Alexander & Lloyd Group

The purpose of the project was to improve access to education in Manus by upgrading infrastructure at three high schools and three primary schools using a community based construction approach. This involved the letting of over 50 contracts to locally based builders and suppliers and delivering capacity building to both the local builders and communities to assist with developing the local construction industry and providing long term maintenance support to enhance sustainability. A by-product of the tendering processes was the building of good governance and transparency principles to the provincial civil servants responsible for tendering and awarding the contracts. Some schools were in very remote locations providing the management team with interesting logistical challenges, all of which were overcome. The project utilised innovative management practices to involve local communities and businesses and was considered highly successful by both stakeholders and the client, not only in educational outcomes and building maintenance sustainability but also by boosting the local economy, providing good environmental outcomes and promoting good governance principles. An extremely effective HIV-AIDS awareness program was also included in the project.

A&L were contracted by AusAID to initially scope and design the project and then as the Managing Contractor under a Managing Contractor Contract Model. As the Managing Contractor, A&L were responsible for the project management, surveying the works, architectural and engineering design and for subcontracting all the construction work to locally based builders and suppliers under A&L’s supervision. Innovative packaging and tendering procedures were used to subcontract the works. These procedures proved highly successful and were considered extremely effective by the stakeholders (Manus Provincial Government) and best practice by the client (AusAID).