Severn Trent takes new approach to 2010 asset management programme
Posted: Tuesday 28th October 2008
Severn Trent Water has awarded a number of contracts to new framework consultants who will play an integral role in helping shape the company’s asset management programme that’s due to start in 2010.
The programme (AMP5, as it’s commonly referred to) runs for a five-year period and will see the company putting huge investment into infrastructure across the region.
Four framework consultants – Atkins, Hyder/Faber/Maunsel; JV, Mouchel and MWH – have been appointed in this first stage of what Paul Goddard, Severn Trent’s Commercial Manager, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, says is a new approach for the company.
“Instead of following the accepted traditional ‘construct only’ mode; we are now employing a different way of selecting the consultants with whom we want to work,” he explained. “For AMP5, our selected consultants will be helping us in our role of ‘expert client’, working predominantly on options and feasibility studies, with the design and build work to then be carried out by contractors.
“We’re currently in the process of selecting these and by January next year, with the help of our framework consultants, the successful contractors will be able to hit the ground running and start work on the design stages.”
Added Paul: “This is at least a year ahead of the schedules we’ve used in previous AMPs, and means that when the new investment period starts in spring 2010, construction can begin immediately – avoiding the notorious roller-coaster effect which is so wasteful of time and resources. British Waterways, for example, estimate this costs them as much as 2.8% of their total project costs.”
As you would expect, the company is seeking to improve design efficiency, reduce construction costs, improve the links across the supply chain, eliminate waste and drive innovation.
“We’re looking forward to working with our four selected consultants and to building long-standing partnerships with them.”
