Tetra Tech Coffey were engaged to provide Engineering to Contract and Project Management Services for the largest redevelopment project undertaken by New Zealand’s Ministry of Education.
Western Springs College is a co-educational secondary school for years 9-13 in Auckland. In 2014 the school was announced as one of the priority schools for redevelopment due to high growth in the surrounding area and a range of site related issues due to it being on a former quarry and landfill. Eighty per cent of the existing teaching spaces were to be replaced, with other teaching spaces to be upgrade it what is the largest ever school investment in New Zealand.
Tetra Tech Scope
Tetra Tech Coffey became involved in the redevelopment of this project during the enabling works contract stage after the initially appointed Project Managers were unable to service the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) rigorous requirements.
The project consisted of three contracts including the Temporary School Works, Enabling Works (excavation and remediation of landfill to provide a suitable building platform) and the Main Works Contract (demolition of the existing school building, construction of the new buildings, and refurbishment of several retained buildings).
Our Services included Contract negotiation, Project Management of Construction, reporting to the Project Steering Group and 3916 Engineer to Contract.
Project Challenges
Tetra Tech Coffey initially resolved the outstanding matters of the temporary school contract covering overlooked scope, unchecked variations, and documentation of project completion. Governance of the project required meticulous management due to the multiple direct and indirect stakeholders involved.
- Established regular Design Control Group meetings with the School and key stakeholders to sign off design elements.
- Conducted Planning and Impact meetings with the school and contractor to manage the impact of significant construction in a live school setting.
- Implement rigorous meeting and reporting systems for the MoE to control the Main Build contract and inform stakeholders and the combined Steering Group.
- Renegotiated the Main Contract on behalf of MoE with a Tier 1 contractor. The contract is a NZ 3916:2013 Design and Construct contract, with design consultants originally appointed by the MoE novated to the Main Contractor.
- Split the Main Contract into four portions to track and manage the widely differing packages of work involved.
- SP2: Demolition of 80% of original school buildings and site landscaping
- SP3: Conversion/remediation of retained buildings
- SP4: Construction of a property management compound
- Management of the Contractor throughout the construction phase including evaluation and determination of EoT, Variation, and Progress claims in conjunction with the client-side QS.
Project Achievements
The Temporary School contract was completed under budget.
The Enabling Works contract was completed on time and in budget, with all environmental risk factors of asbestos and landfill gases resolved.
A revised Main Contract price was successfully negotiated between our client and the main contractor. This was due to project scope changes, an accelerated programme, clarification of provisional sums and disputed design and build novation items.
All four new teaching blocks were completed in a live environment and are now successfully occupied.
Services Provided
Client name: New Zealand Ministry of Education
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Duration: 2018 – 2021
Services provided: Engineering to Contract and Project Management Services