T1228 - Research Project - New Social Housing - Review of Total Cost Indicators

Tender description

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), in partnership with the Department for Social Development (DSD) wishes to commission a suitably experienced researcher / research company / university to undertake a research study which provides a contextual background for reviewing Government funding to support the construction of new social dwellings in Northern Ireland (approximately £80 million per annum), and more specifically a review of the Total Cost Indicators used by the Department for Social Development to calculate the amount of Housing Association Grant to be paid for each individual scheme. Public funding has become somewhat more constrained in recent years and this has re-emphasised the need to achieve greater cost effectiveness in the delivery of public programmes and services. At the same time, both land and house prices in Northern Ireland have reduced significantly from their 2007 peak and broader economic conditions have also made the construction sector more price competitive. All this has led to reduced rates of housing association grant being made available for the construction of new social housing and a greater emphasis being placed on efficiency of delivery through innovative and collaborative practice, including more effective procurement. This intent is supported by a social housing procurement strategy led by the Department and supported by all key actors. In recent years similar or, in some cases, larger reductions in grant rates have been introduced in Great Britain-. The Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations (NIFHA), which represents all registered housing associations in Northern Ireland, has indicated concerns about the capacity of housing associations in Northern Ireland to deliver Social Housing Development Programme targets, both now and in the future, at current (typically 45%), or reduced, grant rates. This research will focus on providing an evidence base for reviewing and, if necessary revising,