The Chartered Institute of Procurement &
Supply, the global professional body for supply chain management has launched
the new Construction
Procurement Competence Tool after the development of a national suite of
procurement competence standards following the Grenfell enquiry.
In response to Dame Judith Hackitt’s Building a
Safer Future report,
it was recognised that poor procurement practices can lead to decisions that
compromise all aspects of building and life safety, and across the sector there
was a desire to improve the competence of people involved in procurement
activities so that better decisions are taken at all levels of the construction
supply chain.
The free
tool allows users to benchmark themselves and other individuals against the
recommended competency framework to understand the level of competency or
additional training and skills required to meet these more rigorous standards.
Users select their job role, such as building safety manager, principle
contractor, or procurement leader followed by job competencies set against RIBA
(Royal Institute of British Architects) stages 0-7 with the required level
indicated against each stage. The stages cover definition, capabilities and
knowledge which are matched to levels in the CIPS global framework highlighting
skills and capabilities required in various job roles. The user then receives a
summary of skills and competencies and where there are gaps for improvement.
The tool is designed for use by individual contractors and construction
professionals, companies and project managers.
CIPS chaired Working Group 11, one of the 13
groups appointed as part of the Competency Steering Group (CSG) following the
Hackitt report. The CSG was tasked with the development of a national suite of
procurement competence standards required not just amongst builders but
associated professions such as architects and surveyors when working on higher
risk buildings. Organisations can map what procurement competency levels are
required at each stage of a build, identifying key roles and levels of
understanding to support enhanced safety aims. Whole teams can go through the
process of assessment.
Duncan Brock CIPS Group Director and chair of
the procurement working group,
said,
“The free tool is a result of a collaborative
project to help support the construction sector to combat its common challenges
and reach a balanced approach as the pressures of price, margin and safety
remain. We hope it will give the sector more confidence and knowledge about
procurement and build a better future for residents of higher risk buildings.
“The Grenfell tragedy will stick in our minds
for many years to come and CIPS is proud to have been part of the work to
improve standards to increase competence and ultimately ensure the safety of
citizens in their homes.”
More information about the tool.
