Services Delivered:
- Design and Construct Transaction Management;
- Design, Build, Operate and Maintain Transaction Management
- Independent Certifier Transaction Management
Key Outcomes
PLR Stage 1 was one of the first major infrastructure projects in NSW to respond to the “NSW Government Action Plan: A ten point commitment to the construction sector”, which was introduced during the Tender period. This led to identifying and implementing innovative aspects of the transaction to respond to the Action Plan, including the desire to reduce tendering costs and to ensure highly interactive and collaborative practices were embedded in project.
This process ensured both TfNSW and the tenderers were fully informed about each other’s drivers and objectives leading to high quality submissions and the eventual award of the contracts, on time and on budget. The process also led to the development of strong relationships between TfNSW and the tenderers that will be transferred into the delivery phase of the project. The team also provide a high level of commercial and technical support duringnegotiations and contract finalisation with the preferred tenderer.
The Project
Parramatta Light Rail (PLR) is one of the NSW Government’s major infrastructure projects being delivered to serve a growing Sydney. Light rail will create new communities, connect great places and help both locals and visitors move around and explore what the Western Sydney region has to offer.
PLR Stage 1 will connect Westmead to Carlingford via Parramatta CBD and Camellia with a two-way track spanning 12 kilometres, and is expected to open in 2023. The route will link Parramatta’s CBD and train station to the Westmead Precinct, Parramatta North Growth Centre, the new Bankwest Stadium, the Camellia Town Centre, the new Powerhouse Museum and Riverside Theatres cultural precinct, the private and social housing redevelopment at Telopea, Rosehill Gardens Racecourse and three Western Sydney University campuses.
Client's Objectives
TfNSW received approval from the NSW Government in May 2017 to procure contractors for PLR Stage 1 through an innovative multi-contract procurement model which includes the following contracts:
- Early Works Contract
- Enabling Works Contract
- Major Works Contract - Infrastructure Contract
- Major Works Contract - Supply, Operate and Maintain (SOM) Contract, and
- Independent Certifier.
TfNSW brought a team of ConnellGriffin Advisors on board to develop and implement a collaborative and innovative transaction strategy—driven by the desire to have an operator-led solution for the project—to procure suitable and appropriately qualified contractors for PLR Stage 1. ConnellGriffin also provided strategic support through a high performing and highly skilled team, placing the achievement of the best outcome for TfNSW at the centre of the transaction strategy.
Key Issues
The accelerated program to procure each contract presented challenging timeframes to ensure the light rail will be operational in 2023 as committed to by the NSW Government. The multi-contract procurement model also created complex and intricate interfaces between each contract which required clear delineation and definitive scope splits and contract obligations. The ConnellGriffin transaction management team was credited as being a key enabler for TfNSW to meet the tight deadlines for the procurement of the Infrastructure Contract.
Our Services
The transaction management team has been responsible for developing and implementing the procurement strategy, program and plans (including EOI phase, tender phase, evaluation process, negotiation phase and contract award). The tender phase included a highly collaborative and interactive process, supporting pre-tender briefing sessions, chairing and facilitating technical and commercial interactive sessions, and managing the correspondence between tenderers and TfNSW (including reviewing proposed responses from the project team to tenderer queries).
ConnellGriffin’s Advisors have been co-ordinating TfNSW’s wider project team (including technical, construction, utilities, communications, environmental, sustainability, commercial and legal teams) and been undertaking detailed reviews of all documentation produced by the wider project team to ensure consistency, clarity and brevity in all communications with tenderers. Our Advisors have been responsible for resolving various complex technical and commercial issues, as well as developing the technical scope and performance documentation. They also supported TfNSW’s progress through two INSW gateway reviews.