Client  Accent Foundation Limited

Dates  March to October 2008

Period  7 Months

Value  £240,000

Contract  £240,000

Scope of works

Cyclical planned maintenance schemes covering Accents property listings. The properties are phased over a 5 year period with approximately 2,500 properties being covered each year. The works involve pre-paint repairs and painting to the externals of houses, flats and sheltered blocks. Communal internal areas are also decorated along with stairwells, especially sheltered housing schemes. We use the resin repair Woodcare system and carry out a range of minor joinery repairs with some replacement doors, soffits, windows and gates as agreed with the client. Several schemes include fencing repairs and painting in addition to standard works.

Key performance indicators

1. Client Satisfaction        Benchmark 9        Performance  10
2. Customer Satisfaction    Benchmark 9        Performance   9
3. Defects on completion    Benchmark 9        Performance  10
4. Latent Defects        Benchmark 9       Not yet available
5. Predictability of cost    Benchmark +/- 0%      Performance  0%
6. Predictability of time    Benchmark +/- 4%      Performance  0%
7. Health and Safety AIR    Benchmark 850           Performance  0
8. Environmental Impact    Benchmark 9        Performance  10
9. Payment by Client        Benchmark 9        Performance    9
 

Innovations

The Accent Cyclical Repair and Painting Contract has just completed a 5th year of programmed works and our contract has been renewed for a further 5 years. This is part of the Procurement For All framework. We have 8 clients in total for whom we carry out cyclical programmes across the North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands.

The contract was originally let on a schedule of rates basis with every item being measured before and after works to generate a budget cost and an outturn cost. We worked closely with the client in year one to demonstrate that working to lump sum costs was an effective means of saving both management time and therefore costs for both client and contractor. Samples of schemes are still checked on a measure basis to ensure that the rates given for lump sums are equal or less to those that would have resulted from the schedule of rates. In all cases to date the lump sum pricing method has proved more cost effective to the client. This efficient use of contractor expertise and the development of trust over time demonstrate some of the added value of working in partnership

We work annually in advance by providing prices for all schemes to help the client establish budget costs for the up and coming schedule of properties. This facilitates their planning process by providing a realistic budget check. We jointly programme the years work to take into account the clients needs and our own manpower requirements. This work smoothing allows for consistent teams of workers to deliver the works resulting in better quality standards and avoiding the difficult peaks and troughs in labour needs for this traditionally seasonal work. By supplementing the programme with internal communal area programmes we are now able to provide a 12 month work flow as opposed to the traditional April to October programme.

We have multi skilled painters to be able to undertake the majority of minor wood repairs, this provides a one visit service to the residents and reduces appointment times. We also have a roving team of joiners who undertake more major repairs in advance of the painting team’s schedule. We survey and plan repairs in advance to allow better planning and management of the programme.

We have worked closely with Youthbuild, an agency supported by the Accent Foundation, to provide training placements and apprenticeships for disaffected youths or difficult to reach groups. This has enabled us to train a wide range and good number of trainees over the years, the majority being female or from an ethnic minority, traditionally under represented groups in construction. Youthbuild has received several awards for its work and we are proud to have supported them over the years.

ICI is also a key partner within this framework. They provide specialist advice on specification to the client and contractor for each scheme. They also provide an additional inspection process which provides the client with assurance on the quality of our workmanship and correct use of product. On each scheme we undertake a benchmark property which all parties, including ICI, sign off for quality and specification. This ensures consistent quality.

These innovations with Accent have been passed on to all other clients across PFA over time. Each works slightly differently but overall the approach has been adopted to provide many additional benefits to the clients and residents. The paint cycle has been increased from 5 to 6 years in some areas which provides lone term savings for the client.