Principal Designer Services

This Lot of our Consultancy Services Framework covers the provision of principal designer services. Consultants on this Lot are able to provide all services under the CDM 2015 Regulations.

What is a Principal Designer? 

In construction the term ‘principal designer’ is used to describe an organisation or an individual appointed by the client to manage the pre-construction phase of any project which involves more than one contractor.

They carry out an important role in managing how risks to health and safety are managed throughout a project. Design decisions made during the pre-construction phase have a significant influence in ensuring the project is delivered in a way that secures the health and safety of everyone affected by the work.

Schedule of services include
  • Planning, managing, monitoring and coordinating health and safety in the pre-construction phase.
  • Understanding the existing health and safety file.
  • Helping and advising the client in bringing together pre-construction information.
  • Provide designers and contractors all the information they need to carry out their duties.
  • Work with other designers on the project to eliminate foreseeable health and safety risks.
  • Where this is not possible, the principal designer must take steps to reduce or control those risks.
  • Ensure that everyone involved in the pre-construction phase communicates and coordinates their work where required.
  • Liaise with the principal contractor, keeping them informed of any risks that need to be controlled during the construction phase.

Suppliers

  1. Faithorn Farrell Timms (FFT)
  2. Airey Miller
  3. Silver DCC
  4. John Rowan & Partners
  5. Frankham Consultancy Group
  6. Michael Dyson Associates
  7. Faulkers Bailey Russell

Award Options

Flexible Direct Award

Customers are able to Direct Award to any consultant on the Lot regardless of ranking. You will not need to ask those ranked before your preferred supplier to step aside. If you’d like to speak to us about this in more detail please get in touch.

How long will this take me?

A direct award will take approximately 3-4 weeks depending on your internal approval processes. Learn more about the process here – Regular Direct Award Process. 

Mini Competition

You’re also able to run a mini-competition to call off this framework. You’ll be able to use your own specification and cost model. You can also choose your own cost / quality split and quality questions. All pricing submitted by contractors must be linked to the framework.

How long will this take me?

Once you have your specification and cost model ready, the tender process takes approximately 6-8 weeks, depending on your internal approval processes. Learn more about the process here – Mini Tender Process. 

Contract Options

Which contract form can I use?

You’re able to chose from a number of different contract forms: 

  1. RICS Short Form of Consultants Appointment,
  2. a contract from the JCT suite, or
  3.  you’re able to use your own form of bespoke contract. 

Accessing this Framework

Who can access this framework?

Any publically funded body can use this framework – access is not limited to SEC Members alone. Full details can be found here.

Is there a cost to access? 

There is no access fee to use this framework. A levy % dependant on whether you are a guest or member is collected directly from the contractor once a call off contract is awarded. This percentage will never be more than 1.5% for Members and 2% for Guests.

How do I access this framework?

If your organisation is already a SEC Member then you will not need to sign an additional Access Agreement. You’re already signed up.
If your organisation is new to SEC, and would like to use our frameworks as a non-member then you will need to sign our Access Agreement. You’ll only need to sign this once and you’ll receive access to all our Frameworks and DPS’s – even ones we procure in the future. You can view a draft agreement here – DRAFT Access Agreement (Non-Members).

What are frameworks?

Learn more about how frameworks work and how our sector uses them.

Framework Tender

We procured this framework through a two-stage restricted process. At the first stage interested suppliers completed a Selection Questionnaire (SQ). From there we then invited select tenderers to complete a second stage Invitation to Tender (ITT).

The cost and quality elements of each tender was evaluated at 40% cost and 60% quality. More detail on this can be found below.

Next Steps

Ready to use this framework?

Please contact us today. Our Procurement team will support you with your requirements. 

Have some further questions?

Check out our FAQs page here. Or contact a member of the team today – we’re happy to help.

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