OVID-BV : optimising value in decision making for best value in the UK social housing sector

The Governments’ promotion and support of Best Value within the Social Housing Sector has been a prime catalyst in the move by Registered Social Landlord’s [RSL’s] away from the traditional culture of acceptance of the lowest bid towards consideration of both price and quality criteria as a basis for contractor selection. Manifestly this radical change in the way the sector procures its construction services has forced many of its stakeholders to undergo significant cultural and organisational changes within a relatively short period of time, and problems have developed during this transitional period that have affected the efficiency of the best value process. This research traced the root causes of these problems and its overarching aim was to develop an approach which will enable RSL’s and their stakeholders to streamline the best value tender analysis procedure thereby allowing tenders to be dealt with effectively and efficiently whilst also creating a transparent and auditable decision making process. The approach has been established using a mixed methods research methodology utilising; case studies, surveys, rational decision analysis and system evaluation. The main output of the research is the development of a support tool known by the acronym OVID-BV which aids the multi objective decision making process. The underlying rationale for the support tool is based on the innovative use of uncertainty in decision making and the functionality of the tool uses a combination of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), multi attribute utility theory (MAUT) and whole life costing (WLC)

The development of a tender analysis support tool for use in social housing best value procurement

A number of studies have highlighted the problems and challenges that have been encountered with the analysis of best value tenders carried out in the UK public sector. This research has developed a methodology which enables project stakeholders to streamline the tender analysis procedure allowing tenders to be dealt with effectively and efficiently whilst also creating a transparent and auditable decision making process. A robust support tool has been developed which aids the multi objective decision making process by provoking rational discussion with respect to; the construction industry's key performance indicators (KPI's), the client's attitude to risk and provides a transparent audit trail of the decisions taken. The underlying rationale for the support tool is based on a combination of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), multi utility attribute theory (MAUT) and whole life costing (WLC). The methodology has been developed into user friendly software and the paper demonstrates the practical utility of the tool in operation

Achieving best value in social housing procurement

This research into the effectiveness of 'best value' procurement in the social housing sector analyses and critiques current procurement methods and assesses the potential ramifications of legal challenges to the strategic management of the best value process. The overarching aim of the research is to produce a contractor selection method that is; mathematically robust, transparent, open to audit and assists the user in the selection procedure. To date, the research indicates that the inherent problem with best value selection is that the measurement of quality is a subjective process and can therefore be defined and interpreted in numerous ways. In order to formalise a more appropriate measurement system, two case studies were carried out, to assess the pragmatic difficulties being encountered by stakeholders within the social housing sector. The conclusions of this research has laid the foundations to further ongoing research into the formation of an innovative best value contractor selection process based on the mathematical representation of rational preference, with the decision maker's attitude to the uncertainty factor in the selection process being represented by a utility function. When refined, it is anticipated that the model will be generic enough to add value to any construction procurement process within the social housing sector

Renew or repair existing window units? A best value approach

Renew or repair existing window units? A best value approac