New Public Sector Construction Clients Forum

The new Public Sector Construction Clients Forum is focusing on the drive for further improvements in whole-life value for money in built environment procurement for the public sector.

The new Public Sector Construction Clients Forum set up by the Office of Government Commerce in London is focusing on the drive for further improvements in whole-life value for money in built environment procurement for the public sector.

The forum is giving particular attention to the construction industry's capacity to deliver national capital construction programmes, including provision of the Olympics infrastructure.

The chairman, Sir Christopher Kelly, a former permanent secretary at the Department of Health, says that the new forum will provide the opportunity to address strategic construction procurement issues affecting the whole of the public sector from a client perspective.

He is looking forward to seeing the recommendations from his earlier collaboration with OGC coming to fruition in the construction sector.

John Oughton, the OGC chief executive, added that the public sector client forum would build on Sir Christopher's 2003 report 'Increasing Competition and Long Term Capacity Planning', and the March 2005 report from the National Audit Office, 'Improving public services through better construction.' "The NAO", he said, "identified £2.6 billion value for money gains which could be achieved through better construction".

"By championing the OGC's Achieving Excellence in Construction best practice principles, the forum will encourage the public sector to increase the £800 million gains already achieved." The forum's terms of reference encompass such issues as:.

* Championing and leading change in construction in the public sector.

* Assessing public sector construction procurement demand, capacity, supply and performance.

This will include a project to examine the construction industry's capacity to deliver planned national capital construction programmes, including the provision of Olympics infrastructure in the period 2005-2015.

* Driving more comprehensive adoption of the best practice principles of the Achieving Excellence in Construction initiative by the public sector.

* Encouraging innovation to improve construction procurement.

Membership of clients forum.

Members of the new forum are: Peter Coates, deputy director of finance-investment, Department of Health; Archie Robertson, chief executive, Highways Agency; Jim Price, head of professional services, South West Regional Development Agency; Sally Brooks, head of schools capital and buildings, Department for Education and Skills; Roger Latham, chief executive, Notts County Council and East Midlands Local Government Task Force regional champion; Steven Douglas, deputy chief executive, Housing Corporation; Richard Simmons, chief executive, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment; Vice-Admiral Peter Dunt, chief executive, MoD Defence Estates; Elizabeth Whatmore, head of construction sector unit, Department of Trade and Industry.

Members from the Office of Government Commerce are: Martin Sykes, executive director, Smarter Procurement; David Adamson, director, Smarter Procurement; David McMeehan, director of construction and FM efficiency; Bruce Hartley, head of strategic supplier management.

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