Product category:
Window Systems
News Release from: KEB Fabrications | Subject: Best Value
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 15 April 2005
Lifelong best value
Lawrence Breakspear, Managing Director at KEB Fabrications , looks at defining Best Value from the supplier's perspective in Social Housing Refurbishment
Lawrence Breakspear, Managing Director at KEB Fabrications , looks at defining Best Value from the supplier's perspective in Social Housing Refurbishment Its now nearly 7 years since the Government announced its intention to replace CCT with a duty of ensuring Best Value for the taxpayer during the procurement and ongoing delivery of services and products
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 15 Apr 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
KEB Fabrications high profile contract
Social housing fenestration specialists, KEB Fabrications Limited is celebrating the award of another high profile contract.
When quality is not enough
Lawrence Breakspear, Managing Director of KEB Fabrications, examines the role of the supplier in social housing refurbishment and offers a valuable insight into Partnering and Decent Homes.
Introduced as part of the Local Government Act in 1999, it was part of the overall agenda to modernise local government and improve services to people within local communities.
All Local Authorities are legally required to comply to Best Value and for Registered Social Landlords although it is not a statutory requirement they are strongly encouraged to adopt the same principles.
Best Value is based upon the client, contractor and supply chain partners having a full understanding of the cost versus price rationale.
Further reading
KEB announces Gateshead Partnering Agreement
KEB Fabrications Limited has been awarded another major social housing refurbishment project, valued at GBP 1 million a year for The Gateshead Housing Company.
High security as standard
In addition to a comprehensive list of British Standard accreditations, KEB Fabrications has now added a Secured by Design licence to its professional credentials.
Meeting the partnership challenge in Liverpool
The first phase of the contract for Lovell Partnership/Cobalt Housing Association, required 6,000 windows to be installed in just six months.
The introduction of Partnering was in part to assist those in the supply chain to achieve Best Value.
The construction partners work with the client and users to develop the specification, project design and required budget.
Under-budget performance is incentivised to encourage further savings.
The key objective is for all parties to deliver reductions in capital cost by reducing waste and duplication.
The savings can, in turn, be reinvested to take better account of measures relating to sustainability, improved design and reduced lifetime revenue costs by utilising longer life, low maintenance materials and energy efficient products.
There are five key areas to the principles of Best Value for the provision of goods and services; these can be described in basic terms as; Continuous improvement Performance measures Added value Tenant involvement The wider picture When clients specify products and select supply products they need to see how a supplier or contractor measure up to the Best Value criteria.
To meet the principles suppliers should be continually committed to improving products and services, for maximum quality, choice and affordable prices, while demonstrating clear measures of performance through independent quality accreditation.
Suppliers should also be offering added value through customer services and project management, as well liaising with tenants and showing sensitivity towards the local community and environment.
The Gateshead Housing Company is representative of today's Public Sector Client.
It is an Arms Length Management Organisation, wholly owned by Gateshead Council but acting as an independent Registered Social Landlord.
The GHC ALMO is responsible for the management and maintenance of more than 23,000 properties throughout Gateshead.
In common with best practice, the GHC requires a number of elements to be satisfied when choosing supply partners.
Selection is on the basis of quality, price and value, requiring initial prequalification and short listing, followed by detailed submissions, interviews and site visits before final evaluation and selection.
Potential partners are required to have a symbiotic management culture, with a commitment to Partnering philosophy, a track record of achievement and the potential to achieve the desired objectives whilst delivering Best Value.
Social housing fenestration specialist KEB Fabrications is a Midlands-based window and door manufacturer who was recently awarded a major social housing refurbishment project for The Gateshead Housing Company.
KEB has become a signatory to a five-year partnering agreement, valued at GBP 1 million a year, along with main contractor, Frank Haslam Milan and Company Limited to supply and fit replacement windows.
The highly specified windows, manufactured from the Profile 22 Bubblex system and fitted with hardware from Yale and Securistyle, will be used in the refurbishment of more than 9,000 dwellings as part of Gateshead Council's commitment to provide Decent Homes by 2010.
Managing Director, Lawrence Breakspear explains the Best Value nature of KEB's products, "As a Glassex Award winner, our windows are high-quality and carry an extensive list of accreditation and certification".
"They also possess demonstrable Best Value characteristics".
"For example, they are subject to continual product improvement, offer enhanced energy efficiency, excellent security and are low maintenance".
"These are all major considerations when considering whole lifetime costs".
As part of the GHC.s commitment to making effective use of all investment resources to ensure an improved quality of life for Gateshead tenants, in 2002, the organisation had undertaken a Best Value Review of Services to Tenants.
Such reports are crucially important to delivering Best Value, for in addition to meeting the normal Egan criteria, clients are required to look at the bigger picture, at areas such as the reinvigoration of local industry, training and the reduction of unemployment.
One of the ways in which KEB Fabrications is helping the GHC to deliver these regional goals is in the recruitment of local labour.
Lawrence Breakspear describes how this practice works, "Our commitment to Best Value means we have a company policy of community recruiting wherever possible".
"In the case of Gateshead, by training and employing local labour we are putting both value and project capital back into the community".
"This is a Win-Win policy that delivers value to the project partners too." Local knowledge of the community means installation teams are able to liaise more closely to meet the needs of householders and knowledge of the local area delivers significant efficiencies in deployment.
Householder satisfaction surveys play an important part in the performance review of Partnering agreements so it is essential that refurbishment is carried out efficiently and with minimum disruption.
The huge current investment in social housing will deliver weatherproofed, thermally efficient and secure Decent Homes for all by 2010.
It could be said therefore, that ultimately, it is the householders who are the beneficiaries of Best Value but in reality, everyone is a winner, including the taxpayer.
• KEB Fabrications: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Buildingtalk email newsletter
• Buildingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
