Finalist |
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Category: PFI Projects |
By the time Mike Gorman arrived to lead this scheme, anti-PFI feeling was running high in west Yorkshire. The client had just completed 11 PFI schools and was dissatisfied with both the experience and the results. Indeed, it had already pulled the plug on this scheme's initial contractor, which had run into serious commercial problems elsewhere.
Aware he had to re-establish client confidence in the PFI route, Mike quickly brought the end-users into the picture. He regularly invited the heads and governing bodies of the three schools to progress meetings, making his leadership role as visible to them as it was to the immediate project team.
By gaining user confidence early on, Mike was able to take key decisions to drive the tight schedule. Early consultation with the schools' operators solved the immediate design problems, such as inadequate ventilation and overly tight access and turnround areas for the school minibuses.
Mike built a bonded team that could solve problems and brainstorm issues. He arranged one-day decision-making workshops with the school operators to avoid the constant to and fro of proposals for approval and comment. And he led combined design team meetings for all three schools to standardise the design, involving key suppliers early on to propose and agree technical solutions to design problems.
Mike exploited his wide knowledge of other education projects and construction schemes to secure certainty of cost and short installation times from the supply chain. On one sloping site, he used precast and timber crib retaining walls to keep to the very tight budget.
He also proposed replacing the traditional reinforced concrete cores originally envisaged for two hydrotherapy pools with modular, prefabricated glass-reinforced polyester (GRP). It met the spec and brought considerable benefits to the programme, quality control and maintenance.
Mike's well-judged decisions on construction issues drove the Kirklees PFI in on schedule, on budget, to excellent quality, and in a very healthy financial position. That, plus his all-inclusive single-team approach, won over an initially sceptical client into giving the project the highest satisfaction ratings at close-out.
