Building and property service companies across Scotland are being invited to apply to become ‘preferred contractors’ as part of a newly launched Dynamic Purchasing System for capital and associated works projects in the social housing sector.
The new system is being managed by PfH Scotland, specialist providers of procurement services to the housing sector and jointly owned by HouseMark, the National Housing Federation and the Chartered Institute of Housing. It will be available for use by the growing number of Scottish social landlords that are PfH Scotland members to help streamline the process for procuring a variety of works such as kitchen and bathroom installations, electrical rewires, roofing, painting and making disabled adaptations.
As for other procurement solutions recently announced by PfH Scotland, the new Dynamic Purchasing System has been specifically designed to encourage SME participation by creating separate ‘preferred contractors’ lists covering six individual regions of Scotland, namely North East, North West, Central East, Central West, South East and South West.
Latest statistics from the Scottish Housing Regulator show that, more than three years after the target date for all social housing stock in Scotland to comply, more than 34,000 social sector homes still do not meet the Social Housing Quality Standard (SHQS). According to the standard, homes should be energy efficient, safe and secure, should not be seriously damaged and should be equipped with kitchens and bathrooms that are in good condition.
PfH Scotland anticipate that the new Dynamic Purchasing System for capital and associated works projects it is introducing should help its members to bring any remaining stock that still fails to meet the SHQS up to standard. The system will also support ongoing works by registered social landlords to modernise their stock in line with tenants’ expectations and to improve tenant satisfaction levels as they do so.
Interested contractors can register their interest in the new capital works DPS via PfH Scotland’s electronic procurement portal. The DPS will remain open for contractors to join for a period of five years. Any contractor fulfilling the stipulated pre-qualification criteria will automatically have the opportunity to tender for any contracts subsequently procured through the DPS in whichever category and region or regions they have expressed an interest in working. Tender opportunities via the DPS will be advertised to approved DPS suppliers from Monday the 5th November.
Commenting on the newly launched DPS for capital works projects, PfH Scotland Head of Operations Stephen Herriot said:
“At PfH Scotland, we understand the challenges our members face to maintain and, where necessary, improve the quality of their housing stock through planned works – and to do so in a way that is affordable and ensures value for money for their tenants.
“Across Scotland’s social housing sector, overall levels of compliance with the Social Housing Quality Standard continue to improve. But there are still thousands of properties that do not meet the standard. What is more, social landlords have to make ongoing investment in capital works to ensure that those properties that already meet the SHQS continue to do so.
“Faced with the competing pressures to maintain value for money for tenants while meeting other standards such as for energy efficiency, strategic procurement solutions such as our new capital works DPS will help social landlords to deliver these works on time and on budget.”
