Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
The code set out specifi c roles and responsibilities of the procurement
staff during the process, ensuring that both parties (the ODA and the
DP) were each accountable to the other, while maintaining a fully inte-
grated approach to the delivery of the programme. The use of the code
meant that procurement staff in the DP and the ODA were fully aware
of the minimum acceptable level of performance they had to meet.
Indeed, the code formed part of their job descriptions.
Overall responsibility for procurement rested with the ODA's Head
of Procurement, to whom the delivery partner's Head of Procurement
and Contracts reported. The purpose of the code was to make re-
sponsibilities during the buying process completely transparent and
unambiguous, demonstrating clear reporting hierarchies and lines for
communication. As the code encouraged all staff to work together in
order to generate the information required to satisfy the gateways within
the process, it helped to establish an integrated team of the staff at both
the DP and the ODA, who were ultimately responsible for the projects.
The emphasis on team integration tended to encourage a more coopera-
tive working environment and a sense of ownership within the project
teams than might have been achieved in a more formalised client and
supplier relationship.
Procurement reporting
Procurement Board meetings attended by both the ODA and the DP
were held on a monthly basis. They formed part of a wider programme
reporting cycle, which also included a Design and Town Planning Board.
The format of the Programme Board was similar to a Project and pro-
gramme review clinic, where each project reports on progress and issues
requiring resolution. The monthly reporting process was supplemented
by a weekly high-level procurement update to capture achievements,
issues and compliance with plans.
Concluding remarks
The procurement function within a PSE delivery model is prescriptive
and requires resources to be invested in its development and codifi cation
early in a programme's life cycle. The robustness of a procurement
process determines the degree of transparency that can be achieved for
