Kier has been names as one of five principal supply chain partners on Frameworks Scotland 2.

The programme is a publicly-funded procurement initiative that will deliver £600m worth of construction, renovation and maintenance projects to a number of NHS facilities in Scotland over the next six years.

The announcement follows a procurement process which began in May 2012, during which bidders had to undergo a selection and evaluation process and demonstrate their willingness and capability to undertake capital projects in all areas of the country.

The appointment to the framework is a significant win for Kier, which holds similar positions in the acute health sector in P21+ in England and Designed for Life 2 in Wales.

The group is already an equity stakeholder in Hub South-West Scotland, which will deliver £600m of infrastructure investment in south-west Scotland over the next decade, making it ideally placed to become the NHS in Scotland's contractor of choice for both acute and primary care construction works. The company was also recently appointed to the Highlands and Islands Enterprise Property Prime Contractors Framework.

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Frameworks Scotland 2 covers the whole of Scotland and is designed to be a 'one-stop-shop' for the delivery of a range of design and construction projects as well as statutory compliance, backlog maintenance, business continuity-related works and risk reduction work.

It has been estimated that most projects will involve construction costs in excess of £1m.

Managing Director of Kier in Scotland, Brian McQuade, said: "Kier is delighted to be in a position to support the NHS on this strategically important framework. We look forward to working with the various boards in improving the patient experience throughout the NHS estate and the geographical spread of the work aligns well with our goal of increasing opportunity for local apprentice training and employment and for the development of local subcontractors and SMEs throughout Scotland."

A principal supply chain partner (PSCP) may be engaged to undertake a variety of duties including service strategies, estate strategies, business planning, developing the brief, design development and construction works.

In addition to the construction phase of a project, a PSCP can be appointed at various stages in the capital project planning process from the initial agreement stage, outline business case stage or at the full business case stage.

Interim Assistant Director of Health Facilities Scotland, John Connolly, added: "Frameworks Scotland supports faster delivery of projects, certainty of time, cost and quality, value for money and well-designed buildings procured within a positive partnering environment.

"Frameworks Scotland 2 builds on the success of the first framework which has seen 41 completed NHS facilities with a value of £336m delivered to date and a further 16 either on site or in development with a value of £144m."

(JP/CD)