Bowmer & Kirkland, ExtraSpace Solutions (ESS), Kier McAvoy, Kier Metek, Laing O’Rourke and Reds10 will be awarded contracts through an existing Crown Commercial Services framework.
The six companies have been told to “champion collaborative behaviour and innovation to improve delivery, learning from each completed project and using that knowledge to improve the next”.
The alliance, which will run for six years, is expected to see 16,000 new bedspaces built as part of a wider Ministry of Defence plan to build or refurbish 40,000 single living accommodation (SLA) bedspaces over 10 years.
In a quest for efficiency, a library of SLA designs has been created with a common base design and flexibility to adapt to the needs of a site and its personnel, such as the number of rooms required. The designs can be used for accommodation intended for short-term occupancy, such as recruits undergoing initial training, as well as permanent accommodation in military bases.
While the SLA design catalogue allows for different construction methods enabling adaptability, the SLA programmatic approach focuses on having the blocks built off-site in sections.
Over the next two years, a hybrid approach will be adopted with the full new approach being used for all projects from 2026 onwards.
Charlie Hoskins, director of major programmes and projects at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), said: “I am convinced this new alliance using a programmatic approach will be crucial to improve our broader delivery of single living accommodation. These blocks are one of the armed forces facilities we build the most and this approach will ensure we can safely build blocks faster, to a common design, ensuring consistency of standards and driving better value for money.
“Ultimately, this is about improving the living conditions for our armed forces personnel, and every one of our suppliers is motivated by this aim.”
