Partnership Charter

How we work with our departmental partners.

Building value together

At the Government Property Agency (GPA), we believe that successful outcomes are built on strong partnerships.

This charter sets out the principles, expectations, and commitments that guide our long-term relationship with you – our departmental partner – as we deliver great property services for you, as well as the behaviours we expect in return.

Our partnership principles

We are committed to working with you, treating all of our partners fairly and with respect to support each other in achieving the government missions. Our approach is built upon the GPA values:

Succeeding together

  • Be dependable and trustworthy in all of our engagements
  • Active participation from both parties in setting priorities and solving problems
  • Support and work collaboratively with our partners acting in their interests to achieve the government’s strategic property aims
  • Joint planning and regular review of strategies and key deliverables
  • Clear communication providing accurate, timely and simple information
  • Celebrating our achievements and learn from challenges together

Acting with integrity

  • Honest, open and transparent communication at every stage
  • Treat all partners and customers fairly
  • Mutual confidence in ethical decision-making
  • Clearly explain fees, charges and any contractual terms
  • Take accountability, share relevant information open and honestly

Striving for excellence

  • Deliver prompt and reliable services, providing expert advice where required
  • Aligning our services with your short-term needs and long-term objectives
  • Agree clear requirements with you
  • Keep our people well trained and up to date with current requirements
  • Measurable performance standards and regular reporting

Empowering through respect

  • Valuing each other’s time, expertise, and priorities
  • Treating all stakeholders with dignity and fairness
  • Treat everyone fairly and with respect
  • Support the Civil Service Values
  • Take constructive feedback as part of the relationships we build

Our commitment to you

As your trusted property partner, we will:

  • Understand your business, departmental priorities, and preferences
  • Deliver great solutions, whether property acquisition, asset management, workplace services or project delivery development
  • Keep you informed of market trends, risks, and opportunities
  • Offer proactive advice and innovative thinking
  • Provide timely and accurate financial reporting to support your budgeting
  • Ensure compliance with all legal, financial, and regulatory requirements
  • Maintain confidentiality and data security at all times
  • Continuously improve through feedback and performance reviews

What we ask of you

Departmental partner responsibilities

  • To ensure a productive and professional partnership, we ask you to:
  • Engage with us openly and proactively
  • Communicate respectfully with our team at all times
  • Provide timely and accurate information to inform our work
  • Offer constructive feedback and collaborate in good faith
  • Be transparent about constraints, timelines, budgets and expectations
  • Respect our team, time, and professional guidance
  • Raise concerns early and through the correct channels so they can be resolved quickly and fairly
  • Let us know how we’re performing so we can continue to improve and celebrate the successes together

Working together in partnership

We aim to structure our partnerships around:

  • Regular communication
  • Scheduled meetings, calls, and performance reviews
  • Dedicated client managers (Portfolio Services)
  • Clear regular reporting and documentation
  • Informative regular updates related to ongoing incidents
  • Provide information to you via the GPA Client portal (Portfolio Services)
  • Key performance indicators (KPIs) based on agreed goals

Feedback and continuous improvement

We value your feedback as a vital part of our partnership. We will:

  • Seek feedback from you through regular meetings, surveys or one-on-one reviews
  • Take prompt action on areas of concern
  • Review and adjust service delivery to ensure alignment with your evolving needs
  • GPA Continuous Improvement programme
  • Host regular quarterly Client Working Groups

Issue resolution

Should you have any concerns with how our partnership is working these can be raised with your GPA Client Manager or via email to clientinsights@gpa.gov.uk

This page is not intended to replace the Master Service Agreement or other GPA occupation documentation.