Professional construction management refers to a project management team consisting of a professional construction manager and other participants who will carry out the tasks of project planning, design and construction in an integrated manner. Contractual relationships among members of the team are intended to minimize adversarial relationships and contribute to greater response within the management group. A professional construction manager is a firm specialized in the practice of professional construction management which includes:

• Work with owner and the A/E firms from the beginning and make recommendations on design improvements, construction technology, schedules and construction economy.
• Propose design and construction alternatives if appropriate, and analyze the effects of the alternatives on the project cost and schedule.
• Monitor subsequent development of the project in order that these targets are not exceeded without the knowledge of the owner.
• Coordinate procurement of material and equipment and the work of all construction contractors, and monthly payments to contractors, changes, claims and inspection for conforming design requirements.
• Perform other project related services as required by owners.

Professional construction management is usually used when a project is very large or complex. The organizational features that are characteristics of mega-projects can be summarized as follows:

• The overall organizational approach for the project will change as the project advances. The “functional” organization may change to a “matrix” which may change to a “project” organization (not necessarily in this order).
• Within the overall organization, there will probably be functional, project, and matrix suborganizations all at the same time. This feature greatly complicates the theory and the practice of management, yet is essential for overall cost effectiveness.
• Successful giant, complex organizations usually have a strong matrix-type suborganization at the level where basic cost and schedule control responsibility is assigned. This suborganization is referred to as a “cost center” or as a “project” and is headed by a project manager. The cost center matrix may have participants assigned from many different functional groups. In turn, these functional groups may have technical reporting responsibilities to several different and higher tiers in the organization. The key to a cost effective effort is the development of this project suborganization into a single team under the leadership of a strong project manager.
• The extent to which decision-making will be centralized or decentralized is crucial to the organization of the mega-project.

Managing Project Scope

Ok, you’re about to kick-off a project you’re managing. The scope and budget are set, the team knows what they’re delivering, and everyone is ready to begin. You’re confident that hours have been allocated appropriately, but you also know how easy it is for scope to slip away from you - you need to keep a good handle on this project to ensure the team doesn’t squander their hours and push the project over budget. In this article, I’ll review some solid tactics you can employ to progressively manage your project budget and maintain total visibility from beginning to end.

Granular Scoping

The first tool in your arsenal of budget management needs to be rolled out before the project is even approved for commencement. It’s what I refer to as granular scoping, and it means that the budget should be allocated to each resource at a task level. In other words, don’t estimate required hours in large lump sums - when you are going through the initial scoping exercise, ensure hours are broken down into as much detail as much as possible. This will allow you to subsequently assign and manage project hours in smaller steps, which will inherently provide you with greater control and transparency as your team consumes their allocated hours. The ultimate advantage is greater visibility regarding how long each project task actually takes. This information will be invaluable to you as you estimate future projects with similar tasks.

Accurate Time Capture

It amazes me to learn of interactive agencies that still are not capturing project hours through some sort of time sheeting system. There is no chance a project manager will have success in measuring project profitability with any comprehension if each resource isn’t recording hours spent on specific projects. Ideally, resources will log how much time is used on each project task (back to granularity), so that you will understand exactly what areas of the project are most time consuming. This information will allow you to compare estimates against actuals, refining your scoping methodology by making corrections moving forward.

Milestone Reconciliation

If you’ve executed the first two recommendations, you’ll also be able to complete this one - providing you with absolute clarity and opportunity to recover from potential pitfalls as you move through the project life-cycle. Reconciliation is an exercise during which you analyse project completion (how much work has been done) in comparison to work effort (how may hours have been used). If you have broken down the scope and hour allocations in a detailed way, and hours are being recorded by each project resource, you will be able to reconcile at key points in the project to identify if you are over or under budget before the project is completed. If you know you are over budget early on, you may be able to take action and correct this trend before it’s too late to make a difference. Project reconciliations also present an opportunity for you to share accurate information related to scope and budget with your client. A client that understands how much effort goes into a project, and how the team is working to remain within budget, will be more amenable to paying for legitimate overages.

