The demand for independent procurement advice in the Northern Ireland construction industry

This paper presents the results of a 1997 survey into the procurement needs of building clients in Northern Ireland. The requirement for an independent advisory service was investigated by evaluating the levels of project performance and client satisfaction within the local construction industry. By means of interviews and questionnaires, the research gathered information from thirty members of the architectural, quantity surveying and client organisations, which indicated the general views of the local industry regarding procurement advice. Fifteen projects were studied in detail and found that only two of the projects achieved high performance in terms of speed - both procured traditionally. Half of the projects finished on time and within budget. Unsuccessful projects were found to use both traditional and non-traditional systems. The paper suggests that problems mainly arose because the parties to the projects had not fully considered their specific objectives and the implications of the chosen procurement method. The research found that clients do require guidance in commissioning a construction project, but that the professionals tended to lack a comprehensive knowledge of procurement issues. Whilst projects generally run quite satisfactorily, those time and cost overruns which do occur are considered to be avoidable if there was increased guidance on procurement from the outset. Clients who were better advised benefit from increased performance, and more educated clients now demand a better service from all parties on their projects. The research concludes that independent procurement advice leads to significant improvement in project performance, and sets out recommendations as to how such an advisory service should operate to provide harmony and profit for all.