fbpx

Process and Culture: How Integration Improves Efficiency and Value in Highways Projects

A fragmented approach to highways contracts cannot deliver the levels of efficiency, quality and safety a modern transport infrastructure needs. The integrator within a delivery framework plays a key role in making change happen. They connect various parts of the design and delivery process. More importantly, they help establish the collaborative, value-focused culture, without which not much changes.

There’s a consensus that early engagement of the delivery supply chain produces better project outcomes, with greater confidence over costs, timing and quality. A piecemeal contracting and delivery model offers no easy way to bring this expertise together – especially if delivery is commissioned after designs are completed.

With an effective integration role, there’s a mechanism to bring the right expertise together early on, to enhance the technical capabilities of the entire project team.

Two-way communication means the supply chain can contribute creative ideas to improve designs. This communication also avoids the need for delivery teams to interpret designs during execution. With a shared understanding of the success criteria, the focus shifts from price to efficiency and performance.

Stable Partnerships – The One Team Approach

A productive and efficient delivery framework is built around trust. And trust grows from having stable partnerships encompassing design and delivery. This is the route to the all-important cultural alignment necessary to drive long-term performance improvement.

Our supply partners are critical to our success and we work hard to develop long-term sustainable relations with our core suppliers. We have an inclusive supply chain strategy that aims to improve on the 71% of our current business that is already invested with SMEs.

The integrator roles that we have undertaken on both the Connect Plus (CP) M25 Framework and the CP5 Network Rail Multi-Functional Framework (NRMFF) have helped us develop our people and partnerships and refine our systems.

The results speak for themselves: a step change in safety performance, over £10m of efficiency savings and lasting legacies within the communities where we have worked. This is just the start. Our aim is to continue bringing together the expertise needed to realise the highest standards of safety and delivery performance. We want to create a sustainable legacy for our customers and those who use the road network.

Find out more about our Highways projects here.

X