Batting for the other team

The major savings by e-tendering, particularly drawings, is enjoyed by the design team (such as architects and structural engineers). Drawings transferred electronically cannot generally be printed to scale, particularly if they are PDFs. It is also impossible to quantify fully from a drawing that is only available on screen and, judging by the current standard of information issued for tendering purposes, it would be impossible to fully describe the works required to enable an estimator to price with any degree of accuracy.

For an estimator to fully quantify and describe any item for pricing purposes it is important to consider not just one drawing but several together with other documents (specifications, employer’s requirements and so on), at the same time, which is impossible without hard copies of all documentation.

The responsibility for printing, like it or not, is essential and would fall mainly on the contractor and possibly their tendering sub-contractors, all of which takes time and has a cost implication. A tender submission could be broken down into many packages, each of which would be sent to several sub-contractors or suppliers, together with all relevant documentation.

Who is making the saving in time and cost? It is, again, the design team. Contractors and sub-contractors will inevitably build these costs into their prices too, so again little saving on the overall tender figure. Will all tenderers and their sub-contractors be expected to purchase plotters and the necessary experienced staff to properly use them?

In our experience of e-tendering it becomes necessary for all contractors and possibly their sub-contractors to have constant access to the tender website to ensure all revisions are incorporated into their tender. In most cases, the tenderer is not made aware that changes have been posted onto the tender website, and it therefore becomes the responsibility of the tenderer to ascertain if revisions have been made and/or posted. Tenderers’ queries become public to all those who have access to the tender website.

I repeat, who does Mr Sell think he is kidding? I suggest only himself but he appears to be batting on the side of the architect and engineer, certainly not the QS, contractor or sub-contractor.

Rob MacBain, CQSS