Construction Contract Management

Phase I Environmental Site Assessments

• Review of existing information, commonly including records review (multiple sources), aerial photography, site visits, and interviews
• Reporting is crucial
• Outcome: Determine if there's a likely problem at the site (Desktop Exercise)

Phase II Environmental Site Assessments

• Field Work is key, involving site characterization for potentially contaminated media.
• Sampling of site media is performed.
• Pathways and receptors are determined.
• Outcome: Identify contaminants, their location, concentration, and types at the site.

Phase III Environmental Site Assessments

• Detailed assessment of the site for characterized contaminants and their relationships.
• Pathways and receptors are further clarified.
• Remedial and risk assessment inputs are identified.
• Outcome: All required inputs for a remedial plan determination (Go out to know more if required)

Phase IV Environmental Site Assessments

• Remedial Action Plan (RAP) implementation, defining the process of bringing site media to acceptable regulatory levels.
• Remedial design phase involves identifying, evaluating, and selecting best options, using criteria, matrices, etc.
• Considerations include implementability, climate, cost, and timeframes.
• Outcome: Job is finished, site is clean, following the current standards. Phase IV is outdated term.

Phase V - Implementation

• Implementation of plans, specifications, health, and safety procedures.
• Phase V is outdated term.

Phase VI - Closure and Signoff

• Project Closure
• Sign Off (with Engineer's Stamp and Client signatures)
• Phase VI is outdated term.

Types of Documents

• RFP (Request for Proposal): A procurement document requesting proposals from prospective sellers of products or services.
• RFQ (Request for Quotation): A type of procurement document used to request price quotations from sellers of common or standard products or services

Construction Documents

• Tenders: Proposals to undertake or manage construction projects

Bidding Documents

• Various sources, for example, newspapers, social media, websites (like Nova Scotia Tender Notices, MERX - Canadian Public Tenders, Construction Association of Nova Scotia)

Contract Specifications

• National Master Specification (NMS): A comprehensive text base for project procedures, products, and methods.
• Utilizes editing to suit project requirements.
• Developed by Public Services and Procurement Canada within the National Master Specification Secretariat (NMSS).
• Includes environmentally responsible material and work practices.
• A hyperlinked, bilingual, generic construction specification (available commercially in North America).

Instruction to Bidders

• Key Requirements: How, When, Where, What
• Very Prescribed format required
• Incomplete bids if not followed carefully

Instruction To Bidders (queries & clarifications)

• Process
• Addenda (Singular form Addendum)
• Revisions & modifications of key information
• Site visits
• Bidder Briefing (Mandatory/Non-mandatory)
• Bid Submission (Specific instructions, forms and envelopes)

Unit Price Bid Form

• Provides a schedule of quantities and unit prices for construction work as defined by the project.

Bid Forms (general)

• Detailed outline of frequently used bid forms, such as Tender Price Amendment Form, Appendix A/B/C/D/E/F/G, Form of Agreement, General Conditions, and more.

Drawings

• The importance of using correct drawings
• Issued for Review (IFR) are used for stakeholder review prior to tender.
• Issued for Tendering (IFT) used for contractors for pricing purposes.
• Issued for Construction (IFC) are actual drawings used for construction.

General Conditions (cont'd)

• Detailed descriptions of responsibilities, terms, adherence to laws/regulations, liabilities, resolving disputes, quality assurance, defective work/supplies, time extensions (warranties, insurance, bonds, permits)

Supplementary General Conditions

• Instructions specific to each project and encompassing requirements of drawings and documents to be on site, co-operation, procedures, utilities, progress meetings, examinations, intents, notices, permits, contractor insurance, and security.

Supplementary General Conditions (cont'd)

• General instructions for work, including approval of materials, debris control, site access, quality of workmanship, fossils/artifacts.

Bonding

• Security requirements include bid deposits, certified cheques, performance guarantees, and indemnity bonds.

Insurance Requirements

• Insurance requirements, including general liability, automobile liability, all-risk builder's risk (from a third-party perspective, for property damage, defence costs, personal injuries, and the extended discovery period), with insurance amounts depending on project size.

General Requirements

• Lists the various topics associated with a construction project, from work summaries and restrictions to payments, testing, progress scheduling, and more, to closeout procedures. Include items associated with health, environmental, quality control and assurance procedures, and temporary/permanent facilities.

General Comments

• The stress on environmental measures in specifications is notable
• Contingency pricing in bids must be included.
• Bidders must include data such as borehole/test pit logs, laboratory analyses, geotechnical reports, and pre-existing ESA reports.

Role of Site Professional

• Ensuring compliance with safety and environmental plans, creating daily reports, collecting and sharing images/videos, and handling incident reports.
• Liaising between the client and contractor.

Closure

• Preparing closure reports, detailing remedial activities, verifying sample results, assessing objective achievement, monitoring variance, and creating as-built drawings.
• The report should suggest performance-monitoring plans, certificates, completion details, and correspondence letters and related documents.