£750m Agreement for Northern Universities
(Press release The North Eastern Universities Purchasing Consortium:) 1 August 2017 - The North Eastern Universities Purchasing Consortium (NEUPC) is pleased to announce the launch of a £750 million Major (Construction) Works Framework agreement, serving its northern members - Newcastle University, Durham University, Northumbria University, the University of Sunderland and Teesside University.
The framework is expected to deliver around £750 million worth of Higher Education construction projects over the next six years. The agreement is aimed at Works contracts above the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) threshold (£4.1 million net construction cost), and is designed to meet member universities capital projects over the next six years, several of which exceed £20 million. One of the first projects to use the framework will be the new £17 million sports centre extension at Newcastle University.
Following a comprehensive tender process and evaluation, the following suppliers have been appointed to the framework.
- Clugston
- Sir Robert McAlpine
- BAM Construction
- Bowmer and Kirkland
- Galliford Try
- Robertson
Members will see significant savings against the market, driven through competition between the framework contractors. Other benefits include improved communication between universities and suppliers, through expedited procurement to a regular group of contractors. Social value will be added through working with the suppliers, who all have strong SME supply chains. In addition, NEUPC will be developing links between the framework management group and the academic departments of the universities, to further teaching and research agendas.
Frank Rowell, Head of Consortium, NEUPC commented: ‘Through collaboration with our members in the North East, we are excited to announce the launch of a ground breaking Major Construction collaborative Framework. This is the first time a HE purchasing consortium has tendered a framework of this scale and complexity and demonstrates our ability to provide relevant and high-quality procurement resources to university estates departments. Our members are now able to access purchasing agreements that cover the majority of estates activity.’
Iain Garfield, Head of Estate Planning & Development at Newcastle University, said: ‘Following the assessment of some excellent tender submissions we are delighted to announce the establishment of the NE Universities Major Capital Framework. This framework will not only provide our universities with a framework of high quality contractors for all construction projects over £4 million but will also be the platform for extensive collaboration and relationship development between universities and contractors. This will add value over and above the tendering of construction projects, including the development of standard processes and providing partner organisations with excellent opportunities to add significant value to the local community and local economy. The first project to be tendered will be Newcastle University’s £50 million National Innovation Centre on Science Central which is due to commence construction in December this year.’
The North-Eastern Universities Purchasing Consortium is one of six UK Higher Education purchasing consortia established to deliver and manage a wide range of collaborative framework agreements designed to maximise third party expenditure within the higher education sector.
For more information visit www.neupc.ac.uk