Faithful+Gould has been appointed by National Highways to provide commercial management services to support the multi-billion pound investment strategy to improve the UK’s Strategic Road Network (SRN).

The appointment creates a partnership which will spearhead a step-change in the way commercial services are delivered to National Highways, with a new focus on digital innovation and delivery of affordable and carbon-friendly schemes.

By winning the four year contract to deliver commercial management services for National Highways across its Road Investment Strategy 3 (RIS3) pipeline portfolio, Faithful+Gould continues to rapidly expand its influence in the transport market.

The scope of work includes:

• Establishing a commercial steering group within one of National Highways’ delivery programmes objectives of predictability, efficiency and value for money;
• Implementation of the commercial processes, tools and systems from the Hub into the pipeline schemes providing budget management and forecasting;
• Commercial reporting and monitoring as well as cost audit, contract advice and change management.

The appointment is a significant milestone for Faithful+Gould and ensures it will play a key role in supporting National Highways’ goal of delivering safer, smoother and more reliable journeys for users of the SRN.

Gurtej Golar, National Highways client director for Faithful+Gould said: “This is a really important appointment for us as we’ll be working on the RIS3 pipeline schemes, supporting the economic growth of the country as it bounces back from the Coronavirus pandemic and delivering better value to the taxpayer. This gives us the opportunity to work on the largest highways portfolio that directly impacts the lives of people living in England and the economic resilience of the country. It also offers our people the chance to make a difference in the way commercial services are delivered In National Highways by raising the bar. This contract provides an exciting opportunity to set a culture to commercially drive the digital and carbon agendas in equal measure, whilst working in collaboration with others to harness innovation and share best practice.”

Dr Dave Hull, commercial programme director for the Complex Infrastructure Programme at National Highways, said: “We have been working with Faithful+Gould on the RIS3 pipeline projects for a period of time now. As we move forward with an enhanced operating model to drive higher commercial standards through our business, we are delighted they have demonstrated a strong understanding of our ambition. We look forward to reaping the rewards of savings to the taxpayer and more efficient delivery as we embed this further as part of the mobilisation of the Faithful+Gould team as part of our fully integrated team.”

In addition to the expertise Faithful+Gould will bring to the contract, its offer is strengthened further by key partners through the supply chain, including performance management specialists JCP Consultancy.

Simon Vaughan, managing director at JCP Consultancy, said: “This is a great win by our partners Faithful+Gould, an exciting commission that will enable sustainable change to emerge so that National Highways and its supply chain deliver greater value to the wider highways community, its customers and stakeholders. Having been at the forefront of collaborative initiatives for over 25 years, JCP are proud to be taking our relationship with Faithful+Gould to another level, allowing us both to enhance our current relationships with National Highways, and enabling us to further embed our work across major RIS3 pipeline projects.”