Technical Support & Associated Services framework

In England, Wales, and Scotland, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 require every construction project involving more than one contractor to have a principal designer appointed by the client; Northern Ireland’s own CDM regulations impose an equivalent duty. The principal designer is responsible for planning, managing, and monitoring the pre-construction phase, which includes coordinating health and safety matters during the design process, assisting the client in providing pre-construction information to designers and contractors, and preparing the health and safety file that is handed over at the end of the project. The principal designer must be a designer with the knowledge, experience, and ability to carry out these duties. For public sector organisations commissioning building work, whether new builds, refurbishments, extensions, or maintenance projects involving multiple contractors, wherever in the UK they’re based, CDM regulations create a legal obligation to appoint a principal designer. Failure to do so can result in enforcement action by the relevant health and safety regulator. The framework’s CDM lot provides principal designer services and broader CDM consultancy, so you can appoint through a single compliant procurement route. For organisations managing multiple construction projects simultaneously, having a standing framework for principal designer appointments means each project can be mobilised quickly without a separate procurement for CDM services. The lot also covers CDM training, health and safety audits, and pre and post-construction advice, so the same supply chain supports your wider CDM compliance needs.

Public sector organisations across the UK face specific decarbonisation obligations. UK central government departments must report against Greening Government Commitments. NHS and health bodies are working towards national net zero strategies, such as NHS England’s targets, with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each running their own equivalents. Local authorities have declared climate emergencies and adopted carbon reduction targets. Universities have sustainability strategies with measurable commitments. All of these require technical assessment of the existing building stock, identification of energy efficiency measures, development of a prioritised retrofit programme, and ongoing monitoring of performance. The net zero consultancy lot covers every stage of this process. Building energy assessments and audits provide the baseline data. Net zero roadmaps translate that data into a prioritised programme with costs, timescales, and carbon reduction projections. Retrofit coordination under PAS 2035 provides the quality assurance framework for domestic and non-domestic retrofit. Retrofit assessors and designers develop the specifications for individual buildings. ESG strategy development supports wider corporate sustainability goals. Grant and funding management helps organisations access available public funding for retrofit and decarbonisation, wherever it’s administered. And ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems support helps organisations implement the management framework for ongoing energy performance improvement. For organisations that need to move from a high-level carbon reduction commitment to a technically credible, costed, deliverable decarbonisation programme, this lot provides the specialist consultancy to do it.

Yes. The framework is structured so that each lot covers a distinct discipline, and you can appoint across multiple lots for the same project. A typical building project might need an architect from the general consultancy lot for the building design, an M&E engineer from the engineering lot for the heating, ventilation, and electrical systems, a principal designer from the CDM lot for health and safety coordination, and a net zero consultant from Lot 4 to ensure the design meets your carbon reduction targets. Each appointment is a separate call-off, which means you can use direct award for disciplines where the requirement is straightforward and mini-competition for disciplines where you want competitive proposals. Inprova’s team can coordinate the call-offs so the appointments are aligned in timing and scope, ensuring the advisory team is in place when the project needs them. For organisations that prefer a single multi-discipline consultancy appointment, a mini-competition allows you to evaluate suppliers on their ability to deliver across multiple disciplines, particularly where suppliers appear on more than one lot. Contact Inprova’s team to discuss the best approach for your specific project.

PAS 2035 is the specification for the energy retrofit of domestic and non-domestic buildings in the UK. It sets out a quality assurance framework that requires specific roles at each stage of a retrofit project: a Retrofit Coordinator who oversees the whole process and ensures the retrofit measures are appropriate for the building, a Retrofit Assessor who carries out the building assessment and collects the data needed to design the retrofit, and a Retrofit Designer who develops the specification for the energy efficiency measures. The net zero consultancy lot covers all three roles. PAS 2035 compliance is required for projects funded through government retrofit funding programmes, and many public sector organisations have adopted PAS 2035 as their standard approach to retrofit even where it is not a funding condition, because the framework provides a structured methodology that reduces the risk of unintended consequences such as moisture problems or overheating. For organisations planning estate-wide retrofit programmes, appointing PAS 2035 roles through the framework provides a compliant procurement route for the consultancy that underpins the programme. The retrofit coordinator, assessor, and designer can be appointed through direct award or mini-competition depending on the scale of the programme.

