may or may not be taken for a ride will remain forever unknown”
properly, are often more complex than even the clients themselves appreciate. There are quite a few issues arising from this that I have difficulty with. Firstly, the ball is entirely in the contractor’s court. A single contractor approached in this way may well think of a number and, as far as the client is concerned, that is how much the project will cost. An element of competitive tendering could be brought into play by asking the same question of several contractors, assuming the client knows who to contact, but the primary aim of each and every one of those contractors will be to maximise their profits, not necessarily to give the client the best facility. The very vagueness of the question allows the contractor to operate in a world that the client is entirely mystified by. In this procurement process, the extent to which the client may or may not be taken for a ride will remain forever unknown. Another problem is that the wider implications of the project are not taken into consideration. For example, such projects usually require planning permission and the phrase ‘get through planning’ will soon enter into the conversation. In terms of achieving the best overall quality of any new facility it seems to me that we, as an industry, should have greater aspirations than simply to meet those standards laid down by planning authorities. Competitive tendering amongst companies that offer ‘design and build’ will not automatically allow this to happen. This is where the consultant enters the
picture. Having said that, we don’t know everything. It should be said that we are consultants because we have made it our
business specifically to investigate and try to understand the issues and principles involved. This allows us to place an individual project in the wider setting. We can anticipate and address planning issues, resolve technical problems, maximise environmental benefits and, hopefully, make a new facility deliver more than its core purpose.
When the client asks for the best quality we will ensure that they achieve this in every respect, many of which the client may not even have thought about. Needless to say, we must also deliver the best value for money. The drawing up by a consultant of a detailed specification, drawings and contract documentation, and going out to tender with that, will ensure that the tender process is not allowed to operate in the vague and mysterious commercial world that exists among the various contractors and suppliers. Using a detailed specification drawn up beforehand ensures that contractors really are forced to compete upon a level playing field, and one where the referee, though he can’t control the outcome, at least gets to see and control exactly what is going on.
Of course the client has to pay the consultant to do this. Unfortunately, our fees are often resented. I think this is partly because the word ‘consultant’ brings to mind management consultants and the like who are drafted into large public sector organisations where they are seen, by the majority, to bring no tangible benefit at enormous cost.
I do not think this can be said of the consultants in the sports industry. Organisations such as RIPTA (for the
“The extent to which the client
natural turf consultants) and SAPCA (which has the Professional Services section for consultants) have been established with the highest motive, genuinely to deliver the best quality to the client.
A good consultant will go out of his way to find the best way of doing things. He’ll keep himself up to date with developments in the industry. He will also try to maintain good relations with contractors, and within the industry in general, so that projects can be concluded smoothly and amicably with the least cost to the client. As consultants, we spend a great deal of money on liability insurance, because we know that, we alone, will be liable should things go wrong. We don’t want this to happen, of course, which is another reason we try to produce tight specifications that will deliver the best end product. ‘Honour good men and women; be courteous to all; bow down to none.’ This is a phrase that some Edwardian schoolchildren were asked to memorise as part of their instruction in personal development. I think it is a wonderful phrase because it encapsulates my approach to life in general, and to the running of my consultancy business in particular. When you’re dealing with a technical issue you need technically minded people who know a lot about the job. You must show respect to those people that know more about things than you do. You are not beholden to others that may be in the middle of commercial price wars, or deals made with other people around issues that have nothing to do with you.
Dr Tim Lodge, Agrostis Turf Consultancy Ltd. Tel: 01359 259361
www.agrostis.co.uk
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info@sweepfast.com www.sweepfast.com www.tartanbahn.de 105
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