Co-operation with service producers

Service providers are an important part of the value network of the Finnish Road Administration (Finnra). Finnra's annual public procurement accounts for about 600 million euros and 3000 contracts. There are approximately 600 service providers and even more active parties when subcontractors and all bidders are counted. Finnra contractors answer for a major part of the activities of the 8000 companies in the Finnish infrastructure construction industry. The purpose of this study was to develop and systematise the cooperation with service providers. A market review, interviews and a review of coop-eration methods used elsewhere as well as a judicial review of the suggested model were conducted in order to gain background information. These reviews include road management products (design, construction, maintenance, upkeep and network operations) as well as all the expert services related to road management and the operations of Finnra such as road and traffic information services, information management, R&D activities, administrative services and management consulting. The cooperation was analysed systematically on all levels from strategic planning to project implementation and assessment. Cooperation during projects was generally assessed as successful. Thus new development recommendations mainly refer to the strategic level of cooperation as well as annual planning and development. The study concludes with a proposal for developing a systematised cooperation with the service providers.This report may be found at http://alk.tiehallinto.fi/julkaisut/pdf/3200984-v_yhteistyo_palvelutuott_kanssa.pdf