Dame Mavis McDonald in chief construction advisor frame

Dame Mavis McDonald’s name is in the frame to take the government’s chief construction advisor job.
Industry insiders have pointed to McDonald as being the government’s favourite for the role. A career civil servant for 39 years, McDonald is chair of the Public Sector Construction Clients’ Forum, (PSCCF).

An announcement by the government naming the chief construction advisor is expected imminently, before the Queen’s speech next Wednesday (November 18), when the new session of parliament starts.

McDonald has, it is claimed, strong experience in the government’s improvement agenda in construction, housing, regeneration and sustainability.

As chairwoman of the PSCCF, McDonald brings together the chief executives or commercial directors of the main public sector clients (including Defense Estates, Environment Agency, Ministry of Justice, Department of Health), to use member organisations’ collective buying power when it comes to construction procurement.

The PSCCF sets out to agree what issues need to be tackled and the steps required to introduce improvements in procurement. One example of its involvement is the mandatory standard on fair payment introduced by government in January 2008.

The government’s new chief construction advisor will chair the board responsible for securing value for money from the government’s procurement of construction, promoting innovation and sustainability in the industry, and be responsible for ensuring government takes account of the impact of regulation on the construction industry.

Until her retirement, McDonald was permanent secretary at the Office of the deputy prime minister until October 2005. Before that she worked at the Cabinet Office from 2000 to 2002.