This year’s North West Regional Construction Wards (NWRCA2022), saw OA member CARA EPS proudly take centre stage alongside Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Procure Plus and IRT Surveys Ltd.
Cara EPS and IRT Surveys came together to develop an SME consortium to offer greater value and meet client needs in retrofit and net zero. This organisational innovation from the supply chain impressed the judges, winning the 2022 award for innovation.
Critical to the development of the consortium was collaborative procurement from Procure Plus and client leadership from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in awarding an early contract, enabling crucial road testing and development.
Mark Beirne, Managing Director, Cara EPS said:
“Huge thanks to all the team including our consortium partner IRT surveys. Also to Greater Manchester Combined Authority for providing an early opportunity to road test develop and grow. Procure Plus for all its support and strategic procurement to enable different business models so SME’s can compete”
The construction industry is bursting with challenges awaiting innovative solutions including decarbonisation, productivity, quality and skills shortages to name a few and there is a critical need to transform the way we build using new collaborative and innovative ways of working.
The development of the consortium showed an impressive mix of collaboration and innovation which the judges praised highly and the submission demonstrates innovation at the heart, through the development of a digitally-enabled integrated SME consortium working collaboratively to deliver end-to-end services in whole house retrofit and net zero.
The consortium’s appetite to embrace Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and digital technology was highly commended by the judges and deserving of the win. This organizational innovation also saw the supply chain coming together in a proactive and collaborative manner with a solution rather than waiting for a client market request.
Cara EPS, which started trading in May 2021, is part of the wider Cara Group, a medium-sized business trading for over 25 years in housing, infrastructure utilities and nuclear decommissioning.
The multi-disciplinary contractor provides a range of specialist, in-house, service solutions; delivered as both standalone disciplines and through cost-effective, integrated packages of work.
Mark Beirne, Managing Director at Cara EPS is also part of the Leadership Team at the Offsite Alliance (OA) and leads on engagement for the OA and strategic partners.
Gaynor Tennant, Founder of the OA said:
“Mark’s commitment and passion for the sector is outstanding as he continues to drive change for the built environment. The Offsite Alliance are thrilled for Mark and his team at Cara EPS and this recognition gives Mark a fantastic platform to further influence new collaborative and innovative approaches for the industry that will continually drive the change we so desperately need. Well done Mark!”
A practitioner of Constructing Excellence, this year Mark was also invited to speak at the King's College London Open Forum alongside Professor David Mosey on the ‘Impact of the Gold Standard on modern methods of construction, and is a keen advocate of SME’s and Offsite.
The new Gold Standard for frameworks is designed to drive greater consistency and integrate strategic procurement and collaboration to drive greater value and safety, manage risks, meet Net Zero Carbon targets and support a profitable construction industry.
Organisations involved:
Cara EPS - Greater Manchester Combined Authority - Procure Plus - IRT Surveys Ltd