The aim of the ICN framework is for all clients to deliver high quality, sustainable homes that meet the current and future needs of residents whilst complying with current UK and EU procurement regulations. ICN also aims to encourage innovation, achieve benefits from collaborative working, provide opportunities for sustainable job creation and training, whilst achieving efficiencies and value for money.
Membership of ICN will be restricted to those who will seek to deliver mixed use housing and associated social infrastructure schemes within the geographic regions identified.
Works procured through ICN will include the detailed design, construction, completion and commissioning of new build, mixed-use multi tenure housing developments and related social infrastructure schemes. The range of residential accommodation may embrace special needs including elements of care, support and mixed use.
Professional Services procured through ICN support the development of new build housing and include Employers Agents, Engineers, Building Surveyors, Architects, Clerk of Works, Purchasers Agents, Principal Designers, Planning Consultants and Site Investigation Services. There are service briefs for each role setting out exact requirements.
Innovation Chain North (ICN) geographically covers the North of England, from Cumbria and Northumberland in the north to Lincolnshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire in the south.
ICN consists of contractor lots, consultant lots and a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the supply of modular housing.
The main contractor lots are split by value and also geographically. The high value lots are H1 & H2 for schemes of 35 homes and above; the low value lots are L1 – L6 for 34 homes and below.
The Groundworker lots (G1 & G2) are split geographically between the North West and North East.
The Principal Contractor lots to support the delivery of Modular homes (P1 & P2) are split geographically between the North West and North East.
The consultant lots C1-C9 are split geographically between the North West and North East.
Direct award is based on the client’s unique requirements – clients choose which consultant and/or contractor would be most suitable to deliver each project. Selection of consultants and contractors will be made with support from the Procurement and Performance Manager and advice will be given on suitability, workload allocated through the framework and KPIs.
Contractor and consultant selection may be made by Mini Competition following the procedures set out in the Framework Agreement. All contractors and consultants on the specific lot must be invited to tender. A tender can either be single stage or a 2-stage process. The Client will determine their own evaluation criteria.
Clients can make a direct award to any of the contractors and consultants in a lot based on the client’s unique requirements. A client would select which consultant and/or contractor would be most suitable to deliver each project.
If a client wishes to select a contractor or consultant by a mini competition, then they would need to invite all suppliers in the lot to tender. Mini competitions can either be single stage or 2 stage.
The client determines the evaluation criteria for all mini competitions. This could be based on 100% price; 100% quality, or a combination of both.
The ICN framework uses 4 contracts:
All projects procured through ICN must use one of these forms of contract.
The ICN framework has 12 contractor lots. The lots are divided into two value bandings, High Value of 35 homes and above and Low Value of below 34 homes. The high and low value lots are also sub divided geographically with 2 regions in the high value lot and 6 regions in the low value lot. There are also lots for principal contractors and groundworkers to support modular delivery.
The ICN framework has 11 professional services lots. These include Employers Agents, Engineers, Building Surveyors, Architects, Clerk of Works, Purchasers Agents, Principal Designers, Site Investigation Services and Planning Consultancy. Each lot is divided geographically into 2 regions.
The ICN framework has a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the supply of modular housing that will provide clients with OJEU compliant access to modular housing suppliers. There are four lots in the DPS covering the supply of modular homes in volumetric, panelised, turnkey and ICN modular design formats. Each lot covers the whole of the North of England.
For more information and membership enquiries contact: Innovation Chain North team [email protected]