“Best Value Approach” for improved cooperation in tenders
To Larissa Gustafsson (right), taking the BVA course was like learning a new language
Larissa Gustafsson, project manager at Implenia Norway, is the first in the Implenia Group to achieve an A+ certification in BVA (Best Value Approach). The course has given her a whole new methodology for fair cooperation and a healthy corporate culture. She now urges others who work with project management to take the course.
Best Value Approach is a methodology that aims to improve project implementation from tender to execution phase. In Norway, Nye Veier is among the clients who use BVA as a tool in project implementation.
Why take a BVA course?
The purpose of the course is to help contractors navigate and be more agile in tenders and to deliver on all parts of the project. The course is primarily relevant for project managers and clerks who work with clients who use BVA as a methodology in projects.
What’s the increased value of the A course?
“Many contractors take the B + course, which runs over two days. It teaches the principles of the methodology", says Larissa Gustafsson. “The A-course is more theory-heavy, lasts for a longer time and the requirements are tough. Especially the interview process was extremely hard, because all the answers had to be in line with the methodology", she explains. The requirements are so strict that only eight of the 13 participants on the course passed, among them Larissa Gustafsson.
A large portion of the course in BVA taught risk management, transparency and how to apply your expertise. In tenders, it is important to be agile as conditions change. BVA states that by applying their own experiences, participants should be able to predict possible events, assess risk and improve.
"The course is very much about looking at one's own actions rather than blaming others.”
Larissa Gustafsson
What Larissa Gustafsson found most revolutionary about the methodology, however, was the almost coaching-like aspect. "The course is very much about looking at one's own actions rather than blaming others. Instead of controlling details or trying to change others, you should consider if there is something you can do to make the situation easier ", says Gustafsson. "It made a big impression on me, and the process can be compared to learning a new language or gaining a new philosophy of life," she says.
Important tool for the industry
The A-course in BVA provides the participants with a constructive approach to tender processes. Gustafsson believes that the methodology can help both contractor and client to collaborate better, and even make a vast difference in the culture of the entire construction industry.
Implenia Norway – Experts for complex infrastructure projects
Implenia Norway's team specializes in the construction and refurbishment of tunnels and bridges.
"In the industry, there is a tendency to be self-appraising and point out what others are doing wrong. This methodology makes that impossible because you must consider how you can adjust your own behavior throughout the tender process. It can give the culture of the whole industry a boost", says Gustafsson.
About “Better Value Approach” (BVA)
The methodology was developed by Dr. Dean Kashiwagi in cooperation with Arizona State University, in order to improve the procurement and execution of projects and services. It uses deductive logic, data, and transparency and was originally developed to reduce failure costs in the construction sector. In this project delivery method, the contractor uses his know-how to optimize his performance for the project. As an expert, he knows the possibilities and risks and takes responsibility for the best possible delivery of the agreed service. Since the client and the service provider share the same goals, control, time, and unnecessary information are minimized.
The A-course taken by Larissa Gustafsson involves eight sessions lasting four hours each and held every three weeks, handing in an article of 10 to 15 pages related to one’s own experiences with BVA and a demanding interview process where one must respond according to the methodology.
