Parliamentary Construction Partnership Framework

The Palace of Westminster (PoW) is an internationally important heritage asset as acknowledged by its Grade I listing designation, and inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Parliamentary Estate has a unique built asset portfolio and has a total gross internal floor areas exceeding 250,000m2. Approximately 70% of the buildings on the Parliamentary Estate are 'Listed' under Heritage status, with two buildings, Norman Shaw North and the Palace of Westminster, of exceptional interest, and which are Grade 1 'Listed'. Parliament is exercising its duty of care to prevent future deterioration of the mechanical, electrical, public health, fire and life safety systems, building fabric, roofing, stonework, and other associated works and projects, as custodians of this Grade I Listed asset and to maintain a safe and secure environment in and around the Palace of Westminster., and the wider Parliamentary Estate. The Framework will predominantly facilitate the procurement and works requirements of the Corporate Officers' project delivery team (the Strategic Estates team). The Strategic Estates team is bicameral, serving both Houses, and is responsible for the infrastructure comprising the Parliamentary Estate. Their work encompasses a broad set of responsibilities, including the delivery of construction projects, construction safety, the provision of specialist planning and design support, and the care and development of our internationally significant heritage collections, among others. The purpose of this Prior Information Notice is to provide information for the procurement and implementation of a Parliamentary Construction Partnership (CPF) Framework, that shall serve as an enhancement of, and successor to the existing MEPFS (Mechanical, Electrical, Public health, and Fabric Safety) Framework, which expires at its earliest date of 15th March-2025. The procurement of contractors to undertake construction works is a key enabler to the successful delivery of the Medium-Term Investment Plan (MTIP) by Strategic Estates. As the requirement for these services and works continues to increase across the Parliamentary Estate, the procurement of this new Framework, and its services and works, is required to maintain the capability and capacity to construct and deliver projects that are part of the portfolio of capital investment and capital maintenance projects that constitute the MTIP, into the early 2030s. This Framework builds upon the original content of the MEPFS Framework and incorporates lessons learnt through its use over the last few years, and the feedback and thoughts from internal and external stakeholders to ensure this Framework is fit for purpose going forward. This new Framework seeks to ensure that the Corporate Officers have access to a proportionate and resilient number of capable Contractors, across a number of Lots, with different specialisms and disciplines, who can undertake the wide range of construction works and services required to meet the needs of the MTIP and Estate Masterplan.. Strategic Estates & Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority It is important to distinguish from the above the co-ordinated but separate project delivery of the Restoration & Renewal programme. A separate entity (the Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority Limited) has been established to deliver the works required across the Parliamentary Estate to ensure the safety of those who work and visit here, and to support the continued business of Parliament. This includes planning for the large and complex restoration of the Palace of Westminster to preserve it for future generations. Furthermore, in the future, it may become necessary for call-off contracts to be novated to the Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority Ltd. On background: Further information about the role of the R&R Client Board, and R&R Programme Board, is available on the parliamentary website Tens of thousands of hours of Palace building investigations are being carried out by the Delivery Authority to build on existing records and better understand the Palace's condition. Over the summer and early autumn, specialists spent 4850 hours examining 160 rooms and drilling boreholes up to 70 metres deep to assess ground conditions around the Palace of Westminster. In the meantime, there are dozens of major projects underway now to repair and restore key buildings by in-house teams including Strategic Estates, Digital, and Maintenance. Projects include Victoria Tower and Norman Shaw North. At any one time there are dozens more projects underway to improve and repair key services and keep the estate running for the 3000+ people on site each day. Additional information: The authority is looking to engage contractors with the capability and capacity to lead, co-ordinate and manage the delivery of works projects. Core works will ideally be delivered by Contractors' in-house capability, with specialist works delivered in conjunction with the contractors' established supply chains • Lot 1 - High Value Construction Works of Mixed Discipline, circa £30m, and over. • Lot 2 - Medium Value Construction Works, consisting predominantly of Mechanical & Electrical (Public Health, and Fire) Discipline, over circa £2.5m, but under circa £30m • Lot 3 - Medium Value Construction Works, consisting predominantly of Architectural, Heritage, Roofing, and Conservational Discipline, up to circa £30m • Lot 4 - Low / Minor Value Construction Works of Mixed Discipline (Building Works, M&E, and Fit-Out works), up to circa £2.5m The threshold and values above are not fixed at this stage, and may be adjusted following receipt of responses to this PIN, and prior to the release of the Contract Notice, Selection Questionnaire (SQ), and Invitation to Tender (ITT). An invitation to tender (ITT) will be issued providing full details of the framework. Once appointed onto the framework lot, call-off contracts will be awarded on the basis of mini-competition or direct award procedures. Call-off contracts will be based on the NEC4 suite of contracts, and utilise a variety of contracting strategies that consider design responsibility, early contractor involvement and one/two stage tendering, and more strategic partnership strategies such as management contracting, and construction management. The allocation of the work via the direct award procedure, and to maintain a position on the framework, shall be subject to a performance management regime using Key Performance Indicators, and a 'Cab Rank' (a revolving method of fairly allocating works)