As a project manager, your most critical responsibility to the organisation you work for will be scope management - it directly affects the bottom line, contributes to corporate success, client satisfaction, and professional achievement. While this task may seem overwhelming, it is within reach if you can breakdown work effort and measure profitability as you move through the project. Ultimately, agility will provide you with options - and understanding where your budget is at each stage of a project will allow you to react and manage project scope successfully.

Construction Management

Construction management is a professional field that focuses on each part of the construction process of any built environment. Construction management typically encompasses commercial building sites or multi-unit residential sites, but not usually single-family residential building sites. Construction management of the site may be maintained by a general contractor or a separate entity, and the construction management personnel or firm answers to the developer and is responsible for overseeing every aspect of the project from start to finish.

The construction management field requires a minimum of four years in an undergraduate program and may require a Masters in Construction Management for certain projects. Areas of study for construction management include advanced math, design and construction laws, architecture, estimating, accounting, and business. Construction is one of the single largest industries in the United States and the outlook for careers in construction management is favorable. Job opportunities exist both in the private sector and in government.

During a typical project, construction management personnel are responsible for overseeing each phase of construction and resolving any discrepancies in original blueprint design and actual implementation. Construction management personnel are also accountable for the cost of a project and must control material and labor cost. They may work with one or more project managers, architects, and site-specific superintendents, often in both an office and hardhat environment simultaneously. In addition to overseeing the physical construction phases of a project, construction management must also be familiar with design and construction laws — including OSHA regulations and building codes — and serve as a point of contact for all issues. Equally important is delivering each phase of a project within a given time frame and budget, right down to the completed building or buildings.

Construction management firms vary in size, and some provide their services exclusively to smaller general contractors. Large construction companies generally hire their own construction management personnel. The earning potential for construction management varies by region, but can easily reach six figures with experience and reputation for effectively managing larger, multi-million dollar projects.

Follow these 7 rules to get past the hurdles and start on the path to successfully build a custom, dream home:

1. Needs vs. Wants: You typically will not get everything that you want in your dream home. Determine your needs first, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, an office, garage, kitchen, and family room. Then evaluate other features that you want in your home but are willing to forego if they cannot work into the overall plan.

2. Evaluate Costs: Look at the costs for the features you want, such as a pool, media room or a wine cellar. Then prioritize the rankings of your wants. Be prepared to nix some from the list.

3. Determine the Style: Deciding on the style of home you want is very crucial in determining the home you want to build, but keep in mind that the style can affect your budget as well as building and supply costs. Round turrets, multiple elevations and complex roof lines can be costly.

4. Look at C.C. & R.’s: Make sure your home’s style, elevations, exterior finishes, colors and square footage comply with the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC & R’s) for your neighborhood before you finalize your house plans and break ground on your project. Also, be sure to obtain architectural approval if required.

5. Set a Realistic Budget: Accurate budget planning is important to prevent any surprises when it comes time to start building your dream home. Obtain actual quotes with itemized costs and supplies from subcontractors to prepare a detailed budget.

6. Feel Comfortable in Decision-Making Process: Be prepared to make decisions. When building a custom home, you will be picking everything from lighting and plumbing fixtures to appliances and exterior veneer materials, so it is important to feel comfortable in the decision-making process. Do not labor or fret over your decisions. If you like it, go for it and do not second guess yourself after the fact.

7. Get Detailed House Plans: Obtain a set of stock plans or custom design them with a home designer or architect. Make sure the plans provide specific details about the size, specs and dimensions so that you are getting the exact house that you want. Also, be sure to have your plans engineered by a licensed structural engineer.

Engineering is the discipline and profession of applying technical and scientific knowledge and utilizing natural laws and physical resources in order to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that realize a desired objective and meet specified criteria.

The American Engineers’ Council for Professional Development (ECPD, the predecessor of ABET) has defined engineering as follows:
“The creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property.”

