We are joint owners of OPMP Ltd, who publish OPMP (Online Project Management Procedures for Housing Associations). OPMP were appointed by the National Housing Federation to update their publication Developing Affordable Housing, using extracts from OPMP, as the leading good-practice set of Development Procedures on the market.

Written by Andrew Drury of HATC and Richard Broomfield of Portfolio Consultancy, OPMP combines good-practice procedural guidance and extensive training notes. It is authoritative – HATC updated the content of HC’s Capital Funding Guide in 2007.

OPMP can be used at different levels of detail, reflecting the different levels of experience of Users, and their differing needs. It also sets out the different workflow patterns for different types of schemes – a major advantage over other products.

For more information click here.

We can also de-mystify the various ways of assessing financial viability – break-even year, NPV, Yields etc. Whilst often seen as a complex area, simple truths still apply – see Mr Micawber. For a flavour of our approach, click for a Powerpoint presentation given to the NHF’s 2008 Development Conference called – rather unflatteringly – Development Economics for Dummies.

Meeting the requirements of the Client Charter or the Construction Commitments is a Funding Condition, and so subject to compliance audit.

Our involvement with these self-help guides has been longstanding. We were commissioned in 2006 to undertake a major review the effectiveness of the Client Charter after 5 years of operation by its “owners”, the Construction Clients Group. Our conclusion was “excellent idea, badly implemented; major change needed”. As a result, the Housing Corporation decided to offer the “Construction Commitments” as an alternative.

HATC is unusual in that we are strong in professional project management, whilst all coming from the affordable housing sector. We are very well placed to translate the Client Charter / Construction Commitments requirements into Action Plans that reflect the sector, and to suggest steps that will demonstrate progress towards the Construction Commitments, or which will maintain Client Charter status.

Contact us for more details by calling us on 01943 604259 or emailing us enquiries@hatc.co.uk