Case Study — RailNetwork Rail Schemes
Lead cost management and Employer’s Agent services across Network Rail schemes from £50k to £150m, including station upgrades, signalling and new line works, plus a commercial audit role on East West Rail.
The challenge
Commercial control across a varied rail portfolio
On behalf of Network Rail, I acted as lead cost manager and Employer’s Agent on a range of schemes for its commercial division, with values from around £50k to £150m, covering both pre-contract and post-contract stages.
The work included station upgrades, signalling works and new line works, alongside secondments into Network Rail’s own commercial teams and a commercial auditing role on the East West Rail scheme.
Schemes were procured on a design and build basis through Network Rail’s frameworks, using Network Rail’s standard form of contract with amendments. Working on an operational railway meant cost and contract advice had to reflect possessions, access constraints and the interfaces between disciplines.
Project facts
At a glance
Client: Network Rail
Location: Various, UK
Value: £50k to £150m per scheme
Role: Lead Cost Manager and Employer’s Agent (pre- and post-contract)
Procurement: Design and build via framework
Contract: Network Rail standard form with amendments
Programme: Various
Cost planning
Estimates and cost plans for station, signalling and new line schemes, reflecting rail-specific risks such as possessions and access.
Framework procurement
Running mini-competitions and call-offs through Network Rail’s frameworks for design and build packages.
Contract preparation
Preparing contract documents on Network Rail’s standard form with scheme-specific amendments.
Tender analysis
Assessing contractor submissions and recommending award, with value engineering where needed.
Employer’s Agent
Administering design and build contracts post-contract: instructions, notices, payments and completion.
Valuations and change
Interim valuations, assessment of change and regular cost reporting against approved budgets.
Operational railway
Building possession planning, access restrictions and discipline interfaces into cost and contract advice.
Secondments
Working within Network Rail’s commercial teams, supporting their own staff on live schemes.
Commercial auditing
Commercial audit of East West Rail, testing cost records, payment processes and contract compliance.
Our approach
How each scheme was delivered
Budget
Setting a realistic budget and cost plan for each scheme.
Framework call-off
Packages procured through Network Rail’s frameworks on a design and build basis.
Award
Tender analysis, recommendation and contract preparation on the amended standard form.
Mobilisation
Agreeing programme, possessions and access arrangements before works started.
Delivery
Employer’s Agent duties, valuations and change control on the live railway.
Close-out and audit
Final accounts agreed, with commercial audit providing assurance on East West Rail.
The outcome
What this meant for the client
Rail-aware cost advice
Budgets and contract advice reflected the realities of working on an operational railway, from possessions to discipline interfaces.
Consistent commercial control
The same disciplined approach to procurement, valuations and change was applied from £50k jobs to £150m schemes.
Independent assurance
Commercial auditing on East West Rail gave the client an independent check on cost, payment and contract compliance.
Delivered by Ollie Thompson MRICS in a previous role at Mace. Planning a rail or infrastructure scheme? Talk to us about your project.
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