Omnium’s Kieran Duckworth speaks at virtual Value Engineering Summit 2021

Featuring on an expert panel alongside Allison Wicks (Qualitaz), Tony Owens (Cundall) and Lee Hewitt (Core Emirates), Kieran’s group focused on the theme of ‘Putting the Value in Value Engineering’.

Procurement models & added value through collaboration

Kieran led the panel’s discussion on supply chain management, recognising the importance of collaboration between project consultants and stakeholders, and promoting the value that close partnership working can add to a project. These issues are critical to the way Omnium delivers its services, with every member of our team establishing strong relationships which not only bring efficiencies to projects but which last well into a development’s life cycle.

The panel addressed issues of quality, value and cost, procurement models that drive higher-quality projects, integrated project delivery by a dedicated project team, and the promotion and encouragement of collaboration within project teams.

During his discussion lead, Kieran commented:

“Reinforcing that main theme of engineering value, collaboration and realising the interdependencies that we all have, across all disciplines and all stakeholders. We can’t take a siloed approach. The negative aspect of focusing on short term capital gain is cost-cutting which brings in cheaper suppliers and cheaper products at later stages of a development, resulting in ultimately lower-quality contracts.

Simple procurement methods of a provisional sum approach with provisional sum budgets may look good, but will kick the can down the road. Technical assessment needs to be properly weighted, with weighting carried forward into a commercial assessment as well. Assessment and weighting should be appraised on value, not bottom-line cost.

Good procurement frameworks are important to increase early engagement, without the need to reinvent the wheel on every project, and embracing innovation and new technologies will bring about positive change.”

Omnium’s expertise adding value to the Value Engineering Summit 2021

Enjoying exceptional project experience, cost planning and unique benchmarking expertise, Omnium International was pleased to once again make a valuable contribution to the Value Engineering Summit, discussing key themes and generating talking points on value, which is central to so much of our work.

Kieran enjoyed his panel role, and the opportunity to speak in depth about our work. Thank you to the virtual host Nicky Dobreanu, the event’s organising team and to all delegates watching, and participating in, the discussion.