Winners announced for £750m Innovation Chain North framework

Great Places Housing Group has revealed the successful contractors and consultants which have won a place on its new £750m Innovation Chain North (ICN) framework

Social value is at the heart of its new Innovation Chain North (ICN) framework.

ICN has been designed to support the delivery of new homes across North England, not only to support Great Places’ ambitious development programme but also those of other housing associations.

The Innovation Chain North framework renewal saw a 56% increase in bidders seeking to deliver works and services, with 183 companies applying to supply the framework. The majority of bidders applied for multiple lots, and in total 726 bids were evaluated across the 23 lots.

In total 113 suppliers – 30 contractors and 83 consultants – were successful.

The successful organisations (see below) were selected based on their technical competence, price and commitment to social value.

Social value pledges, including apprenticeships, work experience opportunities and volunteering hours were proposed by all suppliers and through a collaborative approach ICN will be seeking these pledges to be applied on every new development.

Collectively tackle the housing crisis

Helen Spencer, Great Places’ director of development, said: “We’d like to congratulate the 113 suppliers who have been awarded a place on the new ICN framework.

“Ahead of tender in late 2019, we consulted with colleagues across the sector, contractors and consultants, as well as drawing upon learning from managing the last framework to design a new one, which is fit for purpose as we move forward with our ambitions.

“We were delighted to have a huge response from the market and receive high-quality proposals and substantial social value pledges for our communities.

“The new framework will ensure we, and our peer organisations, have tried and tested partners to help us to deliver our extensive development programmes and our collective ambitions to tackle the housing crisis.”

The new framework will run until June 2024.