Austroads new guide to procurement for road infrastructure projects

Austroads has published a research report on the trial of a new methodology that guides transport agencies through the infrastructure procurement process and produces high quality and cost-effective outcomes.

“When it comes to ensuring we achieve the best value from a new infrastructure project, it’s important to select the most appropriate project delivery model,” said Ross Guppy, Program Manager Transport Infrastructure.

“Selecting a model involves an element of risk and application of project specific requirements, including market conditions. Often qualitative approaches are relied on, but the diversity in project specific considerations can make this process difficult and when done incorrectly can result in disputes, poor quality or additional cost.”

“As a result, Austroads commissioned a research report on validation of a new Procurement Decision Tool, developed by the Queensland University of Technology, and its application to a major road project, Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, in Queensland.”

“The Procurement Decision Tool guides decision making by asking a number of questions and using the answers to find the best mode of procurement for a road infrastructure project, based on the state of the market and the needs of the project,” said Associate Professor Adrian Bridge, tool developer and report author.

“The tool identifies the most efficient contract packaging system and whether to use collaborative or competitive contracting to improve quality, timeliness and value for money.

“The tool is not biased to any mode of procurement, meaning there is objectivity in decision-making. In addition, both government and industry can effectively apply it, promoting accountability and transparency.

“It can be used to guide future procurement decisions and to evaluate a completed, or actual, procurement decision.”

A user guide for the tool, to be published by Infrastructure Australia, is in progress.

Download Procurement Decision Tool: A Case Study of the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing

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