Collaboration with Framework Suppliers
''Please set out your proposed approach to achieving strong partnership working with other Consultancy Framework Supplier (highlighting the keys, and potential barriers, to success). As part of your response please describe what steps you propose to take, to develop the tripartite collaborative, high performing culture we require. Please include how you intend to engage with other Framework suppliers, and what resources and relationships you see as keys to success. It is a mandatory requirement that the appointed suppliers can work constructively with other consultants on the framework and with other consultants/digital service provides supporting Scottish Water's transformation. Responses that do not demonstrate this will be deemed as failing this mandatory requirement and will not be taken further in the procurement process''. - Scottish Water
Introduction
We fully recognise the need for Scottish Water to create an ecosystem in which it can thrive and create a high-performing culture. VISION is fully committed to achieving strong partnerships through collaborative working relationships with other Consultancy Framework Suppliers including Scottish Water’s Digital Strategic partners Atos, Capgemini, and Fujitsu, the other consultants on this framework once awarded, and Scottish Water’s Strategic Transformation Consultancy partners – McKinsey and Ernst and Young.
In our project in Flooding in 2018, we demonstrated our ability to both act as a collaborative partner and lead collaborative partnerships with other organisations, bringing VISION Consulting, Arcadis, and Relevate to work with Scottish Water, aBV, Stantec, M2 and Arc.
Working with the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) as part of the COVID19 Pandemic Response, VISION successfully collaborated with other large framework suppliers (Price Waterhouse Cooper, Ernst and Young, and Deloitte among others) and other public sector organisations and Government departments. We took the lead in coordinating the rapid and complex set-up of contact tracing centres at the start of 2020 as part of the test and trace programme in Ireland. With the incredible pace we set and the highly successful coordination and collaboration techniques we used to deliver the programme with other suppliers and entities, we were appointed by HSE to take the lead in the large-scale rollout of the National Vaccination Programme through the community-based services providers in Ireland and the National Antigen Testing Programme to multiple cohorts in Ireland.
Some of the consultancies and organisations we are currently collaborating with on other transformation engagements include Pluralistic Networks, Ninety Consulting, Indepen, and Relevate.
Our Main Approach to Collaborating with other Suppliers in the Framework
Commitment-based management™ (CbM) is modelled on the way agile, entrepreneurial start-up teams work. We will use this methodology in all our collaborations with other consultancy framework suppliers. By doing so, we are clear at the outset of the conditions of satisfaction for the project and the commitments we all hold to our client and each other. We can quickly navigate through any emerging challenges or breakdowns and pivot our work and our commitments to deal with them.
Our main approach in using CbM is to introduce governance meetings at three levels across Scottish Water and its partners and suppliers and use CbM practices in these meetings to get clear on our commitments, come to an agreement on important issues, and generate new opportunities for helping each other out. The first level consists of people working with team leads, the second level is people working with middle-level managers, and the third level is people working with senior managers and leaders. Some of the key CbM principles we use in these meetings include:
All members make commitments to each other and take on the added commitment of supporting each other where challenges arise.
Each commitment is specific and has a precise standard of quality, time, and cost. Negotiations clarify; questions are asked during execution; and feedback is regularly given.
Operations meetings are focused on challenges encountered in trying to fulfil commitments.
Everyone manages his or her own mood and identifies others who have fallen into bad moods, coaching and supporting them out of it.
Successful collaboration with Consultancy Framework Suppliers also depends on the following Resources, Relationships, and Culture:
Strong Customer Requests from Scottish Water
Clearly Identified Overall Commitments and Conditions of Satisfaction
We request that the overall commitment to Scottish Water for each program be clearly set by Scottish Water, with specific conditions of satisfaction, and open and frank conversations between suppliers regarding the collaboration required to achieve those conditions. We request that contracts and work orders make the responsibilities clear and explicit.
‘No blame’ Environment to Generate Trust
All suppliers will need to work in a ‘no blame’ way with a true intention to collaborate for the sake of delivering the best outcome to Scottish Water. Where there are differences between suppliers, we request that Scottish Water facilitate workshops to reach resolution in its role as the ultimate customer.
Mood of Curiosity
Play to Strengths and Specialisms
Each partner will need to be aware of their own strengths and specialisms, and of the role that Scottish Water intends them to bring. Specific commitments should be aligned with strengths and specialisms, with room to offer input and collaborate.
In practical terms this means that we would propose the following in engaging with other Framework Suppliers and Scottish Water:
Quarterly meetings between Account Directors of all Consultancy Framework Suppliers; facilitated by the Scottish Water General Manager for Transformation.
Monthly risk and opportunity meetings for Consultancy Framework Supplier Programme Managers of all programmes with linkages, dependencies and potential synergies; facilitated by Scottish Water.
Virtual collaboration tools to enable communication, sharing of insight and ideas and through which Scottish Water can provide updates to all Consultancy Framework Suppliers. This might be through existing Scottish Water mechanisms such as Sharepoint or newer applications such as Slack, Miro boards and so forth.
This approach has been designed to address potential barriers to collaboration including:
The misalignment of activity
Duplication of activity or missed activity
Lack of communication
Destructive competition within the partnership
Unhelpful behaviours including blame, withholding of information, and undermining of collaborative efforts
Above all, however, our approach is one which places Scottish Water at the centre and ensures integrated and aligned delivery through collaborative partnership.
