Concentrating predominantly upon the social housing sector, the 4i Solutions approach is to deliver a wide range of bespoke services, support and advice to our clients, using collaborative and evidenced based processes.

Experience and insight that we have gained from working at senior levels within the sector on both the client and contracting sides, enables us to provide a service that not only understands the issues and drivers of the industry, but is specific for you, your organisation and your stakeholders needs.

Further information on a number of our core services is provided below, or alternatively please feel free to contact us on info@4isolutions.co.uk

Helping clients to find the right Partners and service providers through a robust OJEU compliant procurement process, is a key service that the 4i Solutions team have delivered to a range of Clients.

For procurement to be successful, it must be focused on the individual needs of the Client and their own stakeholders. 4i Solutions are experienced at working with clients and their customers to develop bespoke processes that are aimed at finding Partners who can deliver the services required, and who also share their visions and objectives.

OJEU compliance can be great concern for many Clients. However from experience we believe this presents Clients with an opportunity to develop effective and efficient solutions to their needs. To manage, steer and shape the process we have developed a range of tried and tested tools including bespoke tendering documentation, qualitative questionnaires, transparent pricing models and robust evaluation techniques.

Helping clients to create the right environment for Partnering relationships to successfully develop in the context of their specific needs is a key service that 4i Solutions delivers.

We belive that for a Partnership to be successful, it should be collaboratively developed by the client, their stakeholders and their chosen Partners to meet shared objectives, aspirations and visions for the future. Understanding the services required, together with the individual needs, wants and risks associated is key to this process.

In addition to helping with the building of successful and trusting working relationships, the development of strategic objectives, contract documents, processes and procedures, cost management and risk registers are all examples of tools that we have created and developed with Clients and their Partners.

Workshops can be used for a wide range of situations to help build capacity, understanding and ownership, as well as developing bespoke solutions and problem resolution.

Working with larger groups of stakeholders, these workshops can be designed to not only impart knowledge and understanding that in turn generates greater trust and a wider ownership, but also to generate solutions and mutually agreed objectives.

4i Solutions have used these participative workshops to help shape procurement, build new partnerships and develop services. We have also used smaller workshops and our facilitation skills to support Clients in addressing specific and detailed issues such as development of contractual arrangements, price frameworks, target costs, process mapping, change management, as well as intervention needs on underperforming projects.

The mobilisation period of any contractual relationship is critical if the service is going to be successful from the start. This stage looks to achieve many aspects including:

• Building the relationship
• Agreeing processes and procedures
• Finalising contract documentation, price framework & specifications
• Developing a performance management framework and key performance measures
• Identifying, analysing and managing risk

We have regularly contributed to and shaped new relationships as they move through their mobilisation period and beyond. Our involvement has included the delivery of start-up workshops, facilitation of strategic core groups and specialist sub-groups, as well as longer-term interim, project and cost management support.

A bespoke cost management process that is right for both the Client and their Partners, is a key part of any contractual relationship, whether it be based on an Open Book basis or a more traditional tendering approach.

4i Solutions recognise that each contractual relationship can be very different from the next and we therefore look to help Clients develop solutions that account for their individual needs and have a comprehensive approach to managing and apportioning risk. These solutions have many variables that can be developed to account for a range of elements such as cost control, cost certainty, profitability, incentivisation and evidenced value for money.

We believe that whichever solution is adopted, it is done so from a solid understanding of the true costs and risks involved, and the commercial realities of the market place - not just the price!

Effective management of performance information is a critical aspect of developing, delivering and evidencing a quality service.

Commonly performance data is collected and often under or mis-used with the effect that it is not turned into information or knowledge to support continuous improvement. Performance measurement and efficient Partnerships are at their most effective when the data accurately reflects actual performance and there is a common ownership of the service.

Collaboratively developed Performance Indicators and Key Performance Indicators that measure the critical aspects of the service such as customer satisfaction, quality and cost ensure that the Client and their Partners can jointly analyse the issues, capture lessons and contribute to improved performance.

Identifying, understanding and managing risk is we believe a key element in developing and improving a project or service.

4i Solutions have helped Clients and their Partners to identify, analyse and manage their risks through the development of bespoke risk registers and mitigations. This together with clear lines of responsibility and ownership, enables Clients and their stakeholders to effect suitable risk management strategies and appropriate governance.

Understanding where Clients services can be improved as well as where they are already successful is a fundamental part of developing any of the services that we provide, whether it be procurement support, partnering advice, project and interim management, cost management or other asset related functions.

The market drivers and tools that sit behind the need to improve effectiveness and efficiency within the industry such as Key Lines of Enquiry, Gershon, Audit Commission, Housing Corporation, Contractor and supply chains commercial needs, are all drivers that 4i Solutions understand and have helped clients to address.

Improved processes, reduced duplication, increased productivity, shared knowledge and tools, greater economies of scale and the sharing of resources and risk, are all areas where the 4i team have helped clients in the past to achieve measurable greater effectiveness and efficiency.

The validation of an existing stock condition survey has proved to be a valuable service for a number of clients.

Stock condition validation can be used for a number of reasons such as:

• Due diligence
• Confirmation of accuracy
• Business planning
• Asset management
• Works programming
  
  

Helping clients to review their current processes in order to help design their optimum service delivery, is a key service that 4i Solutions have been able to help their clients with.

Having worked at senior levels with many organisations and sectors of the industry, we have extensive knowledge of how a range of services can be delivered, and the options that are available. Using this experience together with our facilitation skills, we have helped clients and their partners to develop and re-engineer processes and procedures that are best suited for the service that they aspire to deliver.

The ability to work directly with the client team to help review, develop and deliver the service has proved a valuable aspect of the services that 4i Solutions can provide for clients.

We have provided both full and part time support to a number of clients, helping with a wide range of areas such as interim management, project management, cost management, service review and partnering development.

Clients have found that using us to support a team through a period of transition or simply to fill an interim gap, not only assists them with the delivery of a service, but also allows a greater transfer of the skills and knowledge that they have amassed, and helps to build further capacity within the team.

4i Solutions provide support to exiting relationships that have a desire or need to improve through a variety of value management tools and processes. Often this is driven by one or more of the following: -

• The desire to move towards a partnered relationship from a traditional one
• The desire to move to open book cost management
• The need to review processes and procedures
• The need to improve performance
• The need to repair working and contractual relationships
• The desire to extend the existing contract

This support has ranged from the delivery of a facilitated workshop to help identify and manage issues, through to the full development and delivery of service improvement plans.