The Construction Playbook is focused on getting projects and programmes right from the start. Whether the delivery of a school, hospital or major infrastructure project, the principles and policies in this Playbook will transform how we assess, procure and manage public works projects and programmes.

We need to think about projects and programmes in new ways. Transformational change will only be achieved by systematically approaching risk, sustainability and innovation across portfolios of projects and programmes. We need to harness the excellence which already exists and learn from this to drive progress and strengthen the health of the sector, including by addressing low levels of productivity and future skills shortages. It is in all of our interests to create a profitable, sustainable and resilient industry with a well-trained workforce for the future.

Successful project initiation can take more time at the start but this will be repaid many times over in delivery. To enable this, we need to bring together people from across different functions to create teams with the right expertise. This approach to 'front end loading' will improve the potential for successful outcomes - 'to fail to plan is to plan to fail'.

By adopting the policies in this Playbook, we will:

• Set clear and appropriate outcome- based specifications that are designed with the input of industry to ensure we drive continuous improvement and innovation.

• Favour longer term contracting across portfolios, where it is appropriate. We will develop long-term plans for key asset types and programmes to drive greater value through public spending.

• Standardise designs, components and interfaces as much as is possible.

• Drive innovation and Modern Methods of Construction, through standardisation and aggregation of demand, increased client capability and setting clear requirements of suppliers.

• Create sustainable, win-win contracting arrangements that incentivise better outcomes, improve risk management and promote the general financial health of the sector.

• Strengthen financial assessment of suppliers and prepare for the rare occasions when things go wrong, with the introduction of resolution planning information requirements into critical contracts.

• Increase the speed of end-to-end project and programme delivery by investing up front with time and resources to set projects up for success.

The Playbook will, by creating the right environment, enable us to:

• Improve building and workplace safety to ensure that we are creating safe facilities and protecting our workforces.

• Take strides towards our 2050 net zero commitment and focus on a whole life carbon approach to fight climate change and deliver greener facilities designed for the future.

• Promote social value which will help local communities recover from COVID-19, tackle economic inequality, promote equal opportunities and improve wellbeing.

Embedding the Construction Playbook into our ways of working has already begun, but this is a journey the whole of government will walk together to improve the way we deliver projects and programmes. The government has committed to a multi-year implementation programme to drive improvement on a 'comply or explain' basis recognising that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. This Playbook continues to build on our ambitions set out in Construction 2025, the National Infrastructure Strategy 2020 and brings together best practice from across the public sector. It is one of the government's key pillars in improving delivery alongside improving SRO capability, planning reform and taking action to address potential skills shortages and train the future workforce.

We need to drive industry reform through our buying actions, and this Playbook sets out what we will expect (and will contract for) from industry, including continuous improvement in building and workplace safety, cost, speed and quality of delivery, greater sharing of better data, investment in training the future workforce through upskilling and apprenticeships, and adoption of the UK BIM Framework. To support this, suppliers should pass the principles and policies set out in this Playbook down through the supply chain.

This Playbook is a 'compact' between government and industry to set out how we will work together in future. Only by acting together and aligning our efforts can we achieve enduring reform - improving the public works we deliver, meeting the everyday needs of the people that use them and providing value for money for the taxpayer.

Gareth Rhys Williams - Government Chief Commercial Officer

Nick Smallwood - Chief Executive, Infrastructure and Projects Authority