Trowers & Hamlins has transferred the rights to the PPC2000 suite of contracts it authored to a ground-breaking joint venture between the Association of Consultant Architects (ACA) and the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE).  This JV aims to place the two organisations at the cutting edge of collaborative procurement.

As leading representative bodies of architects, engineers and other consultants, the ACA and ACE have joined forces to promote and develop the PPC2000 suite of partnering contracts, working together through these contracts to achieve better value and better quality in building projects.  This initiative comes at a time when PPC2000 has been endorsed by Government, PPC2000 and TPC2005 were used for three of the four recently published Government Trial Projects, and PPC2000 has been proven as a natural home for BIM.

The PPC2000 form of project partnering contract and the long-term partnering contract TPC2005 create two-stage forms of appointment with provision for improved value ahead of start on site and thereby offer "a complete procurement and delivery system, distinct from other types of contract available" (Arup Report for OGC, 2008).

Charles Morrish, London Head of Projects and Construction at Trowers & Hamlins, commented:  "Project partnering agreements deliver significant savings to the capital cost of construction projects for both public and private sector organisations.  The PPC suite of contracts have delivered successful projects at lower costs time and time again, reflecting the success of its in-built approach to integrated team working and effective project management.  We wish the ACA and ACE the very best in their promotion and development of the contracts."

The PPC and TPC forms of contract are used on approximately 6% of UK projects, and through their JV, the ACA and ACE are committed to increasing awareness and use of these innovative contract forms.