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is the leading sustainability assessment method for buildings in the UK. Many public sector clients require new buildings to achieve a specific BREEAM rating, either as a planning condition, a funding requirement, or an organisational policy. Achieving a BREEAM rating requires a licensed BREEAM assessor to work alongside the design team from the early stages of the project, advising on the design decisions that affect the building’s sustainability performance and compiling the evidence needed for the assessment submission. The general consultancy lot includes BREEAM assessment as part of the architectural and design services. For organisations commissioning new buildings, extensions, or major refurbishments where a BREEAM rating is required, appointing the BREEAM assessor through the framework alongside the architect and M&E engineer ensures the sustainability assessment is integrated into the design process from the start. This is more effective and less costly than bringing in an assessor late in the design when changes are more difficult and expensive to make. The framework also covers SAP assessments for calculating the energy performance of buildings, which are required under Building Regulations.

Yes. Hospital buildings have some of the most complex mechanical and electrical systems in the public sector. Clinical environments require specialist HVAC design to maintain air quality, temperature, and pressure differentials. Medical gas systems, specialist power supplies for clinical equipment, standby generation for life-critical systems, and UPS installations for areas where power continuity is essential are all part of the M&E design for a hospital building. The engineering lot covers all of these disciplines. For NHS and health bodies planning hospital extensions, ward refurbishments, theatre upgrades, or new build projects, the framework provides M&E engineering consultants who can design systems that comply with the relevant estates guidance, such as HTM in England or SHTM in Scotland, and the specific requirements of healthcare environments. The CDM lot provides principal designer services for the construction phase, and the net zero consultancy lot supports national net zero strategies by advising on energy-efficient design and low-carbon heating systems. For trusts and health boards managing multiple capital projects across several hospital sites, the framework provides a standing procurement route for technical consultancy that avoids the delay and cost of running separate procurements for each project.

An employer’s agent acts on behalf of the client (the employer) in managing the contractual relationship with the building contractor. Under JCT Design and Build contracts, which are commonly used in public sector construction, the employer’s agent carries out the administrative and decision-making functions that the contract assigns to the employer, including issuing instructions, assessing interim applications for payment, granting extensions of time, and issuing the practical completion certificate. For public sector organisations that do not have the in-house construction management expertise to administer a building contract, an employer’s agent provides the professional support needed to manage the contractor effectively and protect the organisation’s interests. The general consultancy lot covers employer’s agent services. For organisations commissioning building projects under JCT Design and Build or similar contract forms, appointing an employer’s agent through the framework ensures you have qualified professional support from contract award through to practical completion and final account. This is particularly important for organisations that manage building projects infrequently and do not have established construction management processes.

Local government structures change over time, whether through reorganisation into new unitary authorities in England or boundary and function changes elsewhere in the UK, and one of the most significant practical challenges in any such transition is rationalising the combined building estate. The restructured authority inherits multiple civic offices, depots, leisure centres, and other buildings from the predecessor bodies, and needs to decide which buildings to retain, which to refurbish, which to dispose of, and what new facilities might be needed. This requires technical consultancy across several disciplines. Condition surveys assess the current state of each building. M&E engineering advice identifies buildings where mechanical and electrical systems need significant investment. Architectural feasibility studies explore whether buildings can be repurposed or extended. Net zero assessments inform decisions about which buildings are worth retrofitting and which are better replaced. And CDM services support any construction work that follows. The framework covers all of these disciplines, so the authority can appoint the technical consultancy needed for estate rationalisation through a single compliant procurement route. For councils in the early stages of structural change, Inprova’s team can advise on how to structure the call-offs to provide the right mix of disciplines for the estate review.

ISO 50001 is the international standard for Energy Management Systems. It provides a structured framework for organisations to manage their energy use, identify opportunities for improvement, and demonstrate continuous improvement in energy performance. For public sector organisations, ISO 50001 certification demonstrates a systematic approach to energy management that supports net zero commitments and provides a framework for ongoing energy performance monitoring and reporting. The net zero consultancy lot includes support for organisations working towards ISO 50001 certification. This covers the initial gap analysis to assess your current energy management practices against the standard, development of the energy management system documentation and processes, staff training and awareness programmes, internal audit support, and preparation for the external certification audit. For organisations that are already certified, the lot also supports the ongoing maintenance of the management system, including management reviews, continuous improvement planning, and surveillance audit preparation. ISO 50001 is particularly relevant for organisations managing large building estates where energy consumption is a significant operational cost and where external reporting on energy performance is required.

