We help clients articulate their business needs and use our expertise to:

• Plan for new markets, new services and new facilities
• Develop new concepts
• Seek investment for new infrastructure
• Test plans and ideas
• Write briefs for architects and other specialists
• Call tenders, develop contracts and procure consultants and contractors
• Manage the design process
• Manage the construction process
• Plan operations.

We provide a wide range of services that are always customized to the specific requirements of your business. Our services cover the full range of requirements from project initiation to project implementation:

• Identifying Needs
  • Needs or Demand Analysis
    We research and analyse community needs and market demands. We use different methods including surveys, focus groups, and customised community consultation programs as well as desktop research and analysis.
  • Audit
    We carry out audits of facilities and services and analyse their fit with current and future community requirements. Audits may include consultation, site and facility reviews and service mapping.
• Defining Concepts
  • Scoping Studies
    We take preliminary ideas, explore their potential, test and evaluate solutions and scope feasible projects. Scoping Studies often include extensive stakeholder consultation, market analysis and site or facility options studies.
  • Placemaking Studies
    We undertake a deep analysis of the unique qualities of a place and develop concepts and strategies to enhance and develop these. Based on focussed data collection and analysis, this work may entail community engagement programs, visioning workshops and concept testing.
  • Proposal and Grant Submissions
    We research funding opportunities, define and articulate projects and develop submissions and proposals to match project needs and funder requirements.
• Business Planning
  • Business Improvement Plans
    We recognise the importance of improving business outcomes and working with reduced budgets. We review business plans and processes, identify efficiencies, renew and revitalise service offers and review operational plans. This is a data driven, consultative process that can add value and increase productivity.
  • Feasibility Studies
    We assess project visions and concepts and test their feasibility in policy, market, business, financial, operational and technical terms. This work may include scenario planning and innovation in the development of alternative options to ensure that projects and business initiatives are not just achievable, but sustainable.
  • Gateway Process
    We take projects through the various processes required to obtain funding by Governments. We examine these through rigorous analysis and assist clients to test critical issues such as stakeholder buy-in, finance and risk assessment, alignment of strategic objectives and barriers to success.
  • Strategic Plans
    We analyse business requirements, assist clients to create visions and develop strategic plans and business models that respond to changing circumstances and new directions. This work may include the alignment of strategies with government policies and plans, consultation with stakeholders and investigation of asset and other enablers to achieve business goals.
• Defining Briefs
  • Functional Briefs
    We develop functional briefs that articulate spatial, functional and services requirements for facility development and provide the basis for cost estimates for capital investment. This work includes a focus on the business model, the sustainability goals and an assessment of staffing, operations and recurrent budgets to ensure that facilities meet ongoing business and policy requirements.
  • Design Briefs
    We enhance functional briefs to articulate visions and concepts that will optimise the capital budget and inform and inspire design consultant teams. This work involves clarifying our client's objectives and priorities, responding to positioning, communication, environmental and sustainability goals as well as articulating business drivers and critical context issues including neighbourhood, heritage and access issues.
  • Masterplan Briefs
    We develop, test and articulate strategies for precincts both in urban and non-urban environments. We articulate business, operational and economic drivers, key issues that must be addressed, specify new initiatives that must be explored and aspirations that must be targeted to give design teams strong and thorough direction that invites creative and innovative design responses. This work often includes extensive community and stakeholder consultation and the integration of a wide range of legislative, policy, financial and values based considerations into a cohesive whole.
• Managing Design
  • Design Procurement Strategies
    We prepare procurement strategies for the engagement of consultant teams across a diverse range of project types and budgets. Our procurement strategies embrace public or select tender, direct negotiation, limited design competition and the establishment of specialist consultant panels. Our strategic advice is drawn from the particularities of our client's requirements and the governance context for their projects.
  • Design Procurement Process
    We manage the implementation of the agreed design procurement strategy including the setting up of appropriate selection panels, briefing participants on the process and preparing and implementing agendas and methodologies for the selection of the consultant team. Our services include the preparation of reports and recommendations to our client for formal endorsement and approval.
  • Management of Design
    We are rigorous in our approach to successfully managing the design process to ensure that the design for project complies with the brief, is fit for purpose and to the greatest possible extent, adds value through innovation and creativity. RPA offers a leadership style that provides a high level of support for, and input into the design process, encouraging the full potential of ideas and options to be explored and understood within the parameters of cost, time and quality set for the project We understand and drive the need for timeliness of response through the phases of design. We ensure that all consultants maintain regular reporting against program, the alignment with both project brief and budget and the identification and management of project risk.
• Managing Construction
  • Construction Procurement Strategies
    We work closely with our clients to determine the best possible procurement strategy for a project which aligns with their time, cost and quality parameters and the risk profile that they wish to adopt. We have considerable experience in many alternative procurement methods and forms of contract, ranging from traditional lump sum contracts, design and construct contracts to managing contractor and Public Private Partnerships.
  • Construction Procurement Process
    We are familiar with both State and Federal Government procurement and probity requirements. We have extensive experience with the National Code of Practice for the Construction Industry and the Australian Government Implementation Guidelines for tendering as well as the relevant Australian Standards. We manage the implementation of the agreed construction procurement strategy including the setting up of appropriate selection panels, briefing participants on the process and preparing and implementing agendas and methodologies for the selection of contractors. Our services include the preparation of reports and recommendations to our client for formal endorsement and approval. Following approval, we arrange for contact finalisations and execution.
  • Management of Construction
    Our project management systems are designed for flexibility and enable us to adapt our services to the very wide range of construction contracts we manage. This includes the management of civil works, building construction, all engineering disciplines, fitout and the incorporation of civic works if required. We manage contracts ranging in value from $5 million to $300 million. We act as both agent and/or superintendent depending on the particular contract requirements, and in this role, we manage all of the day to day issues between contractor, consultants, stakeholders and the client and ensure the deployment of appropriate risk management procedures.
• Planning Operations
  • Asset Management Plans
    We review organisational needs, assess the current status of our client's assets and prepare asset management scope and specifications. We prepare tender documents and manage on behalf of our client, the tendering, award and administration of asset management contracts.
  • Operations Plans
    We develop governance and operational models and prepare operational plans that align with business goals and financial plans. This work often includes development of staffing structures, policy development and change management.

We work across Australia with:

• Federal, state and local governments and agencies
• Public-private partnerships
• Private sector companies
• Not-for-profit agencies