On 19 March the DBFMO contract with consortium DUO² for the PPP project Housing Informatie Beheer Groep and Regional Tax Office in Groningen was signed by Mr Jägers (director-general of the Rijksgebouwendienst; Government Buildings Agency) on behalf of the State of the Netherlands. It is one of the first large accommodation projects for government buildings of the GBA that is being procured through a Public Private Partnership (PPP).
The project comprises the design, build and financing of the new office for the Informatie Beheer Groep and the Regional Tax Office (47,000 m²), including the maintenance and operating of the building for a concession period of 20 years. The building will accommodate approximately 2,500 employees and will benefit from an underground garage with parking facilities for 1,500 bicycles and 675 cars. Additionally, the project includes a large public city garden with pond and a multifunctional pavilion for commercial uses. For this project the Government Buildings Agency used the Design, Build, Finance, Maintain and Operate (DBFMO) approach.
During the contract signing ceremony Erik Hermsen of DUO² indicated that he is happy that the GBA has chosen for quality. “After the Ministry of Finance project also this PPP tender will result in the realization of a government building with a clear surplus value. We are happy that with PPP projects the GBA dares to choose for quality. Our bid wasn’t the cheapest, but the sum of price and quality resulted in choosing DUO² as preferred bidder. We hope that with this project a next step is taken to prove that PPP in the Netherlands has a future”.
Peter Jägers of the GBA indicated that he considers the signing of this DBFMO contract as a highlight. “PPP brings together the best of both worlds. However, we have learned a lot from this project; which will benefit future PPP projects.”
Sustainability plays an important role in this project and is incorporated integrally in the design. Among other things environmental friendly and, whenever possible, recycled materials will be used, the building will be equipped with a geothermal heating and cooling system and it is possible to transform the building into apartments after the concession period. Also the vulnerable ecology in the nearby forest was taken into consideration.
Earlier this month DUO², consisting of Strukton, Ballast Nedam and John Laing, was selected as preferred bidder for this European tender. The architect is UNStudio from Amsterdam. Other participants in the consortium include Arup, ISS, LODEWIJK BALJON garden and landscape architects, Studio Linse and YNNO. The cost is € 13.2 million per year. Informatie Beheer Groep and the Regional Tax Office will be the users of the building, and are represented by the GBA as the client.
Construction is expected to commence towards the end of 2008/beginning of 2009, with completion due in March 2011, and the garage and public city garden is due to be delivered in 2013.