Construction Project Management Essay - 275 Words

Construction Project Management: Procurement and Contracts (Essay Sample) Content: Construction Project Management: Procurement and Contracts[Your Names][Names of your Institution][Date]IntroductionThere are a number of rules and regulations that guides the contract and tendering procedures that should be used by an employer in regard to tender issuance and acceptance. Traditionally, the contractor or supplier with the best overall score can win the tender. Nonetheless, it is not likely that a supplier with the lowest placed tender price automatically wins it because lowest price is not always the best value. Ideally, the best value for money is obtained after considering numerous factors including the economical expenditure and the ability of the supplier meeting certain specified requirements (MCCANLIS 1967).Tender issuance and acceptanceMaagaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s late tender bid can only be accepted if it is confirmed that there is no suspicion of fraudulent acts by any person. Maaga contractor being a leading firm in the UK, it is certain that they are t echnically competent and financially suitable and due to these qualities, they have good grounds of winning the tender. However, if the list of approved contractors contains contractors whose financial and technical capability is strong, and have met the specified requirement, they too stand an equal chance of securing the tender. This explains why Sanken contractors won the tender. They quoted a reasonable and fair price that would ensure value for money. If the Trust would have given chance to Maaga contractor, that would be have been illegitimate on the grounds of suspicion of fraudulent acts associated with it. It is likely that the other contractors in the competition were offering the best value for money, though not as low as Maaga firm. Additionally, they were financial and technically capable, and thus, had equal chances of winning the tender provided that they had met set requirements upfront and had handed in their bids in time (MCCANLIS 1967)..In consideration of the oth er prospect, Maaga firm cannot have a legal recourse against the employer for not winning the tender despite quoting the lowest price. This is attributed to the knowledge that the lowest price does often match the best value for money. In the essence, what matters is the best value which is determined by the ability of the contractor to meet to specified requirements and more so, quote a fair price that would be economical during service delivery. In as much as Maaga may have had the ability to match this, it missed it out because they did not submit their bid in time. Maagaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s late quotation would have been considered if and only if the other approved contractors did not meet the technical and financial requirements ahead of time. Sanken met all the above requirements and that is why they were given chance (LUPTON 2011).Time extensionSanken request for time extension during the construction period is in order regarding the JCT SBC/Q 2011 tutelage. Sanken possesses a site t hat a small bit of the work regarding laying of the pile foundation had commenced by a specialized piling contractor-Elison contractor. Later, Sanken discovers that the pile caps were not of correct design and size as per the design drawing requirements. The contractor takes the right step by informing the employer about the anomaly in writing. This is according to clause 2.14 that suggests that any form of errors, omissions, and inadequacies should be communicated to the contract administrator in a detailed notice, who, in return is expected to issue instructions regarding the same. The contractor envisages this as an error and inadequacy and goes ahead to replace the pile caps with new pile caps which interfere with its budget in regard to resources and time. The contractor requests for time extension as it pours concrete over two stages with a three day respite in between the stages (LUPTON 2011).It is, therefore, in order for Sanken to request for time extension since it encount ers a relevant event that causes delay of its operations. This kind of delay is linked to the employer since Metropolitan Electricals had initially contracted Elison to lay pile caps before Sanken took possession of the site. Elison did not construct pile caps to the correct specification and that is why Sanken embark in the repiling exercise which costs them time and strain their resources. The contractor runs ahead and serves the contract administrator with a written notice upfront about the anticipated delay because of laying new pile caps. Though carpeting with new piles was not part of the contact, Sanken expedite on this job so that it can deliver quality job at the end.This provision of time extension is significant to both the employer and the contractor since it determines who is to bear the loss or if the loss incurred should be shared. For this matter, Metropolitan Electricals have caused the delay, though indirectly. If they would have allowed Sanken to carry out the who le exercise starting from construction of piling foundation to the completion of all contractual activities, then there would be no complaints. Metropolitan Electricals, in