Aecom mulls challenge to £750m government framework

Aecom is among a number of consultants considering challenging the award of a £750m public sector consultants’ framework.

Building understands Aecom is reviewing its position after missing out on places on four of the five lots of the Project Management and Full Design Team Services framework.

This was awarded by the government’s private sector procurement partner UK Shared Business Services (UK SBS) last month.

Building revealed last week Turner & Townsend and EC Harris are taking legal steps to challenge the award.

The main grounds for challenges are expected to be the UK SBS’ system for judging bidders on pricing criteria.

Aecom declined to comment.

Overall, more than a dozen consultants won places on the long-awaited framework.

Capita, Jacobs, Mace, Pick Everard and Mott MacDonald were among the big winners, landing spots on at least four of the five framework lots.

Other winners included Gleeds and Parsons Brinckerhoff (successful on at least three lots); Faithful+Gould (successful on at least two); and Deloitte, Hyder and WYG (successful on at least one).

Building has been able to confirm the winners on the four UK lots - a “one stop shop” covering all consultancy services, project management, cost management and design team services.

The fifth lot – for public clients working overseas, including the Foreign Office – could not be confirmed, although Building understands that Turner & Townsend and Aecom were among the winners on this lot.

UK SBS declined to comment.