Building magazine is reporting that the National Federation of Demolition Contractors is considering implementing an anti-collusion declaration in an attempt to rebuild trust after 10 of its members were named in the bid rigging probe by the Competition and Markets Authority.
Howard Button, chief executive of the National Federation of Demolition Contractors, told Building that it was “highly likely” that the trade body would introduce an annual or biannual anti-collusion policy to which all members will be required to sign up.
Members found not to be complying with the declaration would then face suspension from the NFDC, with suspended members and the reason for their suspension clearly identified on the organisation’s website for clients to see, Button said.
He stressed that the final decision on the policy will be taken by the NFDC’s national council and is expected to be made before the next meeting in two month’s time.
The NFDC has also asked members who have been caught up in the CMA probe to submit reports to the national council outlining what mitigating measures they are taking to prevent bid-rigging. The body’s executive board will then make a decision on what actions it will take towards the firms.
“We have made contact with members that have been named by the CMA and we have taken them to national council and it is an executive board decision as to where we go. They haven’t made that decision yet, but we are actively looking into what has gone on, what we can do to mitigate this ever happening again in the future,” Buttons adds. “It’s very unfortunate, it’s serious but we are doing the best we can to mitigate it for the future. The NFDC are not actively involved in any of the price work of the industry. We are here to check the safety standards of the sector, not the financial side. We’re not trying to wash our hands of it, but we wouldn’t have any control over it.”