this case, is considered to have delayed the contractor and should, therefore, bear these losses and more so, be ready to reimburse Sanken for the damages incurred. Nonchalantly, Sanken request for time extension is clever since it aspires to evade the liquidation damages that the employer may charge it (LUPTON 2011).Sanken contractors are entitled to installation of customer lifts according to the contractual agreement. This job, which is scheduled to be done by a certain subcontractor, is hampered because of poor measurements of the lift shaft dimensions resulting to incorrect size that stalls their installation. Sanken later discovers that the poor interpretation in the design drawings is the cause of all this. Nonetheless, the contract administrator issues an instruction to rectify this which is in order with the clause 2.12 to enable the contactor to finish its job within a reasonable time. Sanken, therefore, invests its seven days in the correction of this inadequacy. This, however, are not good grounds for Sanken to request for compensation of additional expenses incurred because this is considered as a variation of job that has been caused by an error in the design of lifts shaft dimension and should not, in any way lead to the addition of the contract sum as per JCT clause 2.17 provision. The clause states that any kind of modification, correction or alteration should be deciphered as variation.On the other hand, Sanken have good grounds of launching a time extension claim. The contractor took seven days to rectify the mess and consequently, culminating to unplanned delay. Sanken had to deviate from its normal program in order to rectify this anomaly. In as much as the delay was neither caused by the employer or the contractor, it is considered as a neutral event whose damages sho uld be shared. It is, therefore, in order for the contract administrator to issue a positive instruction regarding time extension so that Sanken can bounce back to its master program and complete the job as per the contractual requirement.When the construction is fifty percent away from completion, the contract administrator issues an instruction for testing which is not in resonance with the original contract. Even though no anomalies are found, Sanken thinks that much time and resources are invested in the same and logs a compensation call on top of another time extension. According to the contractor, testing in some way orchestrates the delay in the construction of the new structure. Moreover, the testing activity can be deciphered as a relevant event as stipulated in sub-clauses 2.29.1 to 2.29.7 and can be used to justify a time extension. This move by Sanken is clever because the testing provision is not encompassed in the original contract. Testing can, therefore, serve as hug e impedance towards Sankenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s targets and it could use this ground to request for the loss and damages incurred as a result of this. Additional time should be granted by the contract administrator because this delay is caused by the employer and he should be ready to bear the damages which are in cy...

Natalie Uy Internal Medicine, Obsessive Cooking Disorder

This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring  interviews with medical school applicants and students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at  top medical schools and the med school application process. And now, introducing Natalie Uy†¦ Accepted: Wed like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? Natalie: Howdy! I was born in New York but grew up most of my life in San Antonio, Texas. I went to Stanford University in California (the best college ever in my humble opinion) where I got a dual degree with a BS in Biology and a BA in Art Practice, graduating in the c/o 2012. Accepted: Where are you currently in med school? What year? Natalie: I am currently a 3rd year at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Accepted: If you could change one thing about med school, what would it be? Natalie: There isnt really anything that Id change honestly. I really like how my medical education has been structured – here we have 1.5 years of pre-clinics and 2.5 years of clinical rotations. My least favorite part is studying for boards. I know its a rite of passage, but Step 1 is something Id rather not endure again! Accepted: Whats been your favorite rotation so far? Do you think this is what youll eventually specialize in?   Natalie: Its been surprisingly hard to say. I started off with psychiatry thinking I wouldnt like it, but it was a great experience. My first clinical experience as a young MS2 was interviewing a psychotic patient in the county hospital ER – nothing teaches you the DSMV criteria for schizophrenia better than the patient himself. Similarly, I thought I wouldnt like surgery but seriously considered it after I had particularly exceptional teachers in vascular and ENT. Ive decided to go into Internal Medicine – not because of my specific rotation per se, but because of what I felt was the best fit for me. I think when choosing a specialty its important to look at the specialty itself and filter out biases like the hospitals, the attendings, the residents, etc.  I knew I needed a lot of interaction with patients and decided to stay with the cerebral side of medicine.  