Explain the role of a Project Manager.
- Responsible for driving the successful completion of a project providing a link between the employer and the building contract, design team and other consultants.
- Usually appointed at Stage 0: Strategic Definition or Stage 1: Preparation and Brief and is involved in all further stages of the project to ensure that the project is delivered on time, within budget and to the desired quality.
Explain the role of a Contract Administrator.
The Contract Administrator is appointed by an employer to administer the contract between the employer and the contractor impartially.
Under the contract the CA will be responsible for issuing:
- Chairing meeting and inspecting the works
- Issuing Instructions
- Issuing Payment Certificates
- Determining claims from the contractor for Extensions of Time and Loss and Expense
- Practical Completion
- Making Good Defects Certificate
- Agreeing Adjusted contract Sum and issuing Final Certificate (Payment)
What is a PEP and what should be included in it?
A document that sets out how the project will be run, including decision making processes and lines of communication. Brief Scope Programme Project Directory Governance Procurement Strategy Risk Management Change Management Value Management & Engineering Quality Management Project Audit Commissioning and handover
What is the difference between Value Engineering and Value Management?
Value Management is conducted in the initial stages of a project to define in detail what value means to the client and set out how this will be achieved.
Value Engineering is the process of reducing cost without affecting function or quality when a project has gone over budget.
What change management procedures do you put in place on a project?
The change management procedure was incorporated in the Project Execution Plan which included the Change Request Form (CRF). A change can be raised by any member of the project team or client. The originator will complete a CRF and issue this to the project team.
The PM will review the design team’s responses on whether the proposed change will affect cost, time or quality and if the change is necessary. If it is the PM will approve the change to be detailed by relevant members of the project team or contractor.
Once all impacts and benefits of the change have been assessed and included in the CRF the PM will then present this to the client explaining the change in relation to their key objectives, for it to be approved or rejected.
What quality management processes did you include in your project?
The section of the PEP set out who was responsible for delivering outputs, listing the contributors and who was responsible for reviewing the outputs to ensure their quality.
ISO 9001 is the internationally recognised standard for the quality management of businesses.
Aims of a Quality Management Plan to define:
- Deliverables.
- Resources responsible for producing and providing deliverables.
- Criteria against which each deliverable will be reviewed.
- Resources responsible for reviewing each deliverable.
- Recipients of each deliverable.
- Process by which deliverables are reviewed and signed off.
Deliverables include:
• Cost Plan
• Procurement Strategy
• Risk Management Strategy
What is whole life costing?
- Take into account costs to procure, construct, operate, maintain and dispose of a building.
- Can be a better means of assessing value for money than just the construction costs.
How do you control documentation on a project and within your company?
RICS Guidance Note - Electronic Document Management
Within my company each job is assigned a:
- Job code and name which is used on all documentation and file names.
- Project mailbox – to save all email correspondence
- Project Folder – to save all information, electronic and hard copy folder for important documents.
On a project I recommend to my client that file sharing systems such as SharePoint are used.
How do you manage the management reporting system on a project?
In the PEP I set out the monthly reporting template that details the input that will be required from each consultant at the end of each month which I collate into a project report. During the construction phase the contractor will also provide monthly reports.
What is project governance?
Is the management framework detailing how decisions are made. This is in relation to the processes and responsibilities of the client to approve the project at each stage and sign off changes.
What is an organisation structure?
A diagram which shows the roles of the project members and the lines of communication. This can also show contractual relationships.
What is the difference between Project Administration and Project Process and Procedures?
Project Administration
- Identifying and implementing the contractual, legislative and statutory requirements needed for a development.
- Managing document control and information management systems.
- Managing reporting systems.
Project Process and Procedures
- Preparing a project execution plan.
- Conducting a development appraisal or feasibility study.
- Reporting on project processes and procedures.
- Reporting on project performance.
What is insurance?
Insurance is an agreement stating that the insurer will give the insured a benefit (usually financial) if a specified event occurs.
What types of insurances are required in construction projects?
- Employer’s Liability Insurance
- Public Liability Insurance
- Professional Indemnity Insurance
- All Risk’s Insurance
What is All Risks Insurance?
- Insurance of the building works.
- Covers physical loss or damage to works and materials on site.
- This can be taken out by the Contractor or Employer, contract should specify who.
- Contract usually defines this should be taken out in joint names (Employer and Contractor insured under the same policy).
What is Employers Liability Insurance?
- Covers the liability of an employer for any illness, injury or death suffered by an employee.
- All UK employers are required to have this insurance by law.
What is Public Liability Insurance?
- Provides cover for damages or compensation arising from accidental injury to third parties or property in connection to the project.
- Contractor to provide for the duration of the works.
What is Professional Indemnity Insurance?
- Insurance against liability arising from professional negligence, such as breach of a contractual obligation to exercise reasonable skill, care and diligence.
- Will include a limit of indemnity and should be on the ‘each and every claim’ basis. This means that the cover amount is capped for a single claim but multiple claims can be made during the policy with no overall limit (‘in the aggregate’ sets overall limit e.g. £10m limit would be reached with two claims of £5m during the policy duration).
- RICS require members to have a minimum of 6 years run off cover due to the ‘Claims made’ basis.
- A copy of the certificate must be sent to the RICS on an annual basis.
How would you client be protected from contractor insolvency?
Performance Bond or Parent Company Guarantee (see Contract Practice).
What types of surveys are required for construction projects?
- Ground investigation
- Existing services
- Existing structure
- Arboricultural (tree) survey
- Daylight / sunlight survey
What is risk and how do you manage it on a project?
RICS Guidance Note – Management of Risk
Risk workshops held at the start of the project to develop client and design and construction risks into a risk register, risks reviewed monthly at progress meetings and dedicated workshops. • Probability • Severity of impact • Impact on cost • Impact on programme • Risk owners • Mitigation actions
This allows risk to be calculated and costed and the total cost impact compared to the contingencies levels in the budget to see if there is sufficient cover for the client if all risks were realised in a worst case scenario.
How can you transfer risk?
Procurement route and contract selection, contract terms:
• Design risk to contractor in Design & Build route.
How would you monitor the quality of work?
- Undertake regular site inspections
- Ensure work are to a Code of Practice
- Ensure compliance with materials and workmanship section of specifications
- Include British Standards in the specification
- Review product data sheets
What would you look for to ensure materials were of good quality?
- Manufacturers details
- CE Marks
- British Standards
- Kitemark
- TRADA Certification
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