Improving the performance of Welsh Public Sector Construction Frameworks is something all stakeholders in Welsh construction can benefit from – but do you agree with the findings of CEW’s recent report?

Construction frameworks, when well-managed, can provide the basis for the delivery of ‘best practice’ projects through collaborative working and integrated teams. However, often the opportunities offered by such framework agreements are not fully grasped and imperfect arrangements and practices hamper the project delivery process, leading to inferior outcomes.

CEW has conducted five reviews of construction frameworks over the past four years for a number of public sector clients. The reviews have been a key element in CEW’s support to clients in pursuing improved project delivery. The reports have enabled clients to make short, medium and long term improvements to their current delivery processes, both for the existing framework and any subsequent framework.

This report summarises the five reviews into what are very different framework arrangements in Wales. While there were examples of good practice across these frameworks, this report highlights some common themes which, judging by the five frameworks reviewed, are often lacking. These include: leadership, a particular problem for multi-client frameworks; coordinated management of the portfolio of projects; early integrated teams; framework KPIs to drive continuous improvement; communication and visibility of future work; and the perception of the contractors group as a partner in the delivery process.

Take a look and let us know if you agree with our comments and what else can be done to improve the performance of Welsh Public Sector Construction Frameworks.