New Mechanical, Electrical & Building Fabric Maintenance framework

CPC have launched a new framework which will meet the Mechanical, Electrical & Building Fabric Maintenance needs of CPC members. The framework will allow members to engage quickly with competent, capable and committed contractors and will remove many of the obstacles that members may face when using traditional tendering methods or other frameworks. When utilising this framework agreement, members can work with a single contractor capable of delivering their full Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) requirement inclusive of all associated trades. The value of works may range from small £20k–£50k projects to £500k and above. This may include (but is not limited to) the range of trades and services outlined below. It is anticipated that this single relationship between client and contractor will create efficiencies and synergies in terms of time, quality and cost from a project delivery perspective.

CPC believe that we should be at the forefront of all services and frameworks provided to our membership and for any important strategic procurement such as M&E, CPC needs to be more involved in the marketplace on behalf of members.

Furthermore, other M&E frameworks that are in the marketplace are not specifically designed to meet the needs of the Education Sector and through our Mechanical, Electrical & Building Fabric Maintenance framework, we provide our members with a compliant framework that better meets the challenges faced by institutions in the sector.

The general types of services that this framework includes address all or part of the following elements:

• Planned preventative maintenance for all electrical, heating, air conditioning, water and ventilation systems
• Response maintenance for all electrical, heating, air conditioning, water and ventilation systems

The above listed services are the primary points of the framework, the other services listed below may or may not be included by members when conducting a further competition through the framework.

• Servicing and maintenance of specialist systems such as Fire Detection and Alarm, Access Control, CCTV, Intruder Alarm, Disabled Refuge Alarm and BMS
• Provision of statutory certification and risk assessments
• Safety checks for gas, emergency lighting, security and fire systems
• Lift / hoist maintenance
• Catering equipment maintenance
• Thermal imaging of distribution boards
• Automated / motorised door maintenance
• Lightning protection maintenance
• Response maintenance for building fabric components e.g. doors, windows, locks, shelving, furniture, partitions, ceiling and flooring
• Plumbing works including maintenance, repair and operation of water, drainage and sewerage infrastructure and building systems

The framework has been broken down into 12 regional lots which will allow members to engage with local contractors, ensuring your projects deliver benefits to the local economy such as investment in skills and training, minimising the impact of the works on the environment, creating work opportunities for local people and supporting local businesses. A local supplier will also offer benefits in terms of project control, flexibility and responsiveness.

All framework contractors are required to apply value engineering principles to all call-offs made under the framework. This requires the proactive identification of such opportunities by the framework contractor and/or the attendance of the contractor at value engineering sessions with members. Framework contractors will make suitably qualified and experienced staff available for such meetings.

Members interested in utilising this framework are advised of the importance of ensuring you allow sufficient time to conduct a further competition. Due to the potential for works to disrupt day-to-day activities within an institution, the vast majority of users will want works to take place during holiday periods when students aren’t onsite, leading to sizeable peaks and troughs in demand. The framework suppliers have advised that members should allow at least 4 weeks for further competitions and should be mindful that the supplier’s engineers workplans are commonly scheduled months in advance of the works being delivered.

During the life of the framework agreement members may require framework contractors to deliver training to project, contract or client management teams to ensure a thorough understanding of the working procedures implemented within the framework contractor’s organisation. The framework contractors will make themselves available for knowledge transfer/training throughout the life of the agreement.

You can find out more by visiting the Mechanical, Electrical and Building Fabric Maintenance framework page, on which you will find in-depth information about the framework, a framework user guide and further competition template.

Please contact Ekkehard Kugler on [email protected] or call 0161 974 0964 to discuss any potential future requirements.