Main Branches of Engineering Profession

Engineering, much like science, is a broad discipline which is often broken down into several sub-disciplines. These disciplines concern themselves with differing areas of engineering work. Although initially an engineer will be trained in a specific discipline, throughout an engineer’s career the engineer may become multi-disciplined, having worked in several of the outlined areas.

Historically the main Branches of Engineering are categorized as follows:

* Aerospace Engineering - The design of aircraft, spacecraft and related topics.
* Chemical Engineering - The conversion of raw materials into usable commodities.
* Civil Engineering - The design and construction of public and private works, such as infrastructure, bridges and buildings.
* Electrical Engineering - The design of electrical systems, such as transformers, as well as electronic goods.
* Computer Engineering - The design of Softwares and Hardware-software integration.
* Mechanical Engineering - The design of physical or mechanical systems, such as engines, powertrains, kinematic chains and vibration isolation equipment.

With the rapid advancement of Technology many new fields are gaining prominence and new branches are developing such as Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Nanotechnology, Molecular engineering, Mechatronics etc. These new specialties sometimes combine with the traditional fields and form new branches such as Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics and Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Engineering consultants usually work as part of a consulting company, and come into the field after receiving an engineering degree and obtaining several years of experience in the field. They are experts at whatever field of engineering consulting they are involved in. Engineering is a very broad field, and consultants are required to have a very clear understanding of everything that a potential client may need.

One area that engineering consultants may work in is mechanical engineering. A consultant would be able to design and help implement plans for a more efficient heating and cooling system in a large building. Consultants may also be hired to assist in improving indoor air quality, processing exhaust and ventilation fumes, and designing commercial kitchens.

Engineering consultants can also work with businesses to create solutions for electrical problems. This may mean designing better lighting for a portion of the building or the parking area. They will also work on regulating energy distribution, and planning for an emergency power generator. An engineering consultant may also design a fire detection system or a security system complete with video surveillance equipment.

The plumbing system of a building is another section that an engineering consultant might be hired to work on. Waste removal, ventilation, hot and cold water distribution, and water heaters are all a part of what an engineer may work on. The sprinkler system, used to control fires, may also be designed by an engineering consultant.

An engineering consultant may also be responsible for designing an airport. He or she may also do land assessments, help with landscaping designs, and plan walkways through parks. Consultants design flood plans, making sure that there are sufficient drainage ducts to prevent costly flooding repairs. They assist with zoning decisions and planning development sites for residential, commercial, and government use.

Traffic studies are often performed by an engineering consulting firm. They plan roadways, plot traffic patterns, and create designs for new subway systems. They help to design better pavement for roadways that will last longer and require less maintenance. They also design and inspect bridges.

The work of an engineering consultant is varied. Because engineering is such a wide field, there is almost no limit to the work a consultant can perform. They perform several different types of work, for many different types of businesses. Engineering consultants find solutions that meet or exceed the needs of their clients.

While there are many things important to concrete construction, such as quality work and making a profit, safety must always be the No. 1 priority. For that reason, we are starting with safety to emphasize its importance as critical to a successful project.

Most accidents are preventable. Accidents are often due to carelessness and not thinking through what you are doing. You MUST plan for safety. The following list of things to watch out for on a concrete construction jobsite is not intended to be comprehensive. It does, however, serve to alert you to some of the more common safety in concrete construction:

* Fresh concrete can cause eye injuries and skin burns. When working with fresh concrete, wear protective clothing (a long-sleeved shirt, rubber boots, and rubber gloves) and eye protection to avoid getting fresh concrete on your skin or in your eyes. If you do get fresh concrete on your skin, wash it off with clean water. And remember that the tool clean-off bucket is not clean water.

* Finishers should wear long pants, work boots, knee pads (and use knee boards), and gloves. Immediately remove clothing that has become saturated with wet concrete.

