A new organisation will replace the multi-agency team repairing Christchurch’s quake-damaged streets and sewers.
Council says a new ‘hybrid delivery model’, which reproduces the best parts of the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT) model, will commence operations next year, reports Stuff.
Council city services general manager David Adamson says the new model could involve the five major SCIRT contractors – City Care, Downer, Fletcher, Fulton Hogan, and McConnell Dowell – but that there will be a “competitive” procurement process.
Council staff will present a report to the council on November 10. If that is signed off, there will be a request for proposals from interested parties.
The hybrid delivery model will initially work on the $450 million ‘three-waters’ programme planned for the first five years of council’s ‘Long Term Plan’.
Adamson says the new organisation will be smaller than SCIRT, with less overhead cost and bureaucracy, but that it will still provide certainty around future work for contractors.
“We think that it will be a win-win scenario.”
Central government and NZTA will not be involved in the hybrid delivery model at the beginning, adds Adamson.
“Initially, it will be used to deliver our ongoing water supply, wastewater and stormwater projects, but could be extended to transport or building programmes in the future.
“We are trying to make it flexible enough that we might be able to put through some roading projects that might involve NZTA.”
The new model will be predominantly council funded, but Adamson says government might get involved for some future projects, such as in the red zone.
Three panels made up from representatives of the construction and design industries will be formed.
Expressions of interest will be sought from suppliers for the design-build, construction and design panels.
SCIRT – the alliance between the city council, central government, New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) and five major contractors – is expected to wrap up operations by the end of the year.
Its job was rebuilding Christchurch’s ‘horizontal infrastructure’, mainly roads, bridges, water pipes, stormwater pipes, and wastewater pipes, after the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.
