Construction Management and Quantity Surveying

Contract Administration – Assignment 1
(JCT)
Please check below for the book guide
Learning Outcomes

• Critically analyse the relationship between effective contract administration and successful construction management.
• Critically assess the way in which risk is allocated in contracts through contract clauses.
• Evaluate payment methods and the effects of payment clauses
• Evaluate the effects of standard clauses on the management of change and its effects on the financial outcome of projects

Learning outcomes in bold will be covered, the others to a lesser extent

Instructions to the candidates;

Task

Take the scenario shown below and describe in a report to your contract manager the ramifications of what has happened including the results of what could happen if other actions are not taken. Also make recommendations in your report about how your company’s internal administration systems could be improved to avoid such events in future.

Make other assumptions that you have to; be inventive, but stay within the realms of possibility and write in a simple straightforward style, using clause numbers where necessary, and with references to similar cases where appropriate to demonstrate the significance of the problem to your contract manager. Also consider and explain the provisions of any legislation that might apply to this payment issue.

Scenario

You are the main contractor on a JCT intermediate contract to build a new community centre attached to an existing secondary school. The Employer is the local authority and they have, under separate contracts, commissioned a firm of architects to act as the Architect/ Contract Administrator and a firm of quantity surveyors to act as the Quantity Surveyor.

You make an application in March that amounts to £157,000, but the valuation that the Quantity Surveyor carries out for March is for only £86,500; the shortfall will leave you with a very difficult cashflow position and your bank has refused to give you any more cash – you may become insolvent.

You believe that one of the main reasons for the discrepancy in the valuations is because you have been held up because of bad information that you have been given by the Architect/ Contract administrator which has caused you to do pull down and re-build a part of the building – the Quantity Surveyor has not included the value of this re-work in his valuation.

The report should be structured to acceptable industry standard; including headings, endnote references and page numbers.

The reports must be written in your own words and any quotations and source information from documents or websites must be clearly referenced and cited – plagiarism is not acceptable; please read the student handbook regarding the sanctions for plagiarism.
In order to achieve marks in the “USE OF LITERATURE SHOWING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING” section you are expected to demonstrate use of course text, contact documentation and information published by professional bodies (RICS).
Marking
The assignment will be marked according to the standard marking grid. There is a minimum criterion that all sections should be covered and show a level of competence. (Approximately 1000 – 1400 words)

ORGANISATION AND COHERENCE 20 0-8 9-14 15-20 Grade Awarded
• The study must be clearly structured and presented.
• The introduction must state an aim and explicitly identify the relevant arguments and areas to be addressed.
• These areas, once identified must be followed up logically in the main body of the study.
• There must be a firm conclusion of the areas discussed. Poor organisation and structure.

Limited discussion.
Some attention paid to the structure and organisation/coherence.
Evidence of discussion. Good structure, presentation and coherently expressed.
Widely discussed.
CONTENT 35 0-13 14-24 25-35
• The contents must clearly relate to the area of study, and the learning outcomes being tested, and demonstrate originality and creativity.
• Knowledge and understanding must applied to practice. Limited relevance to the area of study and practice.

Does not meet the theoretical learning outcomes. Addressed the aims of the area of study with some originality and creativity.

Applied to practice.
Just meets all the theoretical learning outcomes. Clearly relevant.

Original and creative.

Application and integration of knowledge to practice.
Clearly meets all the theoretical learning outcomes.
CLARITY OF EXPRESSION 15 0-4 5-10 11-15
• Areas must be clearly expressed, articulate and fluent, whether written or graphical, using appropriate technical terminology.
• Accurate spelling and grammar.
• Accurate calculations and logic Vague, over simplistic, unclear.

Poor spelling and grammar.

Poor calculations and logic Communication clear.

Spelling and/or grammar needs some improvement.

Calculations and logic needs some improvement Articulate and fluent.

Good spelling and grammar.

Good calculations and logic
LEVEL OF ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS 10 0-4 5-7 8-10
• There should be a clear critical analysis and synthesis of issues, which are well integrated and evaluated, as appropriate. Wholly or mainly descriptive. Shows some critical thinking and the beginnings of synthesis and evaluation. Well integrated study with clear evidence of critical analysis/synthesis, and evaluation relevant to the area of study.
USE OF LITERATURE SHOWING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING 10 0-4 5-7 8-10
• The study must demonstrate an appropriate use of academic literature/research, which is appropriate to the study. Limited use of academic literature/research evidence. Moderate range but depth and complexity appropriate to area of study. Extensive range, depth and complexity, which is appropriate to the area of study.
QUALITY OF REFERENCING 10 0-4 5-7 8-10
• All key sources must be cited, and a consistent and accurate use of Harvard referencing system must be maintained. Main key sources not cited.