* The simple use of personal protection equipment (PPEs–hard hats, gloves, boots, eye protection, fall protection, respirators, and so forth.) can save workers from the short-term and long-term effects of construction site conditions.

* Ear plugs must be used when the noise level gets to the point where you have to raise your voice to speak to the person working next to you. It doesn’t take much exposure to noise to permanently damage your hearing.

* Dust masks or respirators must be worn whenever there’s a chance of inhaling dirt, dust, chips, or mist; when you are cutting, grinding, or chipping hardened concrete; or when you are mixing epoxy or grout. Be sure to ask for training in the selection and use of a proper respirator. Another solution to this problem is to use wet methods or “dustless” vacuum tools.

* Ladders and stairways are major sources of injuries and fatalities among construction workers. Employers should ensure that employees are trained by a competent person in the nature of fall hazards; the correct procedure for erecting, maintaining, and disassembling fall protection systems; proper construction, use, placement, and care in handling stairways and ladders; and the maximum intended load-carrying capacity of ladders.

* Scaffolding should be solidly constructed, even if it is to be used only for a short time. Be sure uprights are uniformly spaced, plumb, and set on a good solid foundation. Use horizontal or diagonal bracing for stability. Planking should overlap the support by a minimum of 12 inches. Scaffolding should be tied to walls, buildings, or other structures. A competent person should inspect the scaffolding daily.

* The most hazardous moment when working at heights is when you are moving from place to place. That’s why you always need to be tied off to somethine substantial–something that can support a dead weight of 5000 pounds. Any time you go over a guardrail to perform work, you must be tied off. Fall protection should also be worn when working at ground level around open excavations 6 feet or more in depth. Be sure to place guardrails around all openings in decks.

* Use ground-fault circuit interruption devices at all times when using vibrators and other electrical tools. Wet concrete and water are excellent conductors. GFCI devices will prevent electrocution.

* Make sure that all wire, rope, slings, shackles, and other lifting devices are sized correctly and inspected thoroughly before using. If something breaks under a lifting load, a lot of energy can be released. A flying cable can remove an arm or leg in an instant.

Remember, accidents don’t just happen. They are more often than not the results of poor planning, improper training, or not thinking through each of your work activities. Safety in Concrete Construction always the first priority, keep it in mind.

Quality control and Construction Safety represent increasingly important concerns for project managers.

Weak quality control leads to defects or failures in constructed facilities, thus result in very large costs. Even with minor defects, re-construction may be required and facility operations impaired. Increased costs and delays are the result. In the worst case, failures may cause personal injuries or fatalities. Accidents during the construction process can similarly result in personal injuries and large costs. Indirect costs of insurance, inspection and regulation are increasing rapidly due to these increased direct costs. Good project managers try to ensure that the job is done right the first time and that no major accidents occur on the project.

As with cost control, the most important decisions regarding the quality of a completed facility are made during the design and planning stages rather than during construction. It is during these preliminary stages that component configurations, material specifications and functional performance are decided. Quality control during construction consists largely of insuring conformance to these original design and planning decisions.

While conformance to existing design decisions is the primary focus of quality control, there are exceptions to this rule. First, unforeseen circumstances, incorrect design decisions or changes desired by an owner in the facility function may require re-evaluation of design decisions during the course of construction. While these changes may be motivated by the concern for quality, they represent occasions for re-design with all the attendant objectives and constraints. As a second case, some designs rely upon informed and appropriate decision making during the construction process itself. For example, some tunneling methods make decisions about the amount of shoring required at different locations based upon observation of soil conditions during the tunneling process. Since such decisions are based on better information concerning actual site conditions, the facility design may be more cost effective as a result.

With the attention to conformance as the measure of quality during the construction process, the specification of quality requirements in the design and contract documentation becomes extremely important. Quality requirements should be clear and verifiable, so that all parties in the project can understand the requirements for conformance. Much of the discussion in this chapter relates to the development and the implications of different quality requirements for construction as well as the issues associated with insuring conformance.

