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AOF Acquisition Operating Framework

The high level principles and information that guide how the UK MOD Defence Acquisition Community works

version 2.0.21 – March 2010

Content

What and How Defence Estates (DE) Delivers

Key Acquisition Projects

Regional Prime Contracting

  • Five Regional Prime Contracts (RPC's) are now in place. These are large contracts and range in value from £400-£750m.
  • A Prime Contractor has single point responsibility for managing and delivering an integrated estate service. This includes both new build and maintenance of the existing infrastructure.
  • Regional Prime Contracts will run for seven years initially, with an option to extend the period to 10 years subject to satisfactory performance.

Single Living Accommodation Modernisation (Project SLAM)

  • Project SLAM makes an important contribution to the Department’s commitment to upgrade single living accommodation by 2012. In its first five years (Phase 1) the project will deliver around 15,000 bed-spaces and an additional 3295 bed-spaces in years 6 – 10.
  • Project SLAM is an important factor in the recruitment and retention of service personnel.
  • The project aims to deliver significant capital cost savings in single living accommodation.
  • The project represents our commitment to a philosophy of innovation and continuous improvement through adopting measurable performance indicators.

Project Aquatrine

  • Following the 1998 Strategic Defence Review, MOD developed its Estate Strategy that identified the management of water and wastewater as a non-core business that should be outsourced using private sector expertise.
  • The Project is being delivered through three separate Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts or ‘packages’ covering the provision of services across the UK.

MOD Estate in London (Project MoDEL)

  • Project MoDEL aims to develop an estate of the right size and quality to support the delivery of defence capability within Greater London.
  • Consolidating facilities occupied by MOD and, potentially, the United States Visiting Forces (USVF) on to fit-for-purpose ‘core’ sites will generate a number of benefits, including:
    • Reduced running costs
    • Improved efficiency
    • Consolidated resources.

MOD Sustainability and Environmental Appraisal Tool Handbook

The MOD Sustainability and Environmental Appraisal Tools HandbookExternal link to Ministry of Defence Intranet content is the single point of reference for the suite of appraisal tool methodologies used on Estates related plans, programmes, projects and activities. It sets out guidelines and methodologies for the suite of tools (or the ‘Appraisal Tool Hierarchy’).

Health and Safety

Health and SafetyExternal link to Ministry of Defence Intranet content is the priority within the construction industry with zero tolerance to incidents and near misses. DE has a robust assurance and audit regime to ensure this target is met.

Other Government Departments (OGDs) and industry often adopt DE’s “safe systems of working” as best practice.

Disposal of Surplus Land and Buildings

DE is responsible for the disposal of surplus land and building, maximising the receipt to MOD.

Historically this was dependant on Top Level Budgets (TLBs) declaring sites surplus. Under the Estate Strategy development lines - where DE manages the estate as a “corporate asset” - DE is now proactive in rationalising the estate and identifying sites for disposal with agreement of Customer TLBs.

Supplier Management

DE recognises that effective and constructive engagement with industry is central to improving performance, generating the best Value for Money (VfM) and cementing collaborative relationships.

To help facilitate effective engagement with Industry, DE has developed a Supplier Management strategy which focuses on ‘Key Supplier Management' ’ and ‘Relationships with wider industry’.

To both underpin and promote this DE, in collaboration with their principle suppliers, launched Supplier Associations (SA) in November 2005.

The Prime Contracting SA includes DE and Supplier representatives from:

  • All of the 5 RPC’s
  • Project SLAM
  • Housing Prime Contract
  • Chicksands
  • Vanguard.

The Aquatrine SA includes DE and Service Provider Representatives from:

  • All three Aquatrine Packages.

Engagement with supply chains to gain their input and foster closer integration is also encouraged.

The overarching purpose of the SA’s is to create a win-win environment where, shared business improvement work – with resources from all parties – provides tangible benefits to DE, Industry and our Customers.

Contacts

Defence Estates

Owner

Post
Director Agency Secretariat (Defence Estates)

Point of Contact

Post Email Phone
Defence Estates Commercial – Policy DEComm-Pol@mod.uk
  • Mil: 94421 3600
  • Civ: +44 (0) 121 311 3600
Change History

Change History

The AOF has been updated to Version 2.0.0 on 1st April 2008 following the introduction of the main content in the tactical layer. In addition small changes have been added to the Operational layer. Individual document Change History pages will detail any changes other than minor editorial amendments.

1 October 2009
Minor amendments made for Plain English review.
1 March 2008
Contact details amended due to change of personnel and DII migration.
1 June 2007
Contact names deleted due to IAW DDefSy Hd InfoSy Pol advice with regards to potential Security and Data Protection Act issues.