New way of tendering deserves kudos

Innovation is not always in technology, but often in a way of working. The province of South Holland can be proud of the new form of procurement they are applying to the Steekterbrug project. The approach is based on the DOEN method, with which Rijkswaterstaat has already gained experience, and is adapted in parts to the province's way of working; we keep in touch with Rijkswaterstaat to mutually exchange our experiences. 

The work involves replacing the old Steekter Bridge and is the responsibility of the province's Steekter Bridge core team. We spoke to members of the core team about a new form of procurement, which provides the necessary change from traditional working methods.

Speaking are Hans Schutjes, project manager, Eliane Scharten, environment manager and Marcel Kluter, contract and technical manager. All members of the core team project Replacement Steekterbrug. Tendering for the work began in November 2019 and continues through November of this year. Demolition of buildings and relocation of a ditch, cables and pipelines began in the first quarter of 2020.

Selecting contractor based on attitude and behavior

Kluter opens the conversation, "With our new way of tendering, we want to work significantly differently. We want to have more interaction with the contractors, in which two things are central for us. Going into the design process together, strengthening the integrality in works and design, and we want to select the contractor based on his attitude and behavior." This involves four objectives, we learn. Kluter continues: "Call it 'the four commandments'. The first is that we go for optimal cooperation. The second is that we want to avoid waste in every process at all times. The third is that the desired quality is delivered; no concessions are made in this. And the fourth is also very important: honest work must be done for honest money."

These four pillars are included in the tender, and everything that is done is subject to testing against the four commandments. How do you select the contractor, we ask. Kluter: "We issued a call for tenders in which we provided only global information about the project itself. No drawings, requirements or design were included. We simply asked them to come up with a vision, based on our requirements for working together. We received a number of vision documents, from which we selected five companies that could proceed to phase two. Of course, we did check whether those selected met the technical requirements and whether they had sufficient experience in building bridges."

Phase two: assessment under independent supervision

The five selected companies were then subjected to assessments by agency Twijnstra and Gudde, which would show attitude and behavior. Schutjes explains: "For this we designed cases. The first was fictitious, the second was grafted onto the Steekterbrug. It is impossible to play stage then, Twijnstra and Gudde monitored everything." Kluter adds, "We too went into the assessment process as a team. For both the participating contractors and for us, this sometimes produced emotional moments. After all, you are held up to a real mirror. That is sometimes hard to swallow, but the goal is also to take a critical look at your own organization. That was an advantage we did not expect and good things came out of it. The first time we went 'wet' as a team. We did something with that and we now work as a team more openly, honestly and we share more." Our conclusion is that the assessment itself already meets the four pillars. Kluter agrees. Scharten notes, "Even for the contractors it was sometimes a bit of a swallow, but the reward of participating in the assessments is a much deeper understanding of your own organization."

A matter of trust

From Twijnstra and Gudde, the Steekterbrug Core Team received only the grades in the final assessment. "So we don't know what the contractors answered, we only see the final score. That allows us to be impartial, trusting 100% the competence of Twijnstra and Gudde." 

Schutjes continues: "A probity manager has also been established, who in turn monitors the assessments. Contractors can also go to him with their questions; he acts as an ombudsman. By working this way, we keep everything fair. We ask the contractor for their own justification of the budget and help themselves. For the contractors who participated in the assessments, it was sometimes a little difficult, they are not used to this. The information we provided them with was only the high-level information they needed to know in order to go into the next phase."

The choice has been made

Scharten: "Phase 3 in the process was the plan of action; how do you arrive at a design? Things like process and risks are important here. We are currently in phase 4, the design phase and business formation, together with the intended contractor. The choice has fallen on contractor combination Heymans Hillebrand." Kluter explains, "In this phase, it must be demonstrated that all top objectives, in terms of budget, within time and with acceptable disruption, are met and the design meets the desired quality."

The award will take place in Phase 5. "That is then the construction, along with another piece of design," Scharten said. Schutjes adds, "The risks must also be borne and fit within the budget. Everything works its way deep into the organization. People will really have to get used to working with us. But ... here, too, trust is the key word. By working this way, we also offer room for innovation. Also, managers are not called in at the last stage, but are involved from the beginning. Actually, this way of working is a big party."