London South Area Highway Maintenance Winner of a CEEQUAL Outstanding Achievement Award 2013 for Contract Management

78.6%

Term Contract Award

Project Team
Client: Transport for London
Construction: EnterpriseMouchel

The Project
In 2007, EnterpriseMouchel (EM) was tasked with providing maintenance activities and ad-hoc improvements works for the southern Highways and Maintenance Works Contract (HMWC) area of the TfL Road Network (TLRN).

TfL asked EM to take part in piloting CEEQUAL Term Contract – Assessment. This was good timing as the pilot took place during the last year of the HMWC contract, which meant that not only were TfL and EM able to assess their sustainability credentials but they were also able assist CEEQUAL in developing the Term Contract Assessment and Award Scheme. Lessons were learnt which stood TfL in good stead for the new highway and works maintenance contract (LoHAC).

Challenges faced
The contract scored well in a number of areas, particularly the Contract Management section. For this reason the TfL and EM team won the Outstanding Achievement Award for Contract Management.

EM was appointed following a competitive tendering process in 2007. EM’s environmental credentials were assessed by disclosing any past breach in environmental legislation. The contract was then written to included a number of challenging requirements, which included:

• Environmental Service Performance Indicators (SPIs)
• The formulation of an annual Sustainability Plan
• ISO14001 accreditation
• EM’s voluntary but nonetheless binding Environmental Quality Promises.

The aim of these requirements was to establish a framework whereby the environmental impacts and opportunities for environmental enhancements were identified, assessed, managed and monitored. Additionally the requirements ensured reductions in CO2, NOX and PM10 emissions, reductions in transport related noise and vibration, protection and enhancement of London’s built and natural environment, reduction in resource consumption and commitment to green procurement.

It was clear from the start that the working partnership was key to the success of the contract. For that reason a one Client and Contractor team Partnering Charter was drawn up. The Charter established a mutual vision and objectives underpinned by values of trust, openness, honesty, accountability, pride and ownership.

This enabled the formation of the HMWC Environmental Managers Forum. The Forum, attended by environmental managers and performance managers from TfL, EM and the other HWMCs met quarterly with the aim of:

• Discussing and sharing information regarding environmental best practice in the areas of innovative materials, working methods and environmental management.
• Coordinating environmental activities, such as training and action plans and in doing so ensuring consistency of approach across contract boundaries.
• Discussing and sharing information regarding compliance with, and implementation of environmental legislation, policy and strategies
  

100% of EM’s fleet and their principal subcontractor’s fleet meet Euro 4 and 5 emission standards (SPI 22). The contractual target for this SPI was100%. EM has a fleet of 10 electric vehicles, 6 petrol-electric-hybrid vehicles and has run vehicles on biodiesel from recycled high quality cooking oil sourced from within the M25.

99.7% of EM’s excavated and 96.4% of non-excavated construction and demolition waste was reused or recycled (SPI 24 and 25). The contractual target for both SPIs is 94%. WRAP independent review concluded that EM have achieved best practice levels of recycling rates for several waste streams.

16.3% of all material purchased by EM was classed as green products (SPI 26). The contractual target for this SPI is 15%. WRAP independent review concluded that EM’s green procurement for some materials is of best practice standard.

EM has also achieved annual carbon footprint scope 1 and 2 reductions.

EM has shown commitment towards their suppliers’ environmental performance, by for example helping a number of them develop and implement EMSs by providing free expert advice. EM also assesses their suppliers’ past environmental credentials. Doing so has ensured that EM’s suppliers meet similar high environmental standards as those placed upon them by TfL. These high standards ensured EM acknowledged their contractual requirements, in addition to providing TfL value for money and enhanced environmental performance.

EM delivered and facilitated a number of environmental awareness events, technical and responsible procurement forums and published a number of case studies all highlighting best practice in material specifications and scheme design. Events, forums and case studies have been shared with TfL, competitors and their supply chain.

EM ensures that their operatives were aware of site environmental best practice by delivering targeted Toolbox Talks and introducing an “Environmental issues, observations and opportunities” entry on the site diaries used by network inspectors.

EM has demonstrated a top-down commitment to improving the natural environment by organising a number of environmental volunteering activities for their Senior Managers, which for example on one occasion resulted in the planting of 350 shrubs.
EM has also developed, implemented and regularly updated a Green Travel Plan encouraging their staff to car share, walk and cycle.

TfL and EM also carried out a number of audits to ensure that contractual requirements were achieved and environmental performance was maintained.

EM trialled noise curtains and cold lay binders to reduce noise pollution during works, used CMA for winter maintenance as an environmental friendly alternative to gritting, installed rainwater harvesting, used rapeseed boiler heating and biodiesel re-fuelling tanks at their depots, installed powered bollards and up-lighters on the network, created a works specific carbon calculator, carried out a lifecycle assessment of parts of their supply chain and worked with TfL in the formulation of a climate change adaptation action plan.

In 2011, TfL and EM (together with the other two HMWCs), were awarded the Transport Partnership of the Year at the London Transport Awards (not a TfL event). This award recognised that the partnership between otherwise commercially competitive companies resulted in collaborative working that produced real benefits for London.

In 2010, EM won the Corporate Social Responsibility category, at the London Excellence Awards and was shortlisted for the London Transport Award for 'contribution towards sustainable transport'.

In 2009 and 2010, EM received the platinum award from the Mayor of London’s Green500 scheme for reductions in CO2 emissions and was the first highways contractor in the country to be awarded the Carbon Trust Standard.

In 2009, EM was awarded the Mayor of London Green Procurement Code.

CEEQUAL influence
We piloted the CEEQUAL Term Contract – Assessment retrospectively, therefore it did not influence the contract. However we learnt from the pilot and will be looking to apply these lessons to the new highway works and maintenance contract (LoHAC).