SEC Group looks for best practice in construction for the Olympic Games

The promotion of best practice in awarding the contracts for the £2.4 billion-worth of construction projects for the Olympic Games in London is being promoted by SEC Group to the authority delivering the games. SEC Group, which represents specialist engineering contractors, will be advising the authority to adhere to the recommendations of the recent report of the National Audit Office ‘Improving public services through better construction’. Speaking for SEC Group, Lord O’Neill of Clackmannan said, ‘The Olympics will be a sporting showcase. The construction projects should be a best-practice showcase.’ SEC Group will highlight the need for projects to be delivered using integrated teams of consultants, constructors and manufacturers appointed at the planning and design stages. Lord O’Neill added, ‘We will be advocating the use of project bank accounts and project insurance arrangements to reinforce teamworking. We will be vigilant in ensuring that there will be no adversarial practices such as retentions.’ The group plans to raise these issues in a meeting with Tessa Jowell, the Olympics Minister.