Property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Perfect Circle has celebrated four years delivering Scape Group’s Built Environment Consultancy Services (BECS) framework – having been commissioned on more than 1,450 public sector projects during its term.
Set up in 2016 by sector-leading firms Pick Everard, Gleeds and AECOM, Perfect Circle delivers the broadest range of property, construction and infrastructure consultancy services available to the public sector via Scape’s BECS framework, which was due to come to an end in early October but was extended by three months to support partners and clients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Victoria Brambini, managing director at Perfect Circle, said: “We are immensely proud of the success we have achieved with Scape over the past four years, and the strong relationships we have forged with clients and our growing network of supply chain partners.
“Our public sector clients have benefitted from vastly reduced procurement time and real savings for the public purse. Together with Scape, we have delivered real value, ensuring social, economic and environmental benefits sit at the heart of every project – enabling clients to unlock true social value and create a lasting legacy for their communities. As a result, more than £44m in social value has been generated on projects commissioned via the framework, including the delivery of 900 hours of employability workshops.”
Perfect Circle has assembled a supply chain of more than 680 partners across the UK since the start of the framework, helping micro-businesses and SMEs to work with a diverse range of public sector organisations.
Victoria said: “SMEs are the backbone of our industry and the building blocks of strong local communities; their involvement in public sector schemes is vital. Our regional presence across the UK allows us to engage with local supply chains effectively and provide them with opportunities to work on schemes that directly benefit their communities – supporting their growth and ensuring that public money is reinvested in the area.
“The Scape BECS framework has significantly contributed to the government’s drive for levelling up in the UK and we are delighted to have spent more than £52m through SMEs on public sector projects.”
Despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Perfect Circle has continued to respond to the ongoing need for public services to be provided to communities – be it in designing new bridges and adding electricity charging points to car parks, or managing hospital refurbishments and school extensions.
The framework has grown, with the consultancy teams securing 89 new commissions over the past six months and reaching a height of activity that has generated month on month record fee earnings.
During this time, Perfect Circle provided valuable cashflow for its suppliers, ensuring crucial public sector schemes keep moving, generating local spend and adding inclusive social value.
Victoria said: “During 2020 in particular, SMEs have experienced – and are continuing to experience – a range of challenges. As well as continuing to preserve and support growth of opportunities for our suppliers by giving them a route to market, with consistency and collaboration with clients, we have continued to make fair and even faster payments. Over the past quarter, 100% of invoices have been paid in 30 days, with 60% of payments made in five days.”
Sara Boland, managing director of chartered landscape architecture practice Influence, added: “2020 has presented many challenges to the industry, with the impacts of both Brexit and coronavirus to consider.
“During this unprecedented time, working with Perfect Circle’s transparent, reliable payment terms has demonstrated their respect for and commitment to our relationship and the projects that we collaborate on. The certainty and assurance of trusted partners like Perfect Circle have been critical to supporting the planning of cashflow in businesses at this time.”
Scape’s BECS framework is the most efficient route to market, allowing direct award for commissioning services with full public procurement compliance. It significantly reduces the time needed for brief preparation – accelerating delivery of projects and programmes.
Mark Robinson, Scape Group chief executive, said: “The vast array of successful projects the team at Perfect Circle have delivered throughout the lifetime of the BECS framework is testament to the outstanding value this partnership has brought to the public sector.
“Importantly, this pioneering framework has achieved what we had all hoped. It has systematically introduced real change in the community, through our joint commitment to implement social value wherever possible.
“The partners that came together to form Perfect Circle know exactly what it takes to generate a positive legacy, something that will continue to play an increasingly integral role in shaping the future of the UK.
“To build back better means that every element of best practice that has been identified throughout this framework partnership is improved upon in the future. And we’re tremendously excited about seeing what can be achieved through our new consultancy frameworks.
“It’s clear that Perfect Circle has set a high bar and I look forward to seeing how the next generation of TeamScape consultancy partners respond to its unequivocal success.”
The £1bn, next generation Scape’s Consultancy framework will replace the current BECS framework for new commissions in January 2021.