Safety during the construction project is also influenced in large part by decisions made during the planning and design process. Some designs or construction plans are inherently difficult and dangerous to implement, whereas other, comparable plans may considerably reduce the possibility of accidents. For example, clear separation of traffic from construction zones during roadway rehabilitation can greatly reduce the possibility of accidental collisions. Beyond these design decisions, safety largely depends upon education, vigilance and cooperation during the construction process. Workers should be constantly alert to the possibilities of accidents and avoid taken unnecessary risks.

Civil Engineering Estimates

An estimate is a calculation of the quantities of various items of work, and the expenses likely to be incurred there on. The total of these probable expenses to be incurred on the work is known as estimated cost of the work. The estimated cost of a work is a close approximation of its actual cost. The agreement of the estimated cost with the actual cost will depend on accurate use of estimating methods and correct visualization of the work, as it will be done. Importance of correct estimating is obvious. Under-estimating may result in the client getting an unpleasant shock when tenders are opened and drastically modifying or abandoning the work at that stage. Over-estimating may lose the engineer or estimator his client or his job, or in any case his confidence.

Estimating is the most important of the practical aspects of construction management, and the subject deserves the closest attention of one aspiring to a career in the profession. It is a comparatively simple subject to understand; however, as it brings one up against practical work, methods and procedure, knowledge of it cannot be acquired without close application.

.Purpose of Estimating:

To give a reasonably accurate idea of the cost
An estimate is necessary to give the owner a reasonably accurate idea of the cost to help him decide whether the work can be undertaken as proposed or needs to be curtailed or abandoned, depending upon the availability of funds and prospective direct and indirect benefits. For government works proper sanction has to be obtained for allocating the required amount. Works are often let out on a lump sum basis, in which case the Estimator must be in a position to know exactly how much expenditure he is going to incur on them
1. Estimating Materials
From the estimate of a work it is possible to determine what materials and in what quantities will be required for the work so that the arrangements to procure them can be made.
2. Estimating Labor
The number and kind of workers of different categories who will have to be employed to complete the work in the specified time can be found out from the estimate.
3. Estimating Plant
An estimate will help in determining amount and kind of equipment needed to complete the work.
4. Estimating Time
The estimate of a work and the past experience enable one to estimate quite closely the length of time required to complete an item of work or the work as a whole.
Whereas the importance of knowing the probable cost needs no emphasis, estimating materials, labor, plant and time is immensely useful in planning and execution of any work.

. Types of Construction Estimates:

There are several kinds of estimating techniques; these can be grouped into two main categories

1. Approximate estimates
2. Detailed estimates

1. Approximate Estimates
An approximate estimate is an approximate or rough estimate prepared to obtain an approximate cost in a short time. For certain purposes the use of such methods is justified.

2. Detailed Estimate
A detailed estimate of the cost of a project is prepared by determining the quantities and costs of every thing that a contractor is required to provide and do for the satisfactory completion of the work. It is the best and most reliable form of estimate. A detailed estimate may be prepared in the following two ways

(a). Unit quantity method
(b). Total quantity method.

(a) Unit Quantity Method
In the unit quantity method, the work is divided into as many operations or items as are required. A unit of measurement is decided. The total quantity of work under each item is taken out in the proper unit of measurement. The total cost per unit quantity of each item is analyzed and worked out. Then the total cost for the item is found by multiplying the cost per unit quantity by the number of units. For example, while estimating the cost of a building work, the quantity of brickwork in the building would be measured in cubic meters. The total cost (which includes cost of materials. labor, plant, overheads and profit) per cubic meter of brickwork would be found and then this unit cost multiplied by the number of cubic meters of brickwork in the building would give the estimated cost of brickwork.
This method has the advantage that the unit costs on various jobs can be readily compared and that the total estimate can easily be corrected for variations in quantities.

(b) Total Quantity Method
In the total quantity method, an item of work is divided into the following five subdivisions:
(I) Materials
(II) Labor
(III) Plant
(IV) Overheads
(V) Profit.

