Hannah Evans, central government sector lead at Faithful+Gould, unpacks the first update to the Construction Playbook
The first update of the government’s Construction Playbook has recently been published and is currently being worked through by the sector. The revision in September has retained the focus on the original 14 policies from 2020, while revising guidance and implementation on five key themes: digitalisation, sustainability, building safety, frameworks and contracts, and contract management.
Whether or not your organisation is obliged to engage with it, the Construction Playbook is a best practice tool, benefiting any public sector organisation, regardless of project size or scope. And in the current climate, it is well worth being familiar with the playbook’s principles.
The purpose of the government’s 2020 Construction Playbook was to set out principles and policies to reform the way public works, projects and programmes are assessed, procured and managed.
The latest version comes at a time of immense challenge for both business and wider society in the UK and across the globe.
The post covid-19 recovery, the Russia-Ukraine war, increasing energy and fuel costs, and of course the most recent government changes,have all led to uncertainty and ambiguity - which significantly impacts our industry.
Against the backdrop of impending recession, we’re also seeing soaring inflation, skilled labour and materials shortages, extended programme times, increasing costs, lack of collaboration and stifled innovation.
Adopting playbook principles to mitigate market impacts
Faced with so many uncertainties, delivering great outcomes in the built environment can seem far out of reach. However, upfront investment in time, combined with application of playbook principles and policy, can bring powerful foresight and market knowledge.
This in turn informs business cases and investment decisions, and helps shape effective contracts for the short, medium and long term.
Be it publishing commercial pipelines or engaging early with the supply chain, application of playbook policies at project/programme outset significantly influences success and raises all the right prompts – is the market aware of the organisational opportunity, can it respond, can it respond at pace and with capacity? Does the market have knowledge and experience that helps the organisation select the most appropriate solution and delivery model? And how should the organisation consider contractual arrangements that incentivise rather than demoralise?
Delivering lasting value
This current period has also brought a new perspective on the meaning of true value. Organisations now have policies and plans that incorporate strategic value drivers, looking beyond the usual time and cost and focusing on broader social, environmental and economic outcomes.
The playbook policy of “Outcome Based Approaches”, and industry-leading tools such as the Value Toolkit, enables organisations to consider outcomes early in the investment lifecycle. A chance to level up communities, drive sustainability and combat climate change, as well as create opportunity for those who, in these uncertain times, really need it.
In summary, applying playbook policy creates more certainty in the procurement and delivery of public works. It drives the right behaviours, supports delivery of quality assets and delivers benefits beyond the life of the project and the asset itself.
Henry Ford once said, “If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got”, and while the playbook is mandated for government departments on a comply or explain basis, broader adoption of its valuable approach should be strongly encouraged.
