Facts about early contractor involvement
For several years, both clients and contractors of large, complex mega infrastructure projects in the Netherlands have been experimenting with innovative contracts, causing a shift in roles and tasks in the Dutch construction industry. Clients are increasingly asking contractors to take on the responsibility for preparing designs at a much earlier stage. An example is the expansion of the Port of Rotterdam, known as Maasvlakte 2.
The Hague based International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC) has released the latest in its popular series of Facts About executive summaries.
Available free of charge online and in print, Facts About Early Contractor Involvement addresses the questions which should be asked at the planning stage of major marine construction projects.
Not every project needs the early involvement of contractors. But complicated mega-projects demand imaginative and innovative approaches. These projects, new and expanded ports, major coastal protection works, and large reclamation areas in sensitive environments, all require solutions which take advantage of the highest level of knowledge from all available resources. One of these resources is the dredging contractor that will be doing the operational work.
Facts About Early Contractor Involvementaddresses questions such as:
- Is the construction operation feasible?
- Is the necessary equipment available?
- Is special equipment required or are standard techniques sufficient?
- What production rates can be achieved?
- How will the contract look, a separate contract – or several subcontracts?
- And of course, what are the estimated costs?
Often this type of information must be included in the owner/client’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and permitting applications. In some cases the EIA application may require even more operational details, such as how a project will be executed, what the dredging periods (windows) will be, how much spill can be anticipated, what the environmental consequences may be and what kinds of control measures, including monitoring, will be initiated. Without input from the contractor, some of these questions cannot seriously be answered.
In fact, lacking technical information from contractors can lead to less than optimal performance and when that happens the reputation of the construction industry in general is harmed. The public’s perception (and the clients’) may be that time schedules are not trustworthy, budgets are running wild, technical solutions are failing more often than not and the government, the authority and the industry just seem to have difficulty getting it right.
Involving contractors early on helps forecast project results with more certainty. It should prepare all parties to jointly solve problems, address unknowns in difficult environments and avoid or resolve conflicts more effectively.
The aim of this Facts About Early Contractor Involvement is to make this process work, to ensure that all parties understand what is needed to execute a project efficiently and cost effectively and that all parties understand each other’s risks and shared responsibilities.
All Facts About are downloadable in PDF form at the IADC website: www.iadc-dredging.com. Printed copies can be ordered by contacting the IADC Secretariat: info@iadc-dredging.com.
Images for this article - click to enlarge
Unless otherwise stated, all images copyright © Mercator Media 2012. This does not exclude the owner's assertion of copyright over the material.