The total quantities of each kind or class of material or labor are found and multiplied by their individual unit cost. Similarly, the cost of plant, overhead expenses and profit are determined.

Qualifications of an Estimator

A good estimator should possess the following quantifications:
1. A thorough understanding of architectural drawings.
2. A sound knowledge of building materials, construction methods and customs prevailing in the trade.
3. A fund of information collected or gained through experience in construction work, relating to materials required, hourly output of workers and plant, overhead expenses and costs of all kinds.
4. An understanding of a good method of preparing an estimate.
5. A systematic and orderly mind.
6. Ability to do careful and accurate calculations.
7.Ability to collect, classify and evaluate data that would be useful in estimating.

Good instruction or careful and thorough study of a standard book will help a beginner to become a good estimator. He must, however, try to develop all the above mentioned qualities while obtaining practical experience.

Standard Method of Measurement of Building Works

Data Required for Preparing an Estimate:

In order to prepare a detailed estimate the estimator must have with him the following data:
1. Plans, sections and other relevant details of the work.
2. Specifications indicating the exact nature and class of materials to be used.
3. The rates at which the different items of work are carried out.
To enable an estimator to take out the quantities accurately, the drawings must themselves be clear, true to the fact and scale, complete, and fully dimensioned. The estimator has also to bear in mind certain principles of taking out quantities.

. Steps in Preparation of an Estimate:

There are three clearly defined steps in the preparation of an estimate.
1 . Taking out quantities
In the first step of taking out quantities, the measurements are taken off from the drawings and entered on measurement sheet or dimension paper. The measurements to be taken out would depend upon the unit of measurement. For example, in the case of stone masonry in superstructure, length, thickness and height of the walls above plinth level would be taken out from the drawings and entered on the measurement sheet, whereas, in the case of plastering only the lengths and heights of the walls would be entered. Obviously, the unit of measurement in the first case is cubic meter and that in the second case is square meter
2. Squaring out
The second step consists of working out volumes, areas, etc. and casting up their total in recognized units.
3. Abstracting
In the third step all the items along with the net results obtained in the second step are transferred from measurement sheets to specially ruled sheets having rate column ready for pricing.
The second and third steps above are known as working up. All calculations in these stages and every entry transferred should be checked by another person to ensure that no mathematical or copying error occurs.

. Standard Method of Measurement of Building Works:

The different methods of measuring used by various Central and State Government departments and by construction agencies were found to be a serious difficulty to estimators and a standing cause of disputes. For this reason a unification of the various systems at the technical level had been accept­ed as very desirable and wanting.
Although the standard has no legal sanction and as such need not be adopted unless it is referred to in the contracts.

. Principles of Deciding Unit of Measurement:

A beginner may find it difficult to remember the units of measurement of different items. Memorizing of units of measurement would be greatly simplified if he knows the principles kept in view while selecting the units of measurements. Following are the most important principles of selection of unit of measurement:
1. The unit of measurement should be simple and convenient to measure, record and understand.
2. It should be one, which provides for fair payment for the work involved.
3. In the result it should yield quantities, which are neither too minute nor too large.
4. The price per unit should not be a very small figure or a very large one, that is, generally costlier items will be measured in smaller units, cheaper ones in larger units.
5. The unit of measurement may sometimes depend upon the unit for the raw material and/or labor and/or import­ant dimensions. For example, stone masonry is measured in cubic meters because raw materials are measured in cubic meters plastering or pointing is measured in square meters, as the labor is considerable

Construction Estimating Software

Construction estimating software is computer software designed for contractors to estimate construction costs for a specific project. A contractor will typically use estimating software to estimate his bid price for a project owner, which will ultimately become part of a resulting construction contract. Some architects and engineers may also use estimating softare, but usually only to provide a budgetary cost estimate to an owner prior to construction.

