Winners in DFID's IMDP Framework Agreement

Framework agreements are becoming a preferred mode of tendering and delivering development projects. Favored by donors for their simplification of processes — whereby each framework agreement offers multiyear contracts to a select few suppliers of services within a consortium or lot — this deal is also seen as the holy grail for many contractors. The U.K. Department for International Development has over the past year expanded the number of framework agreements it offers, with some prominent new additions. Recently, DFID published a contract award notice for the International Multi-Disciplinary Programme Framework Agreement. Here, Devex takes a look at the key winners. IMDP is valid for the next 24 months, with a possibility of extension. Its total value is estimated at £1-3 billion ($1.2-3.6 billion), split between 11 thematic areas, ranging from education to infrastructure. Each area is allocated two lots — one for low-value contracts (lots 1-10 and 21) and one for high-value call-down contracts (lots 11-20 and 22). The division between high-value and low-value contracts is fairly even, with 85 and 93 contracts respectively. The high-value contracts are worth between £3 million-£12 million ($3.7 million-$14.6 million) and have an average of 7.8 contractors per lot. Low-value contracts of up to £3 million open up the potential for new long-term suppliers and stimulate competition among SMEs. They tend to have more contractors on average, around 8.5 per lot, with the highest number of contractors being 15 for conflict and governance and 12 for social development. The thematic area with the fewest contractors is statistics and data, which had altogether 5 contractors for both high- and low-value lots. The clear winner is Oxford Policy Management, which won 10 contracts — four high value and six low value. Its high-value contracts were awarded for conflict and governance, education, infrastructure, and livelihoods. The only thematic area in which OPM was not awarded any contract was climate change and environment. OPM is followed by Chemonics, which was awarded the highest number of high-value contracts at nine, with one in nearly all thematic areas except for humanitarian, and statistics and data. DAI Europe is third with seven high-value contracts and two low-value contracts in the humanitarian and research areas. IMC Worldwide won the highest number of low-value contracts. In the contract notice, DFID identified three SMEs: Institute of Development Studies, located at the University of Sussex, which holds a total of six contracts, including one high-value contract in research; Vivid Economics Limited with three low-value contracts in infrastructure, livelihoods, and statistics and data; and Tearfund, which has been awarded two low-value contracts in infrastructure and livelihoods. It is worth noting that there are also numerous consortium partners that are not indicated in the IMDP contract award notice. These normally partner with prime framework holders and subsequently implement the contracts under the IMDP. Of the 81 contractors who won across all lots, DFID has identified 80 as based in the U.K., in locations such as London (42 contractors), South Lanarkshire (17 contractors), and Oxford (3 contractors). The only contractor outside of the U.K. was Deutsche Welthungerhilfe, based in Bonn, Germany, which has been awarded a low-value contract in climate change and environment. However, beyond the addresses provided in the contract award notice, Devex has analyzed the geographic distribution of the contractors’ headquarters, unless it was specified as being a U.K. or European affiliate or branch. While a large portion is still based in the U.K. (54 contractors), 10 are headquartered in the United States, including Catholic Relief Services, Chemonics, International Rescue Committee, and World Vision. Around two-thirds of the contracts awarded to American contractors were high-value contracts, especially in the humanitarian area. There are also a number of contractors from other countries, including two each from Australia, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates. However, the ratio of high-value versus low-value contracts differs per country. For instance, of the five contracts awarded to Australian contractors, 80% were of high value and all awarded to Coffey International Development. On the other hand, only one out of nine contracts awarded to Canadian contractors is of high value, awarded to CowaterSogema International. Update, Aug. 23: This article was updated to include additional information about consortium partners.