Winner Gold Award: Sue McElroy, Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) wants to be an exemplary construction client as it delivers £3.8bn of capital works aimed at creating 20,000 more prison places. Following the rules of the Construction Playbook, it is working to deliver value for money through deploying modern methods of construction, net-zero carbon solutions and long-term contracting relationships.
MoJ procures projects above £30m via Crown Commercial Services using the FAC-1 Alliance and NEC4 contracts. For projects under £30m, it used the five-year Constructor Services Framework (CSF) and PPC2000 contracts.
In March 2023 it launched the four-year CSF Framework A for projects up to £5m, which uses single source tendering with a preferred contractor, named professional services providers and MoJ representatives in each of the four MoJ regions.
Other finalists
Terence Magennis Hammerson
Ceri Jardine Coleg Y Cymoedd in collaboration with Kier
Richard Powell Prime
Sarah McLeod Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust
On the Alliance 4 New Prisons (A4NP) programme, which will deliver four new adult male prisons, MoJ worked in preconstruction with Alliance members Mace, ISG, Wates, Kier and Laing O’Rourke to challenge the existing design. The Alliance identified 126 improvements to the typical houseblock design.
MoJ is working to improve efficiency through standardisation and modern methods of construction (MMC). On A4NP, standardising components is driving economies of scale with targeted savings of 7%. A standardised design is also being developed for the Small Secure Houseblocks programme, using lessons learned.
MMC has been used across three programmes worth over £400m. These included prefabricated modular houseblocks and light gauge steel frame panellised houseblocks. Where buildings are being added to existing sites, moving works offsite reduces disruption to the live prisons.
By doing things differently, with collaborative forms of contract and frameworks, MoJ is driving wider changes in attitudes. Lessons learned on one programme are analysed for continuous improvement.
The category was sponsored by Bluebeam
