Seymour Whyte Construction

Case Study: Western Distributor Smart Motorway Project (‘Smart Link Alliance’)

Our client

Seymour Whyte is a multi-award-winning civil contractor that delivers major essential infrastructure across Australia.  Seymour Whyte was engaged by Transport for New South Wales as the Alliance Contractor (‘Smart Link Alliance’) for the delivery of the upgrade of 5.5km of the Western Distributor between ANZAC bridge and Warringah Freeway to a Level 1A Smart Motorway.

The requirement

Seymour Whyte required commercial and procurement leadership to drive, develop and govern project alliance requirements and including company corporate governance.  The intent is to ensure accurate reporting, fostering a collaborative alliance style relationship with alliance partners including Transport of New South Wales.  Project specific requirements included:

  • Project reporting to Alliance Senior Management on the financial, contractual, and administrative status of the project.
  • Maintain systems to manage all financial and contractual aspects of the project.
  • Coordinate day-to-day commercial aspects of site, including invoices and progress claims with close consultation with the site manager and foremen.
  • Awareness of Head Contract and its provisions to support compliance and mirrors these Head Contract conditions within subcontract agreements.
  • Review subcontract agreements including standard and special conditions relevant with emphasis on minimising risk areas, and
  • Review scope of works with the project management team to ensure compliance.

The challenges

Seymour Whyte was required to ensure commercial governance within the Smart Link Alliance at both alliance contract and subcontractor engagement level. Specific challenges included:

  • Brownfield road staging required absolute cost and forecast management.
  • Developing cost, forecast and reconciliation framework to reflect head contract billing entitlements.
  • Developing well-structured contract deliverables in a timely manner whilst complying to both contractual and technical constraints

Our approach

Dreyfus Advisory’s approach included –

  • Proactive approach to commercial issues including progress claims, change management and resolving issues with project alliance members
  • Prepared detailed issues, variations and risk & opportunities report
  • Ensured accurate and timely internal reporting of issues, costs and program impacts.
  • Managed Smart Link Alliance commercial KPIs and KRAs with the Regional Commercial Manager.
  • Provided timely and accurate reporting to Alliance senior management and other key stakeholders.

The benefits

Benefits to Seymour Whyte included:

  • Real-time communication and collaboration led to enhance Alliance operation, governance and Seymour Whyte project positioning.
  • Efficient Alliance operations between Seymour Whyte, subcontractors and other key Alliance stakeholders
  • Timely resolution of both technical and commercial matters.