Assignment Example: Construction Procumbent

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Introduction

There are many different methods to acquire things, services, and tasks, each with unique pros and cons. As a result, when developing a procurement strategy for a building project, it is essential to keep the finished product in mind. The procurement strategy involves decisions on what will be obtained by contract, the contract conditions, and how the procurement goals (both primary and secondary) will be met. The primary goal of this report is to document the steps taken to select a procurement strategy and related contractual procedures for the construction of the new community center. The report’s structure will revolve around this project overview. We will discuss the procurement and contracting techniques and the thought processes behind our decisions.

Project background

The construction of the new community center will be close to the intersection of Baker and Rupert streets. Since 2005, when the land was donated and permission to build a single-story community center, the site has sat empty. Preliminary site investigations revealed no risks; therefore, the location is secure for use. Donations totaling £1.5 million will support the construction of the structure, which is anticipated to take 18 months.

The firm’s construction will require a size of 50 m by 50m.This is the first project of its kind, and the community center must serve as a hub for many different organizations: a town hall, an outreach center for public health, a library, and a food bank and youth center, to name just a few. The client wishes to have absolutely nothing happen in the space during development. The project’s key stakeholders are the customer, the community, and the nonprofit.

The community will benefit from the facility, which a philanthropic group will fund. BREAM certification is a must for this project. Timeliness, economy, quality, the contractor, and risk-shifting strategies are all crucial to the project’s outcome.

Client Requirements

We have included a few project-specific details in light of the preceding context. The square footage of the building is 50 square meters, made of steel, and has ancillary features like a parking lot and a landscaped area. Client needs analysis should also consider the modular construction and robotics departments. As a consultant, I must add three new requirements to the list of customer specifications. The following table describes these in terms of time, money, quality, and usefulness.

As a consultant, I must keep my customers’ wants and needs in mind when deciding which procurement strategy to employ. The first stage in planning for time, cost, quality, and functionality is understanding the client’s expectations and existing budgets. These specifications heavily influence the bidding procedure, the allocation of contracts, and the selection of principal contractors (Eriksson, 2017). Any contracting plans should consider how well a business can meet these requirements.

Other consideration essential in the community facility procurement process includes legal issues. The chosen plan must adhere to the many regulations regulating the procurement procedure. There needs to be stringent enforcement of labor and material standards. It is very important to follow the local contract law. The best time to deal with compliance questions is during the planning stage. To make an informed decision about how to acquire or employ a certain resource, it is necessary to weigh all associated risks (Eriksson, 2017). Potential risks to the project include noncompliance with regulations and other legal problems.

There is an expected minimum amount of time to operate the community’s infrastructure. To ensure a minimum lifespan, builders and designers must consider it while working with materials and processes. The selected procurement method must adapt to market changes caused by factors like competition and economies of scale. Hence it is vital when considering the client’s financial and time constraints and demands for quality and practicality.

Procurement Methods

Since the community centre’s design must be approved before construction can begin, the traditional procurement strategy often keeps the contractors and the design team apart. We hired industrial designers who specialize in community center layout. As soon as the design of the proposed building has been completed, it will be sent out for peer review (Montalbán-Domingo et al., 2019). Contractors will have submitted bids for the building’s construction if approval is given to do so. The Client is accountable for ensuring that the numbers on the bill of quantities that the quantity surveyor has generated are correct.

The Client engages a contractor to complete the project per the contract’s specifications by the agreed-upon date and at the agreed-upon cost. The general contractor has full responsibility for any building defects. According to Montalbán-Domingo et al., (2019), the contractor is responsible for all expenses incurred to finish the building project on schedule and within budget per the client-hired architect’s plans. The Client actively participates in the design process, allowing the designer to create a one-of-a-kind product that precisely fulfils the Client’s needs.

In regards to awarding contracts, one of the benefits of the conventional procurement method is that it is competitive and equitable. Hence this is due to the consistency with which service providers submit bids. As this is a charitable-funded enterprise, the method’s emphasis on healthy competition bodes well for transparency and accountability.

The process of getting services through Construction Management is one of a kind. In this case, the client will not select a single large construction company but will contract with some smaller firms individually. The developer (or client) under Construction Management enters into separate contracts with each specialized subcontractor (Erdogan et al., 2017, p. 266). Still, in Management Contracting, all contracts are negotiated and executed by the general contractor on behalf of the customer.

For an agreed-upon fee, the client will retain the services of a construction manager to act as an intermediary during the development of a public amenity. The construction crew will not benefit financially from the project’s completion; thus, they have no incentive to ensure its success beyond the risk of making a mistake in their work. Managers look out for their client’s best interests by keeping an eye on the schedule, keeping tabs on how the trade package contractors are doing financially and operationally, and making decisions based on data (Rahmani et al., 2017). Using construction management methods has many benefits, such as reducing conflict between parties and allowing the client to save time by completing both the design and construction phases simultaneously.

However, when a customer employs a construction management procurement system, they give up direct control of the project to the contractor.

Moreover, for the construction of the new facility, the client may opt to use the design and build procurement system. In a design-and-build arrangement, the contractor is paid to perform all design and construction work and bear all project risks. As the first step, a set price is agreed upon. Hence it means the contractor is responsible for the building’s design and construction.

Typically, a client will hire a designer to develop an initial concept for a building, and then a contractor will finish the design and construct the structure (Smith et al., 2021). The client gives up control of the project when the contractor takes over. Contract modifications include any special requirements the client requests and those already included in the tender. These adjustments may cost a considerable amount and contracts can’t be signed until the design brief is complete. Many design-build projects aim to reduce the time required to complete a standard project (Smith et al., 2021).

They are disabling the structure’s ability to impress. We need planning approval before submitting bids because the building is unusual. A community center builder can’t fulfill a client’s goal without a comprehensive design (Love et al., 2018). There needs to be a focus on providing innovative, high-quality community amenities. Not even close: design-build cannot work.

For the construction of Community facility, I would suggest that my client consider traditional procurement system. As a result of researching all of the options available to my client, I have concluded that the conventional method of procuring the materials for the community center is the best choice. I believe the contributors will stick to their stated budget of £1.5 million.

Therefore, I believe the primary objective for the donors should be to obtain quality at a predictable price. This design is unlike any other in the UK; hence an expert architect is needed. Due to the unique nature of the building, detailed designs and specifications are required before construction can begin. It’s crucial in this scenario that the design team and construction crew are separate entities.

Reference List

Erdogan, S.A., Šaparauskas, J. and Turskis, Z., 2017. Decision making in construction management: AHP and expert choice approach.Procedia engineering,172, pp.270-276.

Eriksson, P.E., 2017. Procurement strategies for enhancing exploration and exploitation in construction projects.Journal of Financial Management of Property and Construction.

Love, P.E., Teo, P. and Morrison, J., 2018. Revisiting quality failure costs in construction.Journal of construction engineering and management,144(2), p.05017020.

Montalbán-Domingo, L., García-Segura, T., Amalia Sanz, M. and Pellicer, E., 2019. Social sustainability in delivery and procurement of public construction contracts.Journal of management in engineering,35(2), p.04018065.

Rahmani, F., Maqsood, T. and Khalfan, M., 2017. An overview of construction procurement methods in Australia.Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management.

Smith, J., Edwards, D.J., Martek, I., Chileshe, N., Hayhow, S. and Roberts, C.J., 2021. The antecedents of construction project change: An analysis of design and build procurement application.Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology.

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