the HA taking the lead in the procurement of the contract, which could start as soon as this summer.
Area 1, which is currently a Managing Agent Term Maintenance Contractor deal run by Parsons Brinckerhoff and Amey Mouchel, was one of two maintenance contracts that the HA was looking to retender this year after extending all other maintenance contracts for another year.
The other area up for renewal was Area 10, although the HA has now decided to renew this agreement until 2006 and has written to suppliers notifying them of the change.
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