Strategic Plan 2003 - 2005

AGS MISSION

To provide a focus for the promotion and development of good commercial and professional practice in the Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental industry.  In particular, the AGS will:

• promote quality of service
• provide good practice guidance on commercial and professional topics; 
• act as a voice-piece for the industry to government, professional and other trade bodies; 
• work to improve the profile of geotechnical and geoenvironmental professionals.

AGS OBJECTIVES

2.1 General Objectives

1. Through the Construction Industry Council (CIC) engage in dialogue with Government, The Strategic Forum for Construction and clients' groups with regard to issues of current concern to the Association's members. These issues currently include: 

• skills shortage and university funding 
• contaminated land regulation and guidance 
• best value 
• modernisation and quality standards in ground investigation q conditions of contract 

2. Promote greater appreciation of the value of geotechnical and geoenvironmental expertise to the successful completion of projects on time and to budget. 

3. Strive for full integration of geotechnics and geoenvironmental aspects in ground investigations. 

4. Promote world-wide use of the AGS Format for electronic data transfer. 

5. Maintain and support appropriate working groups, including: 

• Membership & Publicity 
• Contaminated Land 
• Loss Prevention 
• Business Practice 
• Electronic Transfer of Data 
• Safety 
• Laboratories 

6. Provide members with information on current issues through the regular publication of newsletters and advice, loss prevention alerts, meetings and web-based services. Prepare affordable guidance documents on issues of commercial or professional concern to members and to support the up-take of these documents through seminars. 

7. Liaise with Trade Associations who represent similar groups of professionals in other countries. Provide active support for Ground Forum and maintain close liaison with its member bodies. 

8. Ensure satisfactory financial performance of the Association, including maintenance of a minimum reserve of 50% of the Association's annual expenditure, whilst developing further the level of service offered to members.

2.2 Specific Objectives

1. Complete the current initiative on benchmarking of site investigation projects and introduce benchmarking into UK practice. Through this initiative, continue promotion of compliance with the AGS Code of Conduct and implementation of the AGS Guidelines for Good Practice in Site Investigation.

2. Ensure regular up-dating of the 2nd edition of the AGS Safety Manual.

3. Complete and publish guidance on "Contractual Risk Management for Ground Reporting" (to replace the "Model Document for Geoenvironmental Site Assessments").

4. Monitor developments in e-commerce and, when appropriate, provide guidance to members.

5. Organize more frequent regional meetings, in conjunction with other groups, to disseminate AGS guidance both within the UK and overseas.

6. Broaden and strengthen links with other industry organisations in the UK.

7. Build on recent liaison with ASFE and with AGS Hong Kong. Investigate potential liaison with European bodies.

8. Produce MS PowerPoint presentations covering specific topics which members would be able to use for internal training or external promotion. The first subjects in this series will be Professional Indemnity insurance and the AGS format.