T-SQUARED’s turnkey service delivers new research and development facility at Porton Down

T-SQUARED has completed work on a second world-class vaccine research and testing facility for the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) at its Porton Down site, in Salisbury.

This complex and highly specialised facility, known as VTF-B, will now provide additional containment level 2 and 3 laboratories, along with supplementary support and office areas to enable the UK Government’s Vaccine Task Force to accelerate its vital work in developing life-saving vaccines to help combat the social and economic impact of Covid-19 and future pandemics.

This project adds to the T-SQUARED portfolio of highly specialised projects for world-changing clients, working with in-house leading experts at T-SQUARED who are trusted to deliver.

The appointment of T-SQUARED followed a strict public sector procurement process with the project managed effectively through a NEC Engineering and Construction Option A Contract. The uniquely integrated approach of T-SQUARED reduces project costs and improves timescales.

The T-SQUARED team of design, construction and validation experts delivered its full turnkey service on this project, managing and delivering all design, procurement, construction and fit-out services throughout this important world-class facility.

The team involved are just as specialised as the state-of-the-art facilities they design, build and maintain. Taking full ownership of the project, key members of the T-SQUARED team were Senior Project Manager Kris Carr, Design Lead Ginny Dalrymple, Construction Director Craig Paterson, Biocontainment Designer Tony Harris and Project Manager Phil Hay.

The new VTF-B building sits adjacent to the original vaccine testing facility (VTF-A) which was recently delivered by T-SQUARED in a record time of 24 weeks, coming at the height of the Government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Prior to handover the new facility was tested and validated by T-SQUARED, ensuring that the construction and operation of the containment facilities are in accordance with current Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) standards and regulations.

Dom Callan, Director at T-SQUARED, said: “Our clients change the world and the work being carried out by the Vaccine Task Force and UKHSA at Porton Down is a perfect example of that, so we were delighted to hand over this important new facility. We are a single, fully accountable supplier for critical facilities, working to the most exacting standards, and we are proud that at such a critical time for the country, UKHSA once again trusted T-SQUARED to deliver this important facility for them.”

Not only do T-SQUARED make incredibly complex facilities with uncompromising specifications, they keep them working, too. T-SQUARED offers on-going specialist services planned maintenance as required to ensure that VTF-B will continue to operate to the very highest levels in the coming years.