EC Harris has emerged as a major advisor on procuring future government contracts, winning four deals with the Treasury’s buying arm, the Office of Government Commerce (OGC).

The firm has been appointed to four framework groups for the OGC, ranging from project management to space planning and design.

The panels will advise on construction procurement for a wide-ranging section of public sector bodies, from central government departments to transport and infrastructure organisations, the prison service, local government and nuclear and waste organisations.

These organisations will now be able to procure services through the framework companies without going through the lengthy Official Journal of the European Communities (OJEU) pre-qualification and tender process.

Graham Williams, head of public sector for EC Harris, said the public sector clients could save up to 70 days on lead times and £50,000 on procurement costs by using the framework.

Williams said the firm had already won commissions since being appointed to to the panel. Sir Michael Latham, public sector sponsor for EC Harris, said the OGC’s move in appointing framework consultancies was a “significant step” in improving performance and efficiency in the public sector.

It is understood that EC Harris is the only firm on the strategy advisory consultancy services framework deal. The full list of firms for the other three framework groups are:

  • Project management: Bovis Lend Lease, Drivers Jonas, Gardiner & Theobald, Turner & Townsend, EC Harris
  • Construction and property professional services: Carillion Services, Driver Jonas, White Young Green, EC Harris
  • Workspace strategy, space planning, design and implementation: Arcus Consultancy, Cochrane McGregor & Associates, DEGW, Lambert Smith Hampton, EC Harris.

Source

QS News