Best All-round QS Firm

Winner

EC Harris
EC Harris scooped the Best All-round QS Firm award this year for its remarkable ability to adapt to clients’ changing needs. This was particularly impressive when you consider the range of projects it works on – not only was it at the heart of the successful delivery of Heathrow Terminal 5, it also developed an innovative procurement model for Fusion 21, a social housing repair and maintenance programme. In particular, the company’s work on a project called Lexus Europe made it stand out.

This initially involved undertaking an audit of Toyota’s European facilities, but ended with EC Harris revamping the company’s entire system of programme and cost management, procurement and design. In addition, it generated an income of £200m over the year, making it one of the biggest consultants in the country.

Runners-up

Cyril Sweett
Cyril Sweett has grown significantly over the past five years. Staff numbers have doubled to 700 and turnover has risen at a steady rate of 16.4% since 2003. It has also extended the services it offers in its core sectors of quantity surveying, project management, specialist services and management consultancy. Its reputation has won it work on major international and UK projects, such as the Stewart Stockman Building, a microbiological containment laboratory for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and a campus for Queen Margaret University College in Scotland. It now operates out of 14 offices in the UK, three in mainland Europe and Ireland, and 43 others across the world.

Franklin + Andrews
Franklin + Andrews works on about £9bn worth of construction projects every year, including massive schemes such as Wembley Stadium. It currently holds a pivotal role on the East London Line project, on which it is providing procurement advice, as well as tendering and negotiating contracts. With an anticipated revenue of £80.8m for 2007 and a new business strategy, Franklin + Andrews hopes to expand its business and branch out further into Europe, the Middle East, South Africa and south-east Asia in the coming years.

Turner & Townsend
With a rise in turnover of 372% over the past five years, Turner & Townsend is quite a QS to contend with, and at least part of this must be because of its commitment to its employees. Staff development is given much attention at this firm, through investment in personal development and training programmes and the use of web and technical tools to assist staff. This has been recognised by an “Investors in People” award and is clearly successful, as evident in one client’s testimonial: “Turner & Townsend has exceeded all our expectations in providing cutting edge expertise in a range of specialist areas.”

Sponsor

BCIS is the UK’s leading provider of cost and price information for construction and property occupancy. As a trading arm of RICS, we provide independent, authoritative and expert advice through online services, publications, events, consultancy and research. The built environment sector, consumers and the government use our information to ensure they are providing and receiving the best cost advice. We also manage the RICS eTendering service, launched in October 2007 to improve the tendering process for the QS industry.

BCIS is proud to continue its support of the QS Awards - an excellent opportunity to highlight and reward best practice in the QS industry.