Opportunity to improve tender process for Urban Villages

22/07/2020

RSUA has written to the First and deputy First Minister in respect of the procurement process of a number of proposed Urban Villages capital projects. It is RSUA’s view that the current approach to this procurement is unlikely to maximise the benefit architects and other construction professionals could bring to communities which have a history of deprivation and community tension.

Specifically, the intention to award the framework is currently based on a price / quality assessment of 70% price / 30% quality with the pricing element assessed against the lowest price. Such an approach is likely to signal to potential bidders that price is the primary consideration and quality is of lesser importance; this risks neither securing design quality for the affected projects nor supporting the architectural and other construction professions in this period of recovery.

RSUA has expressed its concern that such an approach could set the tone for other public sector clients and requested that the Executive Office consider either placing quality at the core of the Urban Villages projects or alter the tender to make it clear that it is being awarded solely on price. RSUA awaits the response of FM/dFM.