Construction frameworks in the public sector: Do they deliver what they promise? A research project funded by Property Research Trust (formerly RICS Research Trust)

The research in this report demonstrates that the use of Performance Frameworks for the procurement of construction projects by public sector organizations in the UK (specifically, in England) leads to significantly improved outcomes in terms of time, cost, quality, sustainability and closer relationships, than the traditional ‘open tender’ approach of procuring discrete projects, individually.

Our research identifies the factors that lead to such improvements. We label these: supplier’s task performance factors (project staff, execution approach, competence of firm and structure of firm); supplier’s contextual performance factors (trust and collaboration, culture and conscious behaviour); and client’s organisational factors (incentives, performance monitoring, procurement approach and communication).

We offer a performance improvement model that will help project managers to select the most appropriate suppliers at the
procurement phase, to achieve successful project outcomes.

Our model can also be used to drive project performance further, by adopting client’s organisational factors during the procurement and construction phases.

By applying our research conclusions, suppliers will be able to focus on communicating their strengths in the relevant aspects of task and contextual performance for technical tender proposals, and so increase the value of their services and the probabilities of winning work.

And our analysis can also be used by policy makers to help in drafting regulations and legislation on formal frameworks, in ways that will improve the delivery of policy objectives