Morgan Sindall Construction picked for University of Birmingham £1 billion 10-year estates framework
Morgan Sindall Construction has been selected as a key construction partner for the University of Birmingham’s inaugural capital estates framework. The main contractor has been appointed to both of the lots it bid for; comprising projects between £2.5 million-10 million, and projects over £10 million.
The prestigious Russell Group institution has tendered a proprietary framework for the first time, as it looks to forge strong long-term relationships with the contractors and consultants it has worked successfully with over the last decade.
In a collaborative strategy, it also plans to make the framework accessible to other universities in the West Midlands, to ensure they’re able to derive similar efficiencies in cost and speed of delivery, along with guarantees on quality, sustainability and social value outcomes. Morgan Sindall Construction has delivered a number of recent projects across the University’s campuses, including the multi-award-winning £45 million University of Birmingham Collaborative Teaching Laboratory, and the £18 million extension and renovation of the institution’s University House business school.
Sean Bowles, Managing Director of Morgan Sindall Construction’s Central business said: “As a long-term construction partner of the University of Birmingham, we’re naturally delighted to have been appointed to its first proprietary framework.
The estates team is adopting a ten-year strategy and opening the framework up to other institutions in the region. This evidences a collaborative approach and long-term vision – qualities we value in our customers. “We look forward to designing and building projects across the entire estate over the next decade, while forging ahead, in tandem with the University, on key agendas relating to social value, inclusion and the move towards zero carbon.”
Director of Estates Trevor Payne said: “We have an ambitious plan for the future of our campus and our objective is to create the best possible environment in which our students can achieve and our academic colleagues can undertake world-leading research. The creation of our own construction framework is a natural next step, as we look to secure the support of the very best in the industry. The frameworks will be for 10 years and will be open for use by all HE Institutions, reflecting the vision we have for the University and the sector as a whole.”
Head of Procurement Jonathan Jones added: “The University of Birmingham has always prided itself on its scale of ambition to deliver first rate services and resources for its students and staff. With a planned additional infrastructure investment of £500 million over the next few years, we also wanted to develop further procurement opportunities by creating our own University construction framework. This framework not only allows the University to optimise its value for money, but is also available for other universities to use and benefit from the collective spending power and contractor relationship development. “By working closely with our key contractors we can collectively develop additional opportunities with initiatives such as social value, environmental enhancements and sponsorship opportunities.”