Helping clients to deliver exceptional project outcomes is what we do best.
One of our current projects with the Ministry of Education involves White Associates acting on behalf of the Ministry to oversee and programme manage the rollout of the Ministry’s Northern Regions Classroom Delivery Programme (CDP). We have a dedicated team of 8 staff on the job.
Here’s Myles Gordon, Programme Manager of the CDP to explain more about the programme and how our team is adding value for the client:
What is the Classroom Delivery Programme?
The Classroom Delivery Programme focuses on 130 roll growth projects in the Auckland and Northland regions. The Ministry is seeking consistent, cost-effective and high quality delivery of its new classrooms.
The Ministry wants one point of contact for contractors, while ensuring the programme is rolled out according to the streamlined process they’ve decided upon.
Our role: acting on behalf of the Ministry of Education
For the CDP, we effectively act as an extension of the Ministry, carrying out the internal programme management function. We are responsible for the processes of design, engagement, budgets, managing contractors, working collaboratively with project managers, and reporting back to our client and other stakeholders.
In practical terms, we visit each of the school sites, reviewing the current classroom sizes and facilities alongside the school management and the Ministry. From the initial site visit, our role includes:
- Understanding the needs of each school, including roll growth and budget
- Bringing together a consortium of Project Managers and designers to collaborate on the project
- Managing the overall CDP programme and process, including scoping, funding applications and attending meetings on behalf of the Ministry
- Reviewing the construction process, monitoring practical completion and the defect remediation process.
In addition, we ensure the design team is hitting the key deliverables, as well as delivering peer and budget reviews to make sure best practice is applied across all schools.
How our involvement benefits the Ministry
In our role on the CDP, we are driving and facilitating more efficient programme outcomes, while taking the responsibility and stress away from the Ministry, as we provide our expertise to create exceptional outcomes for the client. Ultimately, we ensure the Ministry is getting the best value for money and all project timeframes are met.
The knowledge across our team is extensive, as we offer practical experience in carpentry, building, Quantity Surveying and engineering. We have an oversight of the construction industry, which means we have up to date and accurate knowledge of market capacity and technical developments.
We provide consistency for the project managers and design teams about the CDP process. They get one answer and have a clear view of the process being applied from point A to point B.
Next steps for the project
We started our engagement with the CDP in mid-late 2012 and we successfully renewed the contract in 2014. That will take us through to 2017 when there is potential to extend the contract again. We’re enthused to be part of such an innovative programme.