Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

General

Have been offered the chance to do a 1-week project management course (PMP in the title)….and have politely declined.

Am now in the systems for DR Checks, PROJNET and RMS…….now I have to figure out what all that means. Am conducting some online training for which USACE makes excellent use of youtube! Very professional too.

EDC Solar Wall

Have rejected Contractor’s requests to design based on assumption (it’s the sort of thing I do on projects for John and his black magic soil mechanics – so you can’t shit a shitter). Have insisted on a survey and at every step they seem to upset the Client by making assumtions that they can just turn up and dismantle a mission critical distribution centre at will. Have coordinated accordingly and spoken several times ‘off line’ to help keep the parish at peace. I detected initial resistance to stumping up the costs for the investigation but a phone call to the CEO about bidding on a multi-million dollar project and then offering the most minimal of investigations after award has resolved the issue….especially seeing as there are more projects up for grabs.

Have refused requests for submittals to be delivered on a bi-weekly basis for review. This is based on issues observed on the Ashley project where this happened early on and caused delays that became contentios as to who caused them. Technically they were overdue from USACE, but technically the Contractor sat on them too and when the bulk arrived there was no prioritisation…. Just pay for the extra stamps and have done with it.

Have learned that I will be involved in two more solar wall projects that are currently at design stage.

HQ Project

The USACE geo geeks have tried to tackle the issue of blasting with the Client by delivering a presentation on how safe it is. I added my own experience on how far we can make steel girders fly when using ‘P for plenty’. The key pointr we found was that everyone from th eClient’s team knows that there is no blasting under any circumstances….they just don’t know why…or even if it’s written down anywhere. My thoughts are that it will be approved.

Other items that came to light are that a sewer running through the proposed site is to be replaced as part of the project (but only under the footprint of the building). The Client has admitted that it is currently in a state of disrepair, damaged and leaking. Then they wanted to know what assurances they have that blasting will not worsen the sewer and how they prove or disprove that the Contractor will or will not be liable. He then joked that either way he would prove it to be their fault. My comments were that actually USACE would have to act to protect the contractor in those circumstances. They then mentioned that they have aspirations to repair the sewer. I will tactfully pry and enquire as to why they aren’t pushing to do some joined up engineering and schedule the repairs to coincide with the HQ project, reducing risk, potentially lowering costs and providing better value.

Ashley Reservist Centre

The issue of the concrete pours and quality assurance / control are becoming critical. Have been authorised to travel to site and book overnight stays if necessary to get amongst the problem and find the best way to proceed. This is going to be a case of balencing the effect on delays and cost with the residual risk retained by the Corps. Simple solution = tear it all out and start again = delays + Costs + contractor potentially making a huge loss and going bust = more delay + re-letting etc etc. Alternative solution = allow more testing and verification + fix the QC / QA problems + minimise re-builds + minimise delays = potential for future failures of the concrete to be on the USACE flick. How ill the intrepid hero fair? Will they find a solution? Who invented liquid soap? Tune in next time for the continuing adventures of Herge’s Tin Tin and the Reservist Centre of Contractual Doom.

In Other News

Botox for kids advertised on TV…….only in America.

Have added rackoon, porcupine, turkey vulture, hare and possibly an aardvark (only 30% sure on that one) to the road kill identification register. Rackoon seems most durable to date.

Mr Country Man continues to have life kick the crap out of him. Mentioned this to the lady in the garage who suggested that playing it backwards has an amazing effect. His wife comes back, the dog is resurrected, he wins the lottery and lives happily ever after.

Have great day y’all.

McFry