Early awareness workshops and analysis can help a business to clarify its objectives and develop a robust strategic approach to collaborative working, identifying opportunities where this may add unique value.

Knowledge-building analysis and planning helps a business develop a specific implementation strategy for each identified opportunity, based upon a thorough business case.

Structured assessment of the capability and maturity of the business, to engage successfully in a collaborative initiative, particularly appropriate behaviours and competence, makes sure that the business is collaboration-ready prior to engagement.

Planned and structured identification, evaluation and selection of appropriate partners is fundamental to achieving each business' objectives.

Subsequently, joint planning and development of: governance, communications, organisation structure, risk, value, business process, performance and other management arrangements, establish the foundation for collaborative working. Selection of an appropriate contractual arrangement, for example: FAC-1/TAC-1, PPC 2000/TPC 2005 or NEC3/4, formalises the commitments made.

The establishment of joint innovation/improvement approaches, prior to commencing operations, is a key step in ensuring the creation of additional value for each partner.

Once the business or project relationship has commenced operations, joint management of ongoing collaborative initiatives ensures that additional value is created. Monitoring and measurement of the collaborative relationship and the performance it achieves, builds trust and provides an objective basis for continuing collaboration.

Early development and maintenance of a robust joint exit strategy ensures that, upon exit - for whatever reason, business continuity and reputation are maintained and potential opportunities for future collaboration are preserved.

There are many models for collaborative relationships, ranging from those of individual business gurus, through industry-specific models, such as the Strategic Forum's 'Integration Toolkit', to bespoke contract arrangements, such as those compiled under PPC 2000.



ISO 44001, the first international standard for collaborative business relationships, and predecessor BS 11000, provide both an effective life-cycle model and a management system for the development and implementation of collaborative business relationships. Although new, the mechanisms behind the standard have been developed and tested in such traditionally challenging contractual environments as aerospace and rail, and are now being used to underpin infrastructure and large-scale FM relationships.

We offer a full menu of facilitation services to support your collaborative business or project relationships, whether these are based upon ISO 44001, or a collaborative contract, such as PPC 2000. These are supported by our specialised technical services for the establishment, maintenance, audit and improvement of management systems.

Our staff have facilitated numerous collaborative single- and multi-constructor framework projects over the last two decades. They have provided relationship building, objective setting, strategic planning, performance measurement, value management, risk management and continual improvement workshops and systems for clients, consultants, constructors and their supply chains. Our Managing Director is an accredited [ISO44001] BS 11000 Collaborative Business Relationships Facilitator and Convenor of ISO TC286, the committee that developed the new ISO 44000 series of international requirements and guidance standards.