What does it mean to be a subcontractor?
This week Iconic Project Management received the very welcome news that we have been accepted onto the ISG subcontractor database. ISG is a global construction specialist, delivering places where people and businesses thrive. They have a rigorous pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) process, so we are very proud to have passed it. After a moment of celebration, we’ve been reflecting on what it means to be a subcontractor or subconsultant.
The use of subcontractors is an inherent part of the construction industry and allows contractors to respond dynamically to workflows. Having a database of approved subcontractors representing all the trades means that main contractors always have the right people available at the right time. Maintaining a large, permanently employed workforce of trades would be both impractical and undesirable, significantly driving up costs.
Core values
Approximately 50% of our business comes from subcontracting, so it’s something we’re well used to. Like most project managers, we love to work with other parties and understand that collaboration is usually the route to the best possible outcome. We enjoy being part of something bigger and are completely invested in furthering the goals of this larger entity. In fact, we’ve worked hard to express this spirit of co-operation within our core values:
Teamwork: we co-operate with each other, our clients and our suppliers as a team to relentlessly pursue team goals. By being adaptable, by open communication and by helping each other, we act as one.
Like any other business, Iconic Project Management has its own identity. We like people to know who we are because we’re proud of who we are. However, it’s important that the end client understands their project delivery team to be one cohesive unit, working together to achieve their goals. Therefore, we readily take on the identity of the main contractor and absolutely consider ourselves to be part of their team for the whole duration of the project. We take pride in representing the contractor who employed us.
Author
Elizabeth Hewitt
Director of Marketing at Iconic Project Management Limited. We specialise in retail, leisure and commercial construction.