In an Expert focus article for Waterbriefing, Katherine Ibbotson, Director, Strategic Advisory, at WSP, one of the world's leading professional services and engineering consulting firms, takes a look at what the Government's CPS2 framework for Flood Risk and Asset Management services means for flood risk management.

Katherine Ibbotson: Flood risk management in the UK is at a critical inflection point. Climate change is increasing both the frequency and severity of flood events, while ageing infrastructure and constrained public finances are placing ever greater pressure on those responsible for protecting communities, assets and critical services. Against this backdrop, the challenge is no longer simply how to deliver individual flood schemes efficiently, but how to manage flood risk in a more integrated, long‑term and resilient way.

Frameworks such as the Construction Professional Services 2 (CPS2) Flood Risk and Asset Management (FRAM) lots reflect this shift. They signal a move away from fragmented, project by project delivery towards a more strategic, programme based approach that allows clients to think at network scale, align investment decisions, and plan for the future rather than reacting to the past.

Historically, flood risk interventions have often been driven by immediate need - a defence reaches the end of its life, an extreme event exposes a vulnerability, or funding becomes available for a specific scheme. While this approach can deliver necessary short‑term protection, it can also reinforce a cycle of reactive investment, where decisions are made based on in-year funding availability and can be or appear to be made in isolation and opportunities to deliver broader, longer‑term value with optimum investment interventions being curtailed or missed.

Frameworks can provide platform for managing flood risk as part of integrated asset portfolio

By contrast, frameworks of this kind can provide a platform for managing flood risk as part of an integrated asset portfolio. They allow clients to look across catchments and regions, to focus on service provisions, understanding how different assets interact, and prioritise interventions based on risk, performance and resourcing outcomes rather than individual projects alone. This shift is fundamental to building resilience in a changing climate.

Data plays a central role in making this possible. Flood risk management is inherently data‑rich, drawing on information about hydrology, climate projections, asset condition, performance, environmental constraints and socio‑economic impacts. The challenge has often been less about the availability of data, and more about how it is brought together and used to support better decision‑making.

A framework environment allows delivery partners and clients to invest in data integration, analytics and digital tools that can be applied consistently across programmes of work. This includes using asset and risk data to identify where investment will have the greatest impact, exploring different intervention scenarios, and supporting transparent, evidence‑based business cases. As digital capability continues to mature, there is also growing potential to use advanced analytics and AI‑enabled tools to support prioritisation, forecasting and long‑term planning.

Longer term framework model can support closer collaboration across disciplines

Just as importantly, a longer term framework model can support closer collaboration across disciplines. Effective flood risk management sits at the intersection of engineering, environmental management, planning, economics and community engagement. A longer term framework model encourages teams to work together across these boundaries, helping clients balance protection, adaptation, environmental enhancement and social outcomes in a more holistic way.

This integrated approach also strengthens assurance and accountability. Managing flood risk at scale requires confidence that assets are performing as intended, that investment is aligned with strategic objectives, and that decisions can stand up to scrutiny. Framework delivery provides continuity, shared standards and consistent governance, supporting better oversight across the asset lifecycle.

Looking ahead, the importance of this approach will only grow. As climate risks evolve and pressures on infrastructure intensify, the ability to plan, prioritise and adapt at pace will be critical. Frameworks like CPS2 FRAM are not simply mechanisms for delivering work more efficiently; they reflect a different way of thinking about flood risk – one that is proactive rather than reactive, data led rather than fragmented, and focused on long term resilience rather than short term fixes.

For clients, the opportunity is clear: to use the scale and flexibility of frameworks like CPS2 to move beyond isolated interventions and towards a more resilient, future‑ready model of flood risk and asset management that better protects communities and supports sustainable investment over the long term.

WSP has been appointed to the Government Commercial Agency’s CPS2 framework for Flood Risk and Asset Management (FRAM) services, securing places on all three Lots covering technical, environmental, and commercial and programme management services.