Trafikverket has decided on new ways of working together for contractors and consultants
Goodbye “Collaboration basic” and “Collaboration high”. Trafikverket is now launching a new guideline for collaboration. A guideline that contributes to good joint deliveries and that it should be fun to go to work.
It should be fun to go to work – that is ultimately one of the important goals of becoming Suppliers’ first choice. Over the years, Trafikverket has gone through various forms of envisaged forms of collaboration within the projects. Forms that have had varying degrees of success. Therefore, we reviewed our guidelines together with the industry organizations, The Swedish Construction Federation and Federation of Swedish innovation companies, and the result is the new guideline. A guideline that places great emphasis on dialogue and collaboration in the projects and which should support good leadership at both Trafikverket and suppliers.
The goal is that the new guideline should support collaboration in all flows of the projects, from early stages, preparation and execution of procurement, establishment of contract and execution of the contract.
A toolbox for the projects
In the new guideline there are a number of different tools that can be used throughout the flow. The tools are described in the tender documents and must then be used by the project throughout the entire project implementation.
–The purpose of applying the various tools for collaboration is to simplify collaboration and for the experience of a functioning collaboration to increase in both individual contracts and as a whole, says Göran Domås, Purchasing and Logistics, who led the work on developing the new guideline.
– The tools should enable a good psychosocial work environment, prevent or solve common challenges and problems at an early stage and thus contribute to avoiding time-wasting conflicts and misunderstandings at a later stage, Göran continues. But they must also contribute to developing more competitive ideas and solutions through innovation. And, of course, through good collaboration we can achieve the most efficient project or assignment implementation possible.
A joint collaboration plan is drawn up and signed by both parties.
An important part of the new guideline is that before we start the implementation of the contract there is an establishment period. During this, it is ensured that offered resources are in place before starting work on the collaboration plan. The collaboration plan must be signed by the respective representatives.
– A well-functioning collaboration is the most important factor in being able to develop together towards the goals – a well-executed project where all parties are satisfied, Trafikverket with the delivery and the supplier doing a good deal. The basic prerequisites for a successful project are also that there are many parts in place; business conditions, competence and leadership (which are not covered in the guideline) and now the new collaboration tools will facilitate project implementation.
– The intention is for the project to be carried out jointly, but where we have different roles, Trafikverket and the supplier. However, we must agree on our common working methods, which collaboration tools we use and also how we collaborate during implementation. What goals do we have and how do we follow up on our work? This will be a useful joint journey for both of us. We have to talk, we will have to work closely together and we need to increase understanding of each other’s driving forces and challenges, concludes Göran.
The guideline applies from January 1st, 2024.
It replaces all previous documents that governed our forms of collaboration – collaboration high and collaboration basic.