Acquisition of property

A3/002 - Issue date - Under review

1. There is a standard procedure for dealing with any new or emerging property needs, which will require the provision of additional accommodation or will result in a significant property change. The procedure is as follows:

  1. Service brief
  2. Preliminary appraisal of service brief
  3. Property brief
  4. Property options
  5. Processing of preferred solution
  6. Closure of commission

Service brief

2. Has the service directorate provided a comprehensive and robust service brief, in accordance with the 'needs reporting process' in Acquisition - Property needs process (A3/003)?

3. Has a 'needs form' been completed by the directorate and sent to Property and Facilities (SAM Team)? A template 'needs form' can be found in Property needs form - D4/17.

4. Within the service brief, has the directorate specified the following:

  • The accommodation need (and whether this is mandatory / desirable with reasons);
  • The deadline (and whether this is mandatory / desirable with reasons);
  • Whether there is a problem with current accommodation? If so, what is it?
  • What are the directorate resources / budget available to address this need?
  • Who is the service contact? Who agrees any changes to the brief.
  • What is the 'service' risk?

Preliminary appraisal of service brief

5. A preliminary appraisal is carried out by Property and Facilities, as follows:

  • Check against corporate requirements;
  • Check against statutory requirements;
  • Assess whether solution to problem can be resolved by changes to:
    • Existing property;
    • Different use of ICT to enable more flexible working;
    • Different staffing arrangements;
    • Different service delivery arrangements;
    • Combination of the above.
  • Is a property solution most appropriate?
  • Consider when and how property consultant should be involved.
  • What are the risks associated with the need?
  • Property and Facilities to put together a detailed property brief with which to commission the property consultant, to be agreed with the directorate.
  • Health warning to directorate (concerning risks, timescales, market conditions, etc)
  • Consider whether property consultant should be consulted on the draft property brief?
  • Directorate sign off property brief with / without changes.

Property brief

6. Property and Facilities issue draft / final property brief to property consultant.

7. Brief to include:

  • Aims and objectives;
  • Detail of the service brief (including type of accommodation, size, facilities, location, etc;
  • Form / content of property consultant deliverable;
  • Communication: form / content; interval; contacts in Property and Facilities, directorate and any 'champion';
  • Nature of property consultant output: what is fixed, what can be changed?
  • Nature and reason for deadline - mandatory / flexible.
  • Links to other strategies and projects and contacts in Property and Facilities and property consultant;
  • Should there be a risk assessment?
  • Property consultant to identify a project manager

8. Challenge of brief by property consultant.

Property options

9. Delivery by property consultant:

  • Identify resources to deliver (inside and outside of property consultant)
  • Identify means to deliver
  • Identify risks to deliver.

10. How will risk and change control be addressed?

11. Scope for option appraisal.

12. Recommendation on preferred option, with programme for implementation showing key dates for action.

13. Decision on preferred option from Property and Facilities (in liaison with directorate).

Processing of preferred solution

14. Follow the 'acquisition' checklist, which can be found in Acquisition of property - D4/16.

15. A schedule of relevant contacts can be found in Acquisition of property schedule of contacts (A3/004).

16. Report the transaction using the report forms contained in Sales / Purchases - D4/7 and Leases and agreements - D4/8.

17. Further reference can be found on the 'Procedures for the acquisition and disposal of property' page.

Closure of commission

18. Completion - Property consultant to ensure all actions from the acquisition checklist have been carried out.

19. Property consultant / Property and Facilities to complete CPI / Atrium closure to include comments under CPI success / failure.

20. Property and Facilities to provide additional feedback (including from directorate) to property consultant, as appropriate.