Yes. The engineering lot covers condition surveys as part of building services design, and the general consultancy lot covers measured building surveys and broader estate assessment. For organisations managing large building portfolios, condition surveys provide the data needed to plan maintenance programmes, prioritise capital investment, and understand the long-term cost of maintaining the estate. A condition survey typically assesses the structural elements, the building envelope, the mechanical and electrical systems, and the overall fitness for purpose of each building, producing a report that identifies defects, rates their severity, estimates the cost of remediation, and recommends a priority order for the work. For councils, NHS trusts, university estates, MOD installations, and other organisations managing dozens or hundreds of buildings, a rolling programme of condition surveys is essential for informed estate management. The framework provides a compliant route to appoint the consultants who carry out the surveys, and direct award provides speed for individual building assessments while mini-competition supports larger portfolio-wide survey programmes. Inprova’s team can support the specification development for survey programmes to ensure the scope, reporting format, and data requirements align with your estate management systems.

The engineering lot covers the design and specification of renewable energy systems including solar thermal, solar PV, wind turbines, ground source heat pumps, biomass heating, CHP, and micro-CHP. For public sector organisations planning renewable energy installations, the framework provides the technical consultancy needed to move from concept to installation. This starts with a feasibility assessment that evaluates which renewable technologies are appropriate for your building type, location, roof orientation, structural capacity, energy demand profile, and grid connection. The consultant then develops the system design, specification, and procurement documentation that allows you to tender the installation works. For organisations managing estate-wide renewable energy programmes, such as solar PV across a portfolio of school roofs or ground source heat pump installations at multiple council buildings, the framework provides a consistent procurement route for the design consultancy that underpins the programme. The net zero consultancy lot complements this by providing the strategic layer: assessing which buildings are most suitable for renewable installations, modelling the carbon and cost savings, and integrating the renewable energy programme into the wider estate decarbonisation strategy.

The general consultancy lot covers gas auditing and electrical auditing as part of the broader advisory services. These are independent reviews of your organisation’s gas and electrical compliance arrangements, distinct from the actual testing and inspection work that sits on Inprova’s Compliance Solutions framework. A gas audit reviews whether your gas safety management arrangements are robust: whether gas safety records are complete and current, whether your contractors are carrying out work to the required standard, whether your policies and procedures are adequate, and whether your organisation has the oversight needed to manage gas safety risk effectively. An electrical audit does the same for electrical safety. For organisations that want an independent assessment of their compliance arrangements, perhaps because a safety concern has been raised, an incident has occurred, or a regulatory inspection has identified weaknesses, these auditing services provide the specialist review and recommendations needed to improve. The distinction is important: the Compliance Solutions framework provides the contractors who carry out the testing and installation. This framework provides the consultants who audit whether the compliance arrangements are working properly. Using both together provides a robust governance structure for compliance management.

The condition of the school estate is one of the most pressing infrastructure challenges in the public sector. Many school buildings are decades old, with ageing M&E systems, deteriorating building fabric, and designs that do not meet current energy performance or accessibility standards. For multi-academy trusts and local authorities managing school capital programmes, every improvement project needs technical consultancy: an architect to design the refurbishment or extension, an M&E engineer to specify the heating, ventilation, and electrical systems, a principal designer for CDM compliance, and increasingly a net zero consultant to ensure the investment delivers long-term energy savings alongside the immediate improvement. This framework covers all of these disciplines. For MATs running rolling capital programmes across dozens of school sites, the framework provides a standing procurement route that avoids running a separate consultancy procurement for each project. Direct award provides speed for individual school projects where the scope is clear. Mini-competition supports larger programmes where the trust wants to evaluate consultants on their approach to working in occupied school buildings, their experience with output specifications for schools, such as the DfE’s in England, and their ability to manage design around term-time constraints. The net zero consultancy lot supports the development of trust-wide estate strategies that prioritise investment where it will have the greatest impact on building condition, energy performance, and learning environment quality.

