Civil Engineering Project Management (4th Edition)

construction, so that they can plan their tendering work and consider their
response to other opportunities.
6.4 Requirements for fast completion
There is a widespread tendency for employers to want their civil engineering
works designed and built in the shortest possible time. This pressure for speed
often arises because of the time it nowadays may take for an employer to gain
powers to construct his works. He may need to get planning consents, satisfy
conservation and environmental interests, acquire land and wayleave rights,
accommodate objectors and go through the lengthy process of a public inquiry.
The funding of international projects may also take some years to arrange and
negotiate. Commercial organizations tend to delay a project, then want it completed
as fast as possible when market conditions are right. None of this can be
avoided; but the pressure to undertake both design and construction in excessive
haste needs to be resisted.
Starting construction before designs are complete or before the employer
is sure what he wants, is a major cause of constructional problems, claims by
contractors and of costs grossly exceeding original estimates. Hurriedly prepared
documents, contract drawings incomplete before tendering, tender
periods too short and an employer who wants changes after construction has
started, can lead to a legion of unforeseen problems, forced changes of design,
multiple claims from a contractor and a job not completed any earlier than it
would have been had proper time been allowed to get everything right before
calling for tenders.
The three outstanding requirements for fast completion of construction are:
• designs fully complete before tenders are called for;
• adequate tendering time for tenderers to prepare their bids;
• an employer who makes no substantial changes to his requirements after
construction has started.
Given good designs based on adequate site investigations, drawings providing
all the details a contractor needs, and no changes during construction, any
competent and well-organized contractor can give fast construction. He can
also give a good job. The quality of a job is all-important to a contractor’s reputation.
The cost of a job and how long it took may fade from an employer’s
memory; but, if the job is a poor one giving a series of after-troubles, it will be
a continuing source of dissatisfaction to the employer, which he will not forget.
6.5 Issuing tender documents
Tendering 69
Tender preparation and assessment times need to be adequate; they should
be programmed into a realistic timetable which gives sufficient time for the