OPW: Office of Public Works
Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí
Measured Term Maintenance
During 2007, the OPW successfully introduced a Measured Term Contract for the provision of property maintenance services in the Dublin area. In this context, a Measured Term Contract is an arrangement whereby a contractor undertakes to carry out a series of works orders, over a period of years, within a defined geographical area and where the work is subsequently measured and valued at rates contained in a pre-priced Schedule of Rates.
Following a trial period during quarters one and two of 2007, the Measured Term contract went live in Dublin South in July 2007. Its operation in Dublin South was reviewed in January 2008 prior to rollout to Dublin North in February 2008. The existing Help Desk, which has formerly been used for Mechanical & Electrical support, has been extended and is now providing a single point of contact to OPW clients within the Dublin area. It is proposed to roll out other similar draw-down contracts to the regions when the Dublin contracts have bedded in, with the Cork area being a possible second location.
The measured term method of contracting was chosen for the following benefits:
- Cost of work can be evaluated before a works order is raised as all items have already been priced in the tender documentation;
- A large number of works orders can be generated under one contract with very little documentation needed;
- Contractor's response to a works order is immediate as there is no need for contract preparation, etc.;
- Considerable savings in time and resources within OPW;
- The contract facilitates programmed work as the contractor can fit in programmed work in a building with call-outs as they occur;
- Measured Term Contracts provide very good value for money. This value is clearly demonstrable as the contract percentages used to value work are the result of a competitive tender process;
- It is a tried and tested method of procuring maintenance and new works, both planned and reactive. The system is used extensively in Great Britain, including the Construction Service in Northern Ireland;
- Measured Term Contracts can be easily audited to show that accountability and value for money is being achieved.