THE Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) has welcomed the ‘continuing commitment’ from public sector bodies to the Construction Pipeline Forecast Tool.
The free-to-use online platform was launched two years ago to provide businesses working across the construction sector with information on future building projects.
The aim was to provide the industry with greater clarity and understanding of future public sector construction projects to be delivered across Scotland.
The tool has now had its latest half-yearly refresh, with private sector businesses having access to specific details of over 1,700 future infrastructure projects, valued at over £13.4 billion, that have been submitted by 48 Scottish public bodies.
By providing greater transparency on future workload, the Forecast Tool aims to help businesses plan for the future, maintain investment in skills, and build relationships with public sector bodies. To date, over 1,000 businesses are using the web-based resource.
The Forecast Tool allows users to look at data using various criteria including the chosen procurement route, the procuring authority, contract value and sector. The types of projects include new build, refurbishments, and maintenance.
Of the 1,700 projects, 54% are below £2 million in value, emphasising the opportunities for SMEs.
Andrew Waring, BIM manager at architecture practice Holmes Miller, said, “We’ve been using it as a supplement to our market intelligence processes to allow us to target clients with upcoming projects with our services. Sometimes when the project gets to tender it can be too late to provide information management services, so having some information on upcoming projects allows us to begin those conversations with clients much earlier. It also helps us gauge the health of the public sector pipeline when business planning.”
The tool was created by the Scottish Futures Trust in partnership with the public sector and the construction industry in response to actions coming from the Construction Industry Recovery Plan, developed by the Construction Leadership Forum (CLF).
Last year the CLF published its Scottish Construction Accord, aimed at creating more successful construction businesses, enhancing conditions for employees, improving the quality of construction and becoming a net zero industry. Central to this will be a Transformation Action Plan that outlines ten priority work areas where improvements are needed.
Paul Dodd, at Scottish Futures Trust and co-chair of the pipeline priority work area, said, “We welcome the continuing commitment by public sector bodies to submit their pipeline data. We are seeing new use cases for the data to support both procurers and industry to provide greater insights in relation to planning, skills and collaboration. An integral part of the Construction Accord is to develop and publish a transparent forecast pipelines of construction investment, which we are already delivering for industry.”
John Gunn, director at Balfour Beatty and co-chair of the pipeline priority work area of the forthcoming Transformation Action Plan, added, “The Forecast Tool has provided valuable insight for our business as we plan ahead, and we welcome the continued management by the Scottish Futures Trust and the on-going support by public bodies in providing their data. I would welcome public sector bodies whose projects are not included to engage with the Scottish Futures Trust and support this key initiative and for industry to register to be updated on new projects.”
