SCOTLAND’S public bodies can access a major new procurement framework designed to help public bodies deliver construction, refurbishment, infrastructure and facilities management services more efficiently and with greater confidence.
The Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA) has launched PB4 which provides a compliant procurement route designed to simplify the delivery of £1 billion worth of building and infrastructure projects while maintaining quality, value and governance. It will support organisations in maximising public investment, improving estate performance and delivering projects that contribute to long-term community, sustainability and service objectives.
The framework is structured across five workstreams covering new build construction, refurbishment, civil infrastructure and facilities management. It offers a flexible solution capable of supporting everything from major regeneration and estate modernisation programmes to ongoing maintenance, compliance requirements and wider operational asset management.
For the first time, construction, refurbishment, civil infrastructure and facilities management services have been brought together within a single framework, enabling public bodies to access a broader range of specialist expertise through one procurement solution and manage projects more effectively throughout the entire lifecycle of their assets. This includes supporting the transition of buildings and infrastructure from expiring finance arrangements into long-term operational management.
The launch comes at a time when public sector organisations across Scotland are seeking to balance investment in new and existing assets with the need to improve energy performance, meet net zero ambitions and maintain operational resilience. With significant investment requirements across the public estate, access to efficient, compliant and high-quality procurement routes remains critical to successful project delivery.
Lesley Peaty, Regional Director of the Scottish Procurement Alliance, said:
“Public sector organisations need procurement routes that can support the full life of an estate, from creating new buildings to maintaining the fabric and technical systems that keep essential services running.
“PB4 gives our partners access to a flexible solution covering new construction, major refurbishment, infrastructure and hard facilities management within one compliant framework.
“By bringing these services together, organisations can procure work more efficiently, respond to changing needs and focus public investment on creating and maintaining safe, sustainable buildings for the people who rely on them every day.”
PB4 has been designed for organisations across local government, education, healthcare, defence and the emergency services, enabling them to procure and deliver projects more efficiently while minimising disruption to service users and maintaining operational continuity.
The new framework responds to growing demand for procurement solutions that enable projects to be delivered quicker to maximise available government funding, helping organisations avoid delays that could jeopardise investment.
Appointed companies will be expected to work with SPA and public bodies to identify, deliver and capture social value outcomes associated with each project. Community benefits will be expected to align with the relevant social value strategy, be proportionate to the contract value and provide meaningful benefits for residents and the wider community.
The framework’s priorities include connected and inclusive communities, enhanced community spaces, increased use of community facilities and upskilling and training, supporting its strategic focus on individual wellbeing, planet and environment and social mobility. Where social value requirements have not already been set, appointed companies will be expected to raise this with the client and jointly identify opportunities to deliver additional value.
The SPA is one of Scotland’s largest free to join procurement organisation serving Scotland’s public sector, supporting more than 145 organisations with compliant and localised procurement solutions for construction, refurbishment, compliance, consultancy and maintenance projects.
Further information about the PB4 framework is available at www.scottishprocurement.scot
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