Typical Software Features

* Item or Activity List: All estimating software applications will include a main project window that outlines the various items or activities that will be required to complete the specified project. More advanced programs are capable of breaking an item up into subtasks, or sublevels. An outline view of all of the top-level and sub-level items provides a quick and easy way to view and navigate through the project.

* Resource Costs: Resources consist of labor, equipment, materials, subcontractors, trucking, and any other cost detail items. Labor and equipment costs are internal crew costs, whereas all other resource costs are received from vendors, such as material suppliers, subcontractors, and trucking companies. Labor costs are usually calculated from wages, benefits, burden, and workers compensation. Equipment costs are calculated from purchase price, taxes, fuel consumption, and other operating expenses.

* Item or Activity Detail: The detail to each item includes all of the resources required to complete each activity, as well as their associated costs. Production rates will automatically determine required crew costs.

* Calculations: Most estimating programs have built-in calculations ranging from simple length, area, and volume calculations to complex industry-specific calculations, such as electrical calculations, utility trench calculations, and earthwork cut and fill calculations.

* Markups: Every program will allow for cost mark-ups ranging from flat overall mark-ups to resource-specific mark-ups, mark-ups for general administrative costs, and bonding costs.

* Detailed Overhead: Indirect costs, such as permits, fees, and any other overall project costs can be spread to project items.

* Closeout Window: Many estimating programs include a screen for manually adjusting bid prices from their calculated values.

* Reporting: Project reports typically include proposals, detail reports, cost breakdown reports, and various charts and graphs.

* Exporting: Most software programs can export project data to other applications, such as spreadsheets, accounting software, and project management software.

* Job History: Storing past projects is a standard feature in most estimating programs.

Interview for Engineering Jobs

Professionals in the engineering field typically fill a specific technical niche within a company. While interviewing for an engineering position, use the opportunity to discuss the technical training you have attained and how your technical skills fill the company’s need. The main objective is to convince the company that your engineering background is a match for their needs.

Step1
Research the engineering firm or company that you’re interviewing with. Learn their products, engineering processes, customers and suppliers.
Step2
Prepare a list of engineering projects that you have worked on. Engineering positions can be won by illustrating your technical knowledge involved in specific projects.
Step3
Dress in professional business attire.
Step4
Be punctual, confident and self-assured.
Step5
Greet everyone that you meet with a firm handshake and a smile.
Step6
Repeat names back to the people that you meet during introductions. This will help you to remember their names. Also, ask for their business cards.
Step7
Highlight the type of engineering process improvement methodology you utilized for project management, such as Six Sigma or Lean Manufacturing, during the interview.
Step8
Qualify improvements in tangible engineering terms, such as reduced cycle time, reduced costs or improved efficiencies.
Step9
Offer ways that your technical knowledge and previous engineering experience relate to the company’s requirements. Explain how you have used the specific technical skills that they need.
Step10
Send a follow-up email to everyone that you talked to during the interview. Thank them for their time and, once again, reiterate why your engineering background and technical skills are a match for their engineering position.

Tips for Construction Bids and Tenders

Invitation to tender

When all the preliminaries are completed and the owner has decided to proceed with the work, tenders are invited. Legally this is an attempt to check if there would be interested contractors to carry out the work within the estimated limit of time and finance. The invitation to Tender is not binding to the owner to proceed with the work and does not cause any liability for any expenses to which contractors would spend in preparing and submitting their construction bids.

