Home Office awards Accommodation Help Desk contract to Atkins - 15 April 2008
The Home Office has awarded Atkins a contract to provide an innovative Accommodation Help Desk (AHD) service to support the management of its own, and part of the Ministry of Justice’s, property estate. The contract will run for five years with the option for a further two year extension.
The AHD, based in Leeds, will support the management of approximately 1,200 properties accommodating around 45,000 staff. They include passport, immigration and probation offices, which are located mainly in the UK. The AHD will primarily serve as a secure single point of contact for Home Office and Ministry of Justice staff in relation to requests for facilities services.
Atkins’ AHD service is a high added value, IT-enabled property asset management solution which includes:
• A leading edge web-enabled Property Asset Management system utilising workflow technology.
• A 24/7, 365 days-a-year property intelligent helpdesk.
• Self service access to online management information, supported by proactive knowledge management services to enable informed decision making and property strategy setting.
• Performance management tools to enable the supply chain to focus on delivering best value customer service.
The award of a single AHD contract to Atkins forms part of the Home Office’s Estates Review to implement shared services in the management of its estate. Contracts have also been awarded for provision of FM services.
The innovative AHD solution provided by Atkins will generate knowledge that will enable the Home Office to improve the management and sustainability of its property assets and achieve the efficiency and effectiveness challenges set by The Gershon Efficiency Review and The Lyons Relocation Review.
Last year Atkins launched the Met Property Information Centre with the Metropolitan Police. The award of the AHD contract by the Home Office further consolidates Atkins’ position in the provision of property asset management solutions to the public sector.
Tony Edwards, Head of General Property at the Home Office, commented: “We were impressed by Atkins’ investment in state of the art IT systems and the skills and competencies of their staff. We look forward to working with them and our new FM partners to develop and deliver a new approach to high quality facilities services to our large and complex client base in the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice.”
Sean Haley, managing director of the Asset Management function at Atkins, added: “We are delighted to have secured the contract to provide the Accommodation Help Desk to the Home Office. The win confirms our commitment to delivering value adding, knowledge based services that enable our customers to focus on their core business activities. We are looking forward to working with the Home Office over the coming years and developing a mutually beneficial and sustainable relationship.”
ENDS
ENQUIRIES:
Lisa McLaren
Asset Management Communications Manager
Tel: 0113 306 6410 / 07834 507185
Email: lisa.mclaren@atkinsglobal.com
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Atkins is a multinational engineering and design consultancy, providing expertise to help resolve complex challenges presented by the built and natural environment. Atkins is the largest multidisciplinary consultancy in Europe; the largest engineering consultancy in the UK; and the world’s fifth largest design firm.
Atkins won Engineering Consultant of the Year 2008 at the prestigious Building Awards. The company was named among the “20 Best Big Companies to Work For 2008’ by The Sunday Times; The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2007; and The Times Top 50 Companies Where Women Want to Work 2007. The company was “Best of the Best” winner in the Target National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2007.
Atkins’ Asset Management function:
• Provides integrated property solutions for a range of major UK organisations including Barclays, Halifax Bank of Scotland, the Metropolitan Police and WH Smiths
• Currently manages over 16,000 properties across the UK.
• In 2008 won the RoSPA Order of Distinction for sixth consecutive year and Gold Award for 21st consecutive year
• Won the Premises & Facilities Management (PFM) Partners in Facilities Management Award 2007 for its partnership with Halifax Bank of Scotland.
• Holds the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) Certification for Standards of Excellence