Chapter 2 The Proposed Works
Purpose
2.1
The objective of the Centrelink NSO new building proposal, also known as
the Greenway Project, is to lease a new 40,000 square metre net lettable area
(NLA) office complex at Greenway, ACT. The new building will collocate NSO
staff currently housed in older, sub-standard buildings over 11 sites
throughout Canberra.[1]
2.2
Centrelink envisages that the fit-out for the new NSO building will:
…create a contemporary workplace which is innovative,
flexible and economical and which will achieve Centrelink’s changing
organisational requirements.[2]
Need
2.3
Centrelink’s 3,200 NSO employees are currently accommodated in 55,414
square metres of leased accommodation over 11 buildings in Tuggeranong, Woden, Weston, Fyshwick and Symonston, ACT. The Woden and Weston buildings in
particular are 15-20 years old and are incapable of being efficiently or
economically adapted to Centrelink’s changing business needs. The buildings do
not provide suitable indoor working conditions, and do not meet Commonwealth
environmental standards, particularly in respect of energy consumption.[3]
Scope
2.4
The new NSO will consist of two buildings with a common basement, an
enclosed shared zone between the buildings and a common roof. The northern
building will have four levels and the southern building will have five levels,
including covered car parking on the ground level.[4]
2.5
Proposed fit-out works include:
n two major entry and
reception areas and a building facilities help desk;
n two major security-controlled
access points;
n an operations control
centre;
n allocated office
accommodation for Senior Executive Service (SES) officers, including a
dedicated executive area;
n open-plan office
accommodation for other staff;
n modular office design
and demountable partitions;
n standard workstations
and mobile storage units;
n hotelling, touch down
and hot desk points;
n loose furniture;
n compactus, shared
storage, resource and photocopier/printer rooms;
n auditorium and
multi-purpose briefing area;
n meeting, focus,
break-out and tea rooms;
n carers’ rooms, first
aid rooms and a prayer room;
n café, kiosk, health
and fitness centre, showers, lockers and bicycle racks; and
n facilities for staff,
possibly including small retail outlets.[5]
Project Delivery
2.6
On 14 September 2005 Centrelink executed an Agreement to Design,
Construct and Lease (ADCL) with Allco SPC No 5 Pty Ltd (the developer) for a
40,000 square metre office complex at Block 4 Section 13, Greenway. The ADCL
for the base-building under a single-select procurement method was cleared by
Centrelink’s consulting probity adviser and approved by the Centrelink Board of
Management.[6]
2.7
Construction of the office base-building began in September 2005, and is
scheduled for completion in July 2007. Subject to parliamentary approval, the
fit-out procurement process could begin in June 2006. Fit-out installation is
proposed for August-November 2007 with Centrelink relocation in
November-December 2007.[7]
2.8
The proposed fit-out component of the new building project will be
managed by Centrelink’s established in-house new building project team, with
advice from its building development consultants.[8]
2.9
Under the pre-commitment contract for construction of the base-building,
Centrelink retained the right to contract with the developer for specified pre
fit-out works. The fit-out works proper will not be provided with the
base-building, but will be tendered separately.[9]
Cost
2.10
The estimated cost of the proposed fit-out is $42.79 million excluding
GST.[10] This figure includes:
n workstations and loose
furniture;
n joinery, fittings and
compactus units;
n partitions, doors,
finishes;
n services;
n audio-visual
equipment;
n head contractor’s
preliminaries and profit;
n contingencies;
n escalation to
completion[11]; and
n design and management
fees.[12]
