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Catholic Schools 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy

Short Term Projects Program, NSW

Catholic Schools 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy
Client:
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD)
Project Value:
$1b
Years of Service:
2023 - 2024
Services Provided:
  • Strategic Business Case Development
  • Development of Master Plan
  • Transaction and Commercial Advisory Services

CSPD’s Short-Term Projects Program (STPP) is a large-scale educational infrastructure program with a strategic focus on delivering the 28 Short-Term schools.

The 28 Short-Term schools are identified within CSPD’s 10-Year Capital plan, which responds to urgent capacity constraints and delivers equity programs to mitigate educational disadvantages across CSPD’s portfolio.

Methodology in Addressing the Requirements:

To deliver the SBC in a timely manner, ConnellGriffin:

  • Developed, reviewed, updated and ensured alignment to project program
  • Developed the Scope of Services, Tender Evaluation Plan, Addendums, Tender Evaluation Report, Briefing Notes, Award Letters
  • Facilitated the tender process, including tender briefings, evaluation workshops and tender debriefs.
  • Managed the 10 Head Design architects and 3 cost estimators to develop masterplans, functional briefs, Package 1 scope, cost reports, and associated governance documentation across 28 schools;
  • Developed presentations and facilitated workshops with the STPP project group, consultants and key stakeholders;
  • Reviewed and recommended Package 1 scope based on project objectives, schools’ priorities, anticipated project costs, and allocated project budget;
  • Managed and reviewed consultant claims and variations, negotiating with consultants and drafting recommendation letters for client approval;
  • Managed and drafted the Strategic Business Case for funding approval.

Issues and Risk Management:

Prior to engagement, ConnellGriffin had identified the following key risks and mitigation strategies:

  • Program – Development of the masterplan for each school will require agreement from all stakeholders and consultants, which take a significant duration if not managed properly. At project commencement, CG developed a programme with all parties with set timeframes to manage stakeholders throughout the project.
  • Governance – Due to the existence of multiple stakeholders for each school, governance was a concern to be addressed. Prior to the engagement, governance and engagement approach for the key stakeholders were established to ensure that they had provided equal input into the masterplan development.

Stakeholder Management

A Stakeholder Management Framework was established at the commencement of the project to capture Stakeholders throughout the lifecycle of the project, based on the analysis of their needs, interests and potential impact on project success.

Throughout the project, all relevant groups were consulted to progress the Strategic Business Case. This included several key stakeholders during the Masterplan and Functional Brief development and additional stakeholder engagement was undertaken during the business case development phase to ensure alignment across all parties.

Achievements, Solutions and Value Adds:

A Strategic Business Case addressing the STPP was developed, which recommended a Package 1 Scope for each school based upon their project objectives and needs, whilst sitting within the funding envelope.

The ConnellGriffin team successfully facilitated the tendering / procurement process including Scope of services, Tender evaluation plan, Tender Evaluation Report, Briefing Notes, Award Letters and Tender Debriefs for the 28 schools. The team managed 10 architects and 3 cost estimators to develop masterplans, functional briefs, Package 1 scope, cost reports, and associated governance and strategic business case documentation across all 28 schools and delivered a Strategic Business Case in a timely manner which captured the scope, costs and objectives for all 28 different schools for funding approval.


Lessons Learned:

Development of Masterplan Style Guides and Contents Page - The project team released a standard style guide and contents page to all 10 head Design Architects, ensuring consistency and quicker reviews.

  • Allow for more revisions - CG worked closely with the client to set out clear expectations with the external stakeholders, and ensure alignment on the Package 1 scope.
  • Separation of Project Teams - 28 projects, 10 head design architects and 3 cost managers were assigned to 1 project team. This could have been better managed by allocating several schools to each team member to mitigate any mix ups between school and enable a faster project management approach.

CG Team Members Involved:

Michael Gibson Michael Gibson Director Lucy Stewart Lucy Stewart Director Henry Tran Henry Tran Advisor

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