The refurbish-or-replace decision is one of the most consequential choices an estate manager makes, and it depends on technical evidence that requires specialist assessment. A condition survey tells you the current state of the building fabric, structure, and M&E systems. A life-cycle cost analysis compares the total cost of maintaining and upgrading the existing building over its remaining useful life against the cost of demolition and new build. An energy assessment shows whether the building can be cost-effectively retrofitted to meet current energy performance standards or whether the fabric and systems are fundamentally unsuitable for retrofit. An architectural feasibility study tests whether the existing building can be adapted to meet current functional requirements. This framework provides the consultants who carry out each of these assessments. The engineering lot covers condition surveys, M&E assessment, and life-cycle analysis. The general consultancy lot covers architectural feasibility and measured building surveys. The net zero consultancy lot covers energy assessment and retrofit viability. For councils, NHS trusts, universities, and other organisations weighing up investment in ageing buildings, appointing through the framework provides the independent technical evidence needed to make the decision with confidence and defend it to board members, funders, and auditors.

In England and Wales, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies whenever building work is carried out on or near a shared boundary with an adjoining property. This includes work to a party wall (a wall shared between two properties), excavation within specified distances of a neighbouring building’s foundations, and the construction of new walls on or at the boundary line. Scotland and Northern Ireland don’t have an equivalent statutory notice regime, boundary wall disputes there are instead governed by common law principles of shared ownership, though the practical risk of getting neighbour relations wrong on a constrained site is similar wherever you’re building. For public sector organisations in England and Wales carrying out building projects, Party Wall Act obligations are easily overlooked in the early planning stages, but failing to serve the correct notices and follow the statutory process can result in injunctions that halt the construction work. The general consultancy lot covers Party Wall Act formalities and advice, as well as boundary and neighbour consultation support for projects in Scotland and Northern Ireland. A party wall surveyor appointed through the framework can advise on whether the Act applies to your proposed works, prepare and serve the required notices, negotiate party wall awards with the adjoining owner’s surveyor, carry out condition surveys of the neighbouring property to record its state before work begins, and resolve any disputes that arise during construction. For organisations managing building projects on constrained urban sites, particularly schools, offices, and civic buildings in town centres where neighbouring properties are close, getting these obligations right from the start avoids delays and legal costs once construction is underway.

Decarbonising a building’s heating system is both a net zero strategy question and an M&E engineering design question, and most projects need both disciplines. The net zero consultancy lot provides the strategic layer: assessing the building’s current energy performance, modelling the carbon and cost implications of different heating technologies, determining whether the building fabric needs improvement before a low-carbon heating system can work effectively, and developing the business case that justifies the investment. The engineering lot provides the technical design layer: once the decision is made to replace a gas boiler system with heat pumps, for example, an M&E engineer designs the heat pump system, specifies the emitter upgrades needed to work at lower flow temperatures, designs any supplementary heating, specifies the controls strategy, and produces the tender documentation for the installation contractor. For organisations running estate-wide decarbonisation programmes, the two lots work in sequence. The net zero consultant develops the estate strategy, prioritises the buildings, and produces the building-level retrofit specifications. The M&E engineer takes those specifications and develops the detailed technical designs for each building. Using both lots through the same framework provides a coordinated approach and a consistent procurement route across the full programme.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is the process of creating and managing digital representations of a building’s physical and functional characteristics. The UK government mandated BIM Level 2 (now referred to as the UK BIM Framework, aligned with ISO 19650) for centrally procured public sector construction projects. While the mandate applies specifically to central government procurement, many local authorities, NHS trusts, and other public sector organisations have adopted BIM as standard practice for their building projects because it improves design coordination, reduces errors during construction, and provides a digital asset that supports facilities management after handover. The general consultancy lot includes BIM-coordinated design as part of the architectural and design services. This means the architects and designers on the framework can deliver projects using BIM workflows, producing coordinated 3D models that integrate architectural, structural, and M&E design information. For organisations that require BIM on their building projects, whether as a policy requirement or because of the practical benefits, the framework provides consultants who can work within BIM-enabled processes. For organisations considering adopting BIM but unsure how to specify it in their project requirements, Inprova’s team can advise on how to incorporate BIM requirements into the call-off specification and what to expect from the design team in terms of deliverables, data formats, and handover information.