Arup and Jacobs land roles under EA’s new collaborative framework

Arup and Jacobs are among the companies appointed by the Environment Agency to support the delivery of its national capital programme under new collaborative working arrangements taking effect this month.

Arup has been appointed to Lot 1 of the Environment Agency’s new Collaborative Delivery Framework (CDF) in the North East and Midlands regions. Jacobs has been appointed to Lot 1 in the North West and Thames & Anglian regions. There are six regions in all, and the framework runs for four years with an option to extend to eight.

The CDF is part of the Agency’s Next Generation Supplier Arrangements (NGSA), which aim to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of capital projects through greater collaboration with delivery partners. It is hoped that the new way of working will modernise programme, asset and incident management to achieve improvements in sustainability, value for money and outcome delivery.

Toby Willison, executive director of operations, Environment Agency, said: “This ambitious new framework will help us to continue to deliver our £2.6 billion flood and coastal defence programme in a way which ensures that sustainability, efficiency and value for money remain at the very heart of the work we do to protect people, homes and the environment.”

Will McBain, associate director, Arup, said: “Being appointed to provide the consultancy services required in two regions gives Arup a unique opportunity to help the Agency to deliver its corporate objectives more efficiently and effectively. We look forward to working in close collaboration with Agency staff, our supply chain partners, local communities and all those with a stake in the capital programme, to deliver the objectives of NGSA”.

Jacobs Europe senior vice president and general manager Donald Morrison said: “The new integrated delivery teams provide the opportunity for even greater collaboration with the Agency and other suppliers, enabling better ways to support the Agency’s objectives to improve efficiency across a wide range of resiliency and environmental outcomes.”

The CDF takes effect countrywide from April 2019.