Engineering-related scientific and technical services. Technical services. The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) is the Government Agency responsible for statutory annual testing of heavy vehicles at Goods Vehicle Testing Stations (GVTS) and Authorised Testing Facilities (ATF) situated throughout Great Britain.

Timing studies of the Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) test have been carried out previously, and the results used to provide information for an electronic booking system and other business needs. VOSA is now in the process of conducting another timing exercise after implementing changes into the annual testing standards currently used. VOSA are currently conducting nearly fifty percent of all annual tests at Authorised facilities and will require the timing exercise to reflect the current working practices. The Public service vehicles (PSV) have not been included in recent timing exercises and now require assessing to establish an accurate time for testing this category of vehicle.

VOSA in the past have enjoyed the benefit of being able to use internal staff, trained in basic work measurement principles along with also holding a valid pace rating accreditation. At this present time however, internal resource is not now available and so there is now a need to bring in outside assistance to complete this work.

In preparation for this particular area of work, the sample sizes required, and the locations to be visited will have been set by the Department for Transport's (DFT) own In House Analytical Consultancy Unit (IHAC) in conjunction with VOSA's Senior user.

The data from the individual tests will be sent back to IHAC for analysis.

The contractor shall be expected to provide VOSA with the principle resource required to complete the exercise in a reasonable time span. The requirements are:

1. To provide a lead Work Measurement Engineer with a valid pace rating accreditation to BS100 standards, who will conduct observations using a electronic study board and VOSA's Work Study Programme to record the results, collate the data from other engineers involved in the project, Liaise with VOSA's own Work Measurement Engineer to compile a schedule of visits, check the accuracy of the data collected, and then to compile and send electronically the data in an EXCEL format ready for IHAC to process and analyse. The lead contractor will also be responsible for ensuring the other Work Measurement Engineers complete the work as required, informing the VOSA Senior User of any problems developing. The Lead Engineer will also liaise with representatives of VOSA Testing and Inspection and Trade Union Side as required.

2. To Provide Work Measurement Engineers as required, each with a valid pace rating accreditation to BS100 who will carry out observations using an electronic Study Board for the initial data capture and VOSA's Work Study Programme to process the results.

The Contractor shall be expected to have a system in place to allow the continuation of recording the observations if an electronic board fails whilst on site.

The Contractor shall be expected to have a contingency in place to be able to continue with the agreed work plan in case an Engineer or Engineers are unable to work.

The initial work will cover HGV and PSV testing, any future areas of work may also cover other testing schemes or administration work within the agency.