Housing Forum Partnering Toolkit Working as a Successful Partnering Team
Fully Integrating the Supply Chain
Key suppliers, consultants, contractors and key sub-contractors or specialists should be appointed as early as possible to give clients access to key skills and 'know how' during conception and design of the project/ works. Only in this way can clients ensure that all the project costs and risks are identified early and that the whole team can be integrated to ensure successful delivery.
Key suppliers or specialists will include some or all of the following:
- Electrical contractors
- Heating Engineers
- Boiler Suppliers
- Kitchen Installers and Suppliers
- Roofing Contractors
- Suppliers of Doors and Windows
Successful clients focus on:
- Developing an integrated site team as early as possible
- Managing the integration of the design and construction processes
- Value for Money rather than lowest price or first cost.
- Ensuring that the integrated team identifies and allocates risk appropriately
- Involving customers in the selection process
- Encouraging a team approach to the management of costs, time and quality.
Most of the work done in and around customers' homes will be done by sub-contractors working to a main contractor. The way in which many of them carry out their work will directly affect people's lives and the way they can use their own homes during the works. Therefore some key suppliers will manage serious project risks passed through the main contractor. Most of the Housing Forum demonstration projects report that the early involvement of contractors and key suppliers tends to lead to higher levels of customer involvement and satisfaction. This is because residents can engage with contractors on the practical issues of access arrangements earlier than usual under traditional contracts. Residents can have a practical influence on how certain things can be done and how they will be done within or around their home. Direct and competent communications between residents groups and those doing the job have proved absolutely essential to achieving dramatic improvements in customer satisfaction. These are sound reasons for involving them early as parties to the partnering arrangements.
Clients have the power to drive the Rethinking Construction agenda down the supply chain and they must encourage and facilitate Contractors in bringing key sub-contractors on board earlier. The vast majority of housing partnering contractors involved in Housing Forum demonstrations are very willing to partner in this way.
As major sub-contractors come on board they should become part of the partnering arrangements and sign up to the project objectives. The involvement of these firms from an early stage could also help housing clients to serve long term community interests such as local employment, training and development. Many of the firms involved at this level play a huge part in local economies.
Barriers to Change can be overcome by:
- Setting out how early involvement of the supply chain will address issues of buildability and access which will result in higher quality outcomes for tenants and residents.
Examples:
Benwell
The Refurbishment Project at Benwell developed a strategy to fully integrate the supply chain.
St Quntin Park Estate
A core group of all the stakeholders in the St Quntin Park Estate project met quarterly to discuss and review progress/ problems and future planning.
United House Ltd and Portsmouth City Council
United House Ltd and Portsmouth City Council demonstrated very good Key Performance Indicator scores due to the collaborative working relationship with their supply chain.
Whitefriars Services Ltd
Whitefriars Services Ltd addressed the drivers for integrating the supply chain through a five year strategic partnering relationship.
Users can access further help using this link to a list of additional websites, literature and toolkits. This list is also available as you use the toolkit from each of the main section pages.
