The British Constructional Steelwork Association has launched its Rebuilding Britain campaign amid fears that UK contractors will lose out to foreign steel firms during the delivery of the Government’s National Infrastructure Plan.
The BCSA wants to see procurement guidelines put in place that prioritise best value and recognise the economic, social, environmental and quality benefits that UK firms can offer.
Director General Sarah McCann Bartlett said: “We need a fundamental shift in procurement guidelines to consider best value, not cost alone.
“Rebuilding Britain calls for immediate and practical action to enable UK-based companies to compete on an equal footing with international competitors.”
The campaign is calling for:
1. The economic benefits of using UK and Ireland-based firms to be written into procurement guidelines;
2. The benefits of using UK and Ireland constructional steelwork contractors to be recognised in procurement processes, including health and safety, environmental and quality control; and for
3. The constructional steelwork supply chain on all government funded, endorsed or PFI infrastructure and building projects to be procured using a BCSA quality assurance scheme.
A similar approach has been adopted since 2001 by the Highways Agency with approximately 1,850 steel highway structures delivered in this way.
The campaign is targeting the Mersey Gateway Bridge project as one of its first testing grounds.