The Royal Bank of Scotland Group embarked on a rolling programme of work to refurbish NatWest and RBS branches, known as the BIMP Programme, in early 2005.

Ellmer Construction has now commenced the second year of the three-year programme, which has an annual spend of approximately £80 million.

The BIMP Programme covers England, Scotland, Wales and Ulster Bank branches in Ireland.

Mace has been appointed by RBS as Project Manager and Ellmer as Framework Contractor, for a share of the work within London and the South East (one of six regions throughout the UK).

The framework agreement is a direct contract with RBS, and sets out the terms and conditions under which individual branch projects can be placed to suit RBS’s requirements throughout the term of the agreement.

The site specific work that has been allocated to Ellmer, as Framework Contractor, includes new construction, repairs, refurbishment and alterations, or a combination of these ‘to bank properties’.

The works are graded and classified by RBS as ‘cosmetic improvements’, ‘reduced scope’, ‘enhanced classic’, ‘premier’ and ‘flagship’, which determines the budget allocated by RBS for each project.

Ellmer has been allocated the following projects for 2006:

1 no. Reduced Scope
8 no. Classic/Enhanced Classics
2 no. Business Centres
19 no. Cosmetic Improvements
All work continues to be carried out outside of normal working hours, as the banks remain open and operational during the week. This constraint virtually eliminates on site storage, and dictates the phasing of the programme, which varies from one branch to the next.

Limited on site storage presents a number of logistical difficulties. Labour and materials have to arrive together in order to complete the work in a clean and tidy fashion, and enable the branch to open for business the following morning.

The components and detailing are standardised for each branch, in order to give the branches a new corporate identity. This conforms to the 330-page ‘RBS Design Guide’.

All contract information is circulated electronically via the internet-based BIW System, including drawings, specifications, RFIs, programmes and orders to nominated suppliers from the supply chain.

Each contractor’s performance is monitored and measured by Mace and RBS, using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on a job-by-job basis. These are used to highlight any particular trends with respect to quality, programme, branch service, cost and CDM compliance. This in turn generates a process of continuous improvement opportunities and the development of supplier improvement plans.

June 2006