Two public clients to launch consultancy frameworks

Two major public clients – the Education Funding Agency and HM Revenue & Customs – are considering launching their own consultancy frameworks, in a further blow to the government’s long-delayed flagship £2.9bn consultancy framework.

News of the two potential new frameworks came as the tender for the Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) troubled £2.9bn Project Management and Full Design Team Services deal slipped back again to next month, putting it a total of over three years late.

The CCS’ official framework has been hemorrhaging support from public sector clients, who in its absence have been seeking alternative routes to procure work. In July it emerged the framework’s international lots had been axed, with all overseas work instead to be delivered via Ministry of Defence frameworks.

Market sources told Building the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) were the latest public clients to consider launching their own frameworks.

Sources close to the EFA said the schools delivery body had sounded out consultants on launching a framework next year as a result of delays to the CCS’ tender.

Mike Green, director of capital at the EFA, told Building launching its own framework was just one option being looked at, and it could instead use the Ministry of Justice’s consultancy framework.

He said: “We think the CCS are going to operate a framework, as well as the Ministry of Justice. We are thinking about [our own framework], but … no decision has been made.”

Meanwhile, the HMRC is understood to be considering launching its own framework to procure services for a network of 13 new regional offices designed to consolidate its estate and save taxpayers £100m over the next decade.

The new tax offices will be located across the UK from Belfast to Croydon, where HMRC has taken a lease on a scheme in Ruskin Square for its first regional office, to be fully operational by 2021.

A source told Building: “[HMRC] are looking at doing their own as a lot of the regional offices need building.”

The news comes as the CCS pushed back the launch date of its £2.9bn framework for the fourth time this year alone.

It had been due to launch this month, but is now expected to launch in September. Previously the delays have been attributed to “ambitious timescales” and the simultaneous procurement of complex projects such HS2, Crossrail 2 and thePalace of Westminster.

A CCS spokesperson said the “complexity and size” of the framework “means it is essential that we were able to appoint the right level of procurement expertise and market knowledge”.

The spokesperson added: “We are working hard to launch the framework as soon as possible.”