Commercial Steel Estimating. Kerri Olsen
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Название: Commercial Steel Estimating

Автор: Kerri Olsen

Издательство: Ingram

Жанр: Отраслевые издания

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isbn: 9780831190378

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      During the initial review of the bid documents and contract drawings for the project being estimated, steel estimators should list all the bid items to be included, excluded, and qualified within the project scope of work.

      In the project specifications, the section for steel subcontractors is called Division 5, which is explained in Chapter 4, The Bid Documents. For commercial construction, customers expect all items indicated in the Division 5 section of the specifications—which is everything that is metal—to be included in the scope of work to be provided. The steel fabricator may or may not provide everything indicated at Division 5; there may be items listed in the specifications that will not apply to the project scope of work indicated at the contract drawings.

      Specialty metals such as stainless steel or aluminum are most often provided by a specialty fabricator. You must make your customer aware of your intent to provide (or not to provide) such items by listing them specifically in the inclusions or exclusions part of your bid letter.

      Structural steel, miscellaneous metals, steel joist, steel deck, ornamental metals, and cold formed metal framing are all items that are listed at their specific sections within Division 5 of the Contract Specifications. Read through the specifications carefully for items that you would provide; include these in your inclusions. All items that your company will not provide should be listed in your list of exclusions.

      Once you have satisfied yourself that you have listed everything on your project in your inclusions, exclusions. and qualifications, send your bid letter to your selected detailer for pricing. Your letter will be the guide for this job for all who are involved in the process, for example, detailing the items to be delivered and billed by the company shipping and accounting departments. It will also be the key for negotiations with the potential customer.

      The take off should be listed in the same order as the inclusion/exclusion numbers on the drawings from which you are working. Items can then be easily located in some logical order. The ability to cross reference between the bid letter and the take off listing will save much in time and leaves little to question.

      Furthermore, the bid letter should be sent to the potential customer a few days ahead of bid day, without the pricing. This advance notice will make the customer aware of what you have and don’t have in your scope of work. Some readers tend only to lightly review these letters. Prior to the bid date, make a bid item review phone call to the potential customer referencing this letter. This communication would be helpful for everyone.

      Bid documents often leave out specifics with regard to the steel fabrication. A conversation with your potential customer prior to bid day to discuss any items that are unclear or ambiguous in the drawings will go far to support a competitive price.

      This Bid Letter is fundamental and comprehensive to any quote. One cannot afford to be complacent when preparing a bid document for pricing contract work.

      Using this bid letter template will help you cover all the inclusions, exclusions, and qualifications that may be applicable to many different types of projects. You can then add or delete items as appropriate. A letter of this style, used to define your proposed scope of work, will clarify that which you are providing, which you are not providing, and the contractual conditions by which you plan to complete your work.

       Figure 3.1 shows a sample of a typical bid letter.

      Each one of the inclusions, exclusions, and qualifications has a specific purpose. The bid letter supports and protects both the fabricator and the customer from ambiguities and assumptions. The bid documents use some information that is general and other that is specific in application to the project, leaving the trade professionals to identify the difference. Any item left unattended and unaddressed by the bid letter may result in the steel fabricator bearing the financial responsibility.

      Understand that the bid letter may be viewed as a contractual and binding agreement set forth by the steel estimator at the time the project is quoted. The terms and conditions stated within the letter enable the fabricator to produce the best and final low number. From the time the project is awarded through the last payment from the customer, this letter (together with any cited contract documents) is the guide by which the work will be performed.

      During project negotiations, the Bid Letter often provides the only clarification of the steel fabricator’s role. The letter specifies to the customer the steel fabricator’s responsibilities in performing the work.

      It is best to send the bid letter and the pricing prior to bid day. The customer then has ample opportunity to review these points of qualifications, inclusions, and exclusions, ensuring a complete scope of work. Most potential customers appreciate the clarity and completeness of scope as well as the opportunity to prevent future possible ramifications.

       Qualifications

      This section lists and explains the specific points within the Qualifications portion of the bid letter:

      1.This proposal is based on drawings (list all the drawings here that you reviewed by which you created your quote) dated (indicate latest revision date shown on the drawings) as prepared by (specifically write in the name of the architect and engineer, with the city and state they reside), together with Addendums (list addendum numbers, or indicate that there are no addendums incorporated).

      List all of the drawings that were used in creating your estimate. It is very important that this list be complete, including the revision numbers and issue dates, to provide verification of the documents used to create the steel estimate.

      Contract drawings issued for construction may have changes that were not noted by addendum or any other means. When a set of drawings is issued with the intent for producing shop detail drawings, it is essential that the drawing list is checked—drawing by drawing and detail by detail—to verify that the drawings are the same as what was used in creating the quote.

      If you forego this opportunity to perform a diligent drawing review, it is very likely that any changes affecting the scope of work won’t be discovered until the project is in process. The window of opportunity to alert the customer of such changes and charge for that extra work will most likely be lost.

      Document all changes, making certain that costs are covered with regard to any exposure to the steel fabrication. The differences in the drawings between the bid set and the construction issue set will come up eventually, and the steel estimate will be called to question. It is always that which is left undocumented or undone that will raise questions and create problems later.

      2.All invoices are net 30 days with no retainage. 1.5% interest on all overdue invoices. Detailing to be billed as a separate line item. A 50% deposit is required upon receipt of order to guarantee mill rolled materials, generate and purchase engineering, and shop detail drawings.

      Management makes the judgment call whether to accept or reject retention as part of the purchase order agreement. The reasoning behind СКАЧАТЬ