Information to be given in a Call for Bids Notice

The notice must be as short as possible, but conveying an adequate idea of the nature and scope of the proposed work and all essential details.
The text of a good advertisement should at least include the following information:
Mode of submitted bids: Bidders should be asked to submit bids in sealed covers, in order to maintain secrecy of quotations.
Form of Bid: It is advisable to get all offers in the same form to facilitate scrutiny, and comparison
Name of the inviting authority: This helps the bidder know the persons he will have to deal with and the co-operation he may receive, if his bid is accepted, and such may also affect his quotation.
Nature of the work and its location: If the nature and location of work is within his operating area, the prospective contractor will want to learn more about the job; else he may not waste time in reading further details
Estimated cost of the work: This most briefly indicates the magnitude of the work and enables him o see whether it is too small to interest him or perhaps too large for him to handle.
Time Limit: The time limit within which the work is to be completed should be mentioned. This will be of great help to the bidder to work out a realistic price of the work.. The time limit may influence the type and number of construction equipments and workers to be employed, and will vitally affect the contractor’s bid.
The availability of Data and forms:
where, from whom, at what cost and up to which date blank bid forms and specifications may be obtained and whether a refund will be made upon their return in satisfactory conditions.
Earnest money required with the bid: The amount and form of security; whether the amount will be accepted i the form of cash, bank guarantee, check or others. Also the number of days within which the amount will be refunded to the unsuccessful bidder.
Performance security: The amount, form, and procedure of recovering.
Information regarding drawings: where and when drawings can be examined by bidders.
Last date, place and time of receipt of sealed bid.
The date, time and place and procedure of opening bids.
Reservation to reject bids.

Tips for consideration in preparing construction bids

Careful study of the contract documents: The contract documents issued to the contractor or supplied for his inspection include general contract conditions, drawings, specifications, bills of quantities etc. These documents are to be studied carefully to check if any unusual conditions, specifications, or any feature of the work would demand special attention during pricing.
Sub-contractor’s work: Make relative inquiries about prices with sub-contractors and material suppliers for their respective portions of the job.
Site visit: This is important to ascertain the conditions under which the work has to be carried out and their impact on pricing.

* Difficulty to access the site
* Limited space on the site for vehicle movements
* Type of soil and depth of water table
* Availability of space for storing materials on site
* Availability of materials, their sources and prevailing market prices
* Local availability of skilled and unskilled labor, prevailing wages for workmen
* Source and cost of water needed for construction
* Power and lighting source, and the cost of erecting, marinating and dismantling power connection to the site

Time for completion: The bidder then estimates the length of time the work will take and the number and category of permanent staff suggested by the nature of the work for construction management . This helps to calculate the establishment charges.
Temporary works: The value of any temporary works needed to commence the construction and to clear away on completion, such as temporary office required for construction management purpose, store sheds for building materials, access road, water supply, depreciation of construction equipments, insurances, taxes, etc.

Negotiated Construction Bids

What is Construction Bids?

Construction Bids are written offers from contractors to undertake a construction job in return of a certain sum of money. Bids can be either Negotiated Bid, Limited Competition, Selective Bid or Open Competition Bid.

Negotiation Bid

In this method the price to be paid in return of the work to be done is negotiated with a single contractor. This , obviously, does not provide the owner with a comparative prices. Though the cost of a work will be higher in this method, an owner may expect some advantages from employing a particular contractor whose policies and methods are known and who has in the past proved capable of fulfilling his obligations. The higher cost may be offset by better quality , early completion, and smooth administration.
The negotiated construction bid procedure can be adopted to the owner’s advantage if the chosen contractor is one in which the Owner and the Engineer have confidence, and which is of known integrity and reliability. Moreover, the work to be carried out is within his special scope and experience.

The procedure of the negotiated bid is as follows:

* The Engineer. on behalf of the owner, invites a contractor to submit a bid. The initial invitation includes information regarding the proposed contract procedure, a brief description of the work, the approximate dates of commencement and completion of the works as well as other essential information.

* The Engineer or the contractor prepares the priced bill of quantities. In many cases it would be more practical that the contractor do the original pricing, as he is in a better position to judge the correct price, which may depend on construction equipments and methods of execution to be adopted by him.

* The priced bills are then handed over to the other party for consideration.

* The rates are examined by the other party. Rates in dispute are compared with current rates for similar work, obtained in competitive tendering after allowing for the special features of the situation.

* When the Engineer and the Contractor reach agreement, the agreed schedule of prices is sent to the Owner for his approval and assent.