Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

Since my last report the project has not really advanced.  In 2 weeks we have had enough conduit installed that we can now think about putting in the first Big Ass Fan.  The Contractor is still claiming that we are slowing him down by actually reviewing the submittals he sends us and rejecting them.  However he has finally admitted that he would like my team to review the submissions prior to official submission or in other words can we do his job for him! He has employed a new Safety Officer and the quality of submissions has improved 10 fold and yet we are only just in a position to let work go ahead. 

One stumbling block has been how the contractor is going to install the roof drain in the 85ft high bay storage area.  The design contractor stated a hydraulic platform “must” be used to install the pipes but gave the wrong dimensions for the storage shelves in the building on one diagram (although it was caveated approximate dimensions). There is no platform small enough to fit between the shelves so the contractor is claiming a change in site conditions because he based his estimate on this drawing.  In reality the contractor only discovered his mistake in May as he could not be bothered to do a site recce to confirm his requirements and now he looks foolish.  This change means the Government will owe him money and no one here wants to give this guy any more because of his appalling attitude.  As the contract managers were discussing how to deal with this I was given the chance to find a solution with in the contract (thus saving money!).  These shelves go up to the ceiling and access to the shelves cannot be denied for longer that 8 hours so a permanent scaffold is out of the question.  In half of the building there are horizontal beams in the shelves 6ft from the roof on which scaffolding planks could be placed to create a walkway down the aisle (325ft long).  In the other half of the building the beams are not present.  The Contractor has spent weeks trying to find the manufacturer to get custom made beams fabricated so he can use the scaffold boards in this half of the building but nothing could be found. Having looked at the problem it was simple: use the “required” platform (as per the contract) to get up and install the planks in the area with the beams, starting from one end and working out because of the limited access, then use the same platform to install wooden beams in the other half of the building, again working from the accessible end out, so that the planks could be laid on these when required.  I took the news back to the office, ran it past the project engineer who saw it was viable and would actually be a solution at cost to the Contractor with in the contract and not us.  However the managers decided to give the Contractor the money for the modification ($30,000 so far for the planks ) especially as he has now found the original shelf manufacturer and is having custom made beams produced (bill to follow) as a goodwill gesture and show that we really are partnering.  They will be using the scaffold plank concept. 

However this week I have been going through the contract, working on ways to deny the contractor any further chance to blame us for his delays.  This has taken the form of an enormous spread sheet which details when all submittals were handed in, when they were meant to be handed in, how long we took to review and the knock on effect any delays had on the project.  A great piece of work which has taken me all week and has lots of hi lighting to illustrate points.  Most importantly it shows that despite some of our delays the contractor is still taking months to action any of the returns.  A further letter is being drafted that now states the Contractor is solely responsible for all delays and will be getting an interim project report of “Unsatisfactory” unless there is a radical change in attitude and a revised schedule showing how they are going to make up 8 months of in activity. This is actually a big deal because if they overall project report is an “Unsatisfactory” then the Contractor is banned from bidding on any Government contracts for 5 years and the grade is published in Engineering circles. Nuff said.

I was invited to attend a Solicitation Site Visit too.  This is when Contractors are invited to a potential site to access the ground prior to putting in their tenders.  A fairly unremarkable experience as it is just lots of people looking at a waste water treatment facility (that was interesting) that needs up grading with very few questions allowed.  It did get really interesting when one guy stepped in to a ground hog trap (think a smaller version of a bear trap) and could not escape.  It took two guys to get his shoe back whilst the rest gingerly crept out of the long grass.

As work is drying up here I am investigating Aberdeen Proving Grounds next week. This is a huge project that is similar to Ben’s Biological Research Facility in that it is a Chemical Agent Research facility of equal, if not greater, complexity and with a shed load of E & M stuff going on.  And they have already asked if I can help! 

Road Kill Round Up

2 deer

1 Racoon

(It is 35 degrees with thunder storms everyday – I don’t go out in that!)

And in other news..

We have had quite a few parties including Warrick’s Pre Kindergarten Graduation the Baltimore District Picnic, numerous leaving function for Matt, Ulli, Ben and Sarah as well as Warrick’s 5th Birthday party.  We have gone to the beach at an old quarry and the timing belt in my car went which cost me $2600 and a new cylinder head.

And it is set to get hotter.  Time to plan a summer vacation.