Procurement Hub and Places for People have achieved Gold Standard Verification from Constructing Excellence for their Major Projects Framework (MPF2), with Farrans appointed contractor on MPF2 Lot 3 (Northern Ireland).

Procurement Hub, part of Places for People, has achieved a significant milestone as the first social enterprise and non-governmental organisation to receive this accreditation and also the first UK housing provider to be recognised. The £4.2 billion Major Projects Framework will deliver diverse construction work across various public sectors, including local government, housing, health, transport and education.

The scheme aims to ensure the public sector adopt urgent recommendations for improved value and to reduce risks on all their construction projects. The Gold Standard has 24 robust recommendations for best-in-class construction frameworks, with principles around collaboration, net zero, value for money, fair payment, supply chain management, and much more.

Procurement Hub's Major Projects Framework 2, accredited by Constructing Excellence and a panel of UK procurement and construction experts led by Professor David Mosey CBE, upholds Gold Standard principles. The panel praised the framework for meeting high accreditation standards and its robust collaborative approach with clients and supply chain members.

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MPF 2 offers an excellent opportunity for education, leisure, healthcare and local authority construction projects to benefit from early contractor engagement and a collaborative framework approach. Farrans is thrilled to support this Gold Standard in Northern Ireland.

Professor David Mosey CBE, Chair, Constructing Excellence Gold Standard Task Group, said: "I am very pleased that Procurement Hub/Places for People have achieved Gold Standard Full Verification of their MPF2 Major Projects Framework. Procurement Hub/Places for People and their Independent Verifier, Jason Russell of AtkinsRealis, have put enormous work into the verification process and have shown the power of Gold Standard frameworks and framework contracts to deliver significant benefits for public sector clients and the construction industry. Implementing the 24 Gold Standard recommendations will place Procurement Hub/Places for People in a strong position to work collaboratively with their clients and supply chain members through strategic planning, integrated teams and continuous improvement so as to deliver better, safer, faster and greener project outcomes."

Speaking on the accreditation, Alan Heron, Director of Procurement at Places for People, stated: "Procurement Hub is delighted to have been recognised as a Gold Standard framework provider. We are committed to continually improving public sector procurement and working alongside others who share the same values. The Public Sector, now more than ever, needs providers who truly believe in giving the sector robust frameworks, underpinned by professionalism, integrity, transparency, and a passion for both procurement and the public sector within which they operate."