Olympic bidding blueprint issued for London 2012

The Olympic task force of the Strategic Forum has launched its 2012 Construction Commitments document for those looking to bid for future work from the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).

Many believe the document, drawn up in consultation with the industry and government departments and launched yesterday, is in fact the ODA prequalification document.

Companies will be expected to register their allegiance to the commitments on the ODA’s website.

The register will be held by the ODA. Working groups will also be set up to develop targets aligned to the commitments.

The commitments are split into six key areas: client leadership; procurement and integration; design quality; sustainability; commitment to people; and health and safety.

These are broken down further and include:

• The client will work within the project team from the outset of the project to identify and manage project risk.
• All contracts will have an informal and non-confrontational mechanism to manage out
  disputes.
• Contracts will incorporate fair payment practices, such as payment periods of 30 days.
•  Employment status of all organisations, including subcontractors and self-employed will be checked by the client.
• Designs, which must be functional and take into account safety, will be tested using third party design reviews.
• The client will produce a clear brief before design commences.
• Sites to be clean and run considerately.
• Local employment projects should be utilised and equal opportunities embraced.
• Project specific agreements will be established between unions and employers.
• All professional and site staff must hold a CSCS card or equivalent.
• All 2012 projects will aspire to be injury and incident-free.

Construction Industry Council chief executive Graham Watts told Contract Journal the commitments are not a prequal document, due to EU procurement rules, but added: "There is no doubt firms signing up to this will be past first base if they want to work on the Olympics."

He added that organisations that have already signed up to initiatives such as the Considerate Constructors Scheme should have "no problems" in signing up to the commitments.