Scottish Water concentrates on quality for customers
Posted: Wednesday 28th February 2007
Leading engineering consultancy Grontmij will be helping Scottish Water rain improvements on its customers after being appointed as framework supplier on five new consultancy lots.
The framework arrangements, which extend Grontmij’s six-year relationship with Scottish Water, cover professional consultancy services for the utility’s Quality & Standards IIIa (Q&S IIIa) programme. They will run for two years with an option to extend for a further two.During the earlier Q&S2 programme, completed last year, Grontmij helped Scottish Water Solutions, a limited company set up by two joint ventures and the utility, deliver improvements worth over £1 billion to its customers.
Among the five Q&S3 lots awarded to Grontmij are programme delivery support services; catchment management planning; procurement and programme management; planning and environmental consultancy, and asset information gathering and analysis.
Under the new arrangements Grontmij will operate a joint venture with Mott MacDonald and Jacobs Babtie to fulfil the programme delivery support services, as it has done previously in Q&S2 in the role of national consultancy framework partner.
As the largest lot within the framework, this will enable the utility, subsidiary company Scottish Water Solutions, associated delivery partners and Scottish Water Contracting to use the joint venture’s resources as required. These include multi-disciplinary engineering design services, water supply provision and project management.
Grontmij will undertake framework services for the remaining lots on an exclusive basis.
Scott Aitken, deputy director of water at Grontmij, said: “We’re delighted to have secured this arrangement, enabling us to continue working with Scottish Water, its subsidiaries and partners. The utility is actively striving to improve its infrastructure and service to customers and as a key partner we’re looking forward to helping deliver this.
“By maintaining our strong working relationship with Scottish Water, we can cement our presence in the region and provide challenging opportunities for our staff.”
Over the next four years, Scottish Water will be investing more than £2.4 billion throughout Scotland to improve water supplies and environmental benefits for customers. Its Q&S3 programme is due for completion in 2010.
Grontmij, which acquired Carl Bro last year, has recently rebranded the business in the UK and Ireland. It is Europe’s fifth largest consultant engineering company and boasts four areas of expertise, including transportation, building and environment, water and systems.
It is currently in discussions with Scottish Water and Scottish Water Solutions regarding formal allocations of future work. The company is also providing programme management services across the utility’s DSEAR delivery programme, assisting with corporate governance and developing new working procedures for its capital investment and delivery teams.
