We have been invited by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to provide hard facilities management services on sites used by the country’s military Reservists and Cadets.
Approval has been given to bring sites which make up the Volunteer Estate into the MOD’s existing Built Estate contracts, which already provide Hard FM services to more than 400 Defence facilities across the UK.
The Built Estate contracts were awarded to ourselves at VIVO Defence Services, Mitie and Vinci in 2021.
The amendment will see 1,622 sites, which are supported by the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations (RFCA), receive key maintenance work, repairs, servicing and hard facilities management through the existing MOD Built Estate contracts.
In total, eight of the RCFA’s 13 regional UK areas will receive our services.
Significant consultation with stakeholders was undertaken, including a Value for Money Study, to ensure that the amendment provides an appropriate level of service and is cost effective.
The RFCA Estate will build on the benefits delivered across the Built Estate including the adoption of industry best practice maintenance standards, improvement in Health and Safety compliance and the use of improved technology to inform and manage the delivery of services and investment decisions.
Mobilisation of the new arrangements will follow the same best practice approach that was used to successfully mobilise the Built Estate contracts and a go live ISD date is set across all regions for1 August 2024.
James Crosfield, Senior Responsible Owner to the VE VFM Study, said: “I’m delighted that the MOD Built Estate contracts will now be adopted by the Volunteer Estate to deliver Hard Facilities Management for the Reserve Forces and Cadet Associations. This move supports the strategic alignment of the Volunteer Estate with the wider MOD Estate generating a ‘one defence ethos’ and offers the opportunity to transform the approach to maintaining the Volunteer Estate.
“Mobilisation of these new arrangements will now commence following the best practice Operational Readiness approach which was used to successfully mobilise the Built Estate Contracts.”
Maj Gen (Retd) Jamie Gordon, Chief Executive CRFCA, added: “I see the delivery of Hard Facilities Management on the Volunteer Estate by the Built Estate suppliers providing the RFCAs with the opportunity to transform the approach in assuring statutory and mandatory compliance, and providing a safe place for Reserves and Cadets to work and train.
“It also keeps the RFCAs front and centre in its role of maintaining and developing the Volunteer Estate. This is but one of the changes that the RFCAs have enacted to deliver their vital support of the Reserves and Cadets over the last 115 years.”
Jerry Moloney, Managing Director of VIVO Defence Services, said: “We are proud to work for the UK military and its partners through the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and are committed to ensuring the services we provide help enable our country’s defence capability.
“Extending our Hard FM services to the Volunteer Estate, via the important work already we do on the military’s Built Estate across the central and southwest regions, is a natural progression and we are very much looking forward to mobilising and working with this critical part of the MoD as well.”