The company beat off competition from Interior Services Group to scoop the contract after the shortlist had been whittled down from six to two.
The Vodafone contract has been likened to Project Jaguar, BT’s maintenance and facilities management package, as it incorporates a number of the Egan recomendations.
It is thought that the contract will form the basis for other construction schemes for blue-chip clients. Each bidder for the building in Newbury, Berkshire, was asked to suggest the most progressive way to procure and construct it.
Clive Birch, director of Buro 4, the project manager, said: “It was a very close-run thing. The approach from ISG was really encouraging, but
Bovis Lend Lease made a very good all-round offer.” He said the contract would be based on the Engineering and Construction Contract, which is based on principles outlined in the Latham report.
“The Engineering and Construction Contract is structured to take out confrontation and allow the introduction of best practice to benefit all the participants, from the client through to the subcontractors and the supplier.”
The scheme received planning approval last week and work on site is scheduled to start in the next four weeks.
