Why are we seeing an increase in instructions from contractors?
At Dalcour Maclaren we provide end-to-end consultancy on land and environmental matters relating to operational and capital projects nationwide.
Historically, these instructions have come from utility companies and Acquiring Authorities. More recently however, we are seeing an increase in instructions directly from site contractors. This has a range of benefits for all parties and can be a really successful arrangement, but why is it happening?
In some Sectors of the Dalcour Maclaren it is now a rarity to be instructed by the Acquiring Authority or direct by a utility company itself. Instructions and requests for assistance come in the form many different types of work, be it acquiring short term compounds, major project-driven specific tasks, for example Liaison Officers, or long-term year on year programme delivery frameworks where the ultimate client are the major water companies.
What are the reasons for this? Are our traditional clients passing on risk? Are they saving valuable capital programme funding by trying to avoid becoming large client-side organisations themselves? In all honesty, we cannot tell you precisely, there are many reasons, and each organisation is different but, to be honest, we really do not have a preference.
Our business and our people have developed skills that dovetail seamlessly with contracting organisations, their specific requirements, their individual approaches and their unique drivers. With our first few contractor instructions it was a different world for us, but we have adapted swiftly. All clients now demand dynamic reporting, financial forecasting, agile service, the setting deliverables combined with accurate pricing. In the end, simply getting the job done, is where we are at our strongest and most comfortable.
We have seen relationships blossom from simple site compound access licence requests to, on the same project, our Environment & Planning team assisting with the ecological impacts, heritage advice, the provision of GPS and topographic surveys by our Geomatics team. And, at the end of all that, soils and reinstatement advice from our Utilities and Infrastructure surveyors when the job is done.
In a series of articles and Case Studies over the next month, we will showcase the ways that our professional service teams work collaboratively for contractors, how we can make a real difference to your projects by implementing innovative methods, a fresh approach and, generally, just delivering the best results for all concerned.
Written by
