The Construction Playbook states that ESI should 'help highlight the interdependencies of specialist supply chain members and allow them to be part of developing the solution to the right quality levels and increase safety collaboratively'.
Dame Judith Hackitt's Independent Review states that a client and its team should 'establish procurement processes that allow sufficient time, resources and prioritisation to deliver the core objectives') and to 'Identify how core building safety requirements will be met in the pre-construction phase.' (Table 2, page 34) |
ESI can assist in mitigating the fragmentation, defensiveness and failures to share important information that are typical of many traditional procurement models. It promotes a more integrated and holistic approach to project initiation, development and implementation and it actively encourages the open and transparent sharing of key project information amongst all team members, including in relation to safety.
Collaborative procurement using ESI maximises the benefits of early, value-based team selection processes by creating conditional contracts that can prioritise safety and take into account the interests of residents. ESI procurement processes and contracts can make clear:
■ How and when team members will establish, check, integrate and agree the safety and quality compliance of their designs and specifications with all related cost, time, supply, construction, maintenance and risk management information and activities
■ How and when team members will establish, check, integrate and agree the safety and quality compliance of all proposed subcontractors, suppliers and manufacturers
■ How and when team members will establish, check, integrate and agree the safety and quality compliance of all working practices on and off site
■ How to use direct lines of communication between the client, design consultants, contractors and key subcontractors and suppliers.
ESI provides an opportunity for the team to assess and plan to mitigate health and safety, operational, commercial and other related risks. ESI also improves opportunities for contractors, sub-contractors and specialists to provide input to design and specification development, enhancing agreed outputs and identifying better value solutions, including those relating to off-site fabrication and other 'modern methods of construction'.
Collaborative procurement using ESI provides the means to improve safety and quality by establishing and maintaining mutually agreed safety and quality standards, joint safety reviews and integrated systems of quality control that are supported by:
■ Contractors, subcontractors and suppliers working alongside the Client and its consultants at a time when their contributions can help to improve value and reduce risks, whether on a single project or under a framework alliance or term alliance connecting multiple projects and tasks (see also Section 10)
■ Joint costing processes and cost reviews to ensure that the budgeting, build-up and finalization of costs do not compromise agreed safety and quality standards (see also Section 6.4)
■ A shared timetable to ensure that all dutyholders and other team members undertake their responsibilities in respect of safety and quality within agreed timescales, do not miss deadlines and do not delay each other (see also Section 6.5)
■ Joint risk management in respect of safety and quality issues arising before and after commitment to proceed with construction, as set out and updated in a shared risk register (see also Section 7.3)
■ An agreed decision-making process for agreeing improvements and resolving problems (see also Section 7.2)
■ Effective teamwork in approaching all safety and quality matters throughout the design, construction and operation of the project (see also Section 7).