I liked the variety of diseases in IM and although I enjoyed a pediatrics a lot, I liked being able to directly converse with my adult patients.  I also knew I want to have a family in the future and be involved with raising my kids, so it was also a flexible choice. I will probably further subspecialize in IM, but exactly when remains to be seen. Accepted: Did you go straight from college to med school? How would you advise others who are deciding between taking a gap year or not? Natalie: Although many people from Stanford take a gap year,  I went straight.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do – be a doctor! – so I was ready to start medical school, and I dont regret not having a gap year. Taking a gap year is always a personal decision of course. My friends who took gap years did it because they were burnt out from school or wanted to strengthen their applications with research or boost their GPA or have other life experiences first. I dont know anyone who regretted taking a gap year, so I dont think its ever a bad idea. The only thing to consider is that the longer you wait, the harder it may be in getting back into the habit of classes and exams, as some of my older classmates were 5-10 years out from college. Accepted: Can you tell us about your food blog? Is there any connection to your passion for medicine in your blog? Can you direct us to your three favorite posts? Natalie: Oh yes – to take time off from studying, I run a food blog called Obsessive Cooking Disorder (fondly known as OCD). I started it just prior to medical school to document recipes I tried and liked, but its definitely grown; all the photography and writing is done by me. The art of food photography – styling to make the food look amazing is always a fun artistic challenge. Ill write about a variety of topics – history and tips on a particular food, funny conversations with friends and family, and often, stories on my medical journal. Its also nice because I can share with other fellow students what life is like – good days and bad – as well as document how I felt on a given rotation. Medical school goes by in a flash, and I want to remember every moment of it – from preclinicals and clinics to studying for boards to Match Day! Here are a few recipes about my medical journey. †¢Ã‚  Crostini †¢Ã‚  Black Forest Cake (Schwarzwà ¤lder Kirschtorte) †¢Ã‚  Ben and Jerrys Cherry Garcia †¢Ã‚  Cinnamon Craisin Walnut Sourdough †¢Ã‚  All American Brownies †¢ Mocha Cupcakes with Kahlua Buttercream Accepted:  How have you shared your love of food with your patients / the Medical Center/ the Houston community? Natalie:  Ive been able to channel my culinary skills with patients as one of the leaders for CHEF (Choosing Healthy, Eating Fresh), our student organization promoting wellness and nutrition. We run an amazing unique cooking elective where trained chefs teach our medical students how to cook (we cook 3 course meals right at Baylor over the course of a semester) and started a Farmers Market co-op for the medical center. We also do hands-on cooking classes with adolescents at Texas Childrens Hospital Bariatric program and Rice Universitys PAIR refugee program at local high schools. Weve have cooking demonstrations at numerous community health fairs and wellness races, which people always love. Ive been lucky to be incredibly involved with both the student and the greater community through cooking I love writing up new recipes and educating patients on healthy options! No matter what the age, race/culture, or location of your patients, everyone loves to eat, so its a great bond. Accepted: Looking back at the med school admissions process, what would you say was your greatest challenge? What steps did you take to overcome that challenge?   Natalie: The most difficult part was doing everything while I was currently a college student. Because I didnt take a gap year, I didnt have as much time to get things like research publications on my resume or study as much for my MCAT. I had to study for my MCAT in the midst of applying for research grants, getting my honors thesis proposal ready, and taking an enormous load of courses because of my dual degree (I completed 5 years of courses in 4 years). Time management was definitely key, but it prepared me very well for medical school. Accepted: Do you have any tips for incoming first year students? What do you wish you wouldve known before starting med school to make your transition easier? Natalie: The most difficult part of adjusting to med school is realizing that not only is everyone incredibly smart, everyone is also so hard working. Dont stress if youre not in the top of your class anymore – just strive to be the best doctor you can be. I encourage people not to see fellow medical students as competition, but as future colleagues and co-workers. After all, youd want to refer your grandmother to the best doctors in the future – your classmates! Definitely the most important thing is to have a work-life balance. I make a point to exercise daily, cook/bake with my blog and make artwork. Also remember to have fun and socialize – I could not have made it without my significant other, friends, and family. Medicine is a journey, not a destination! For one-on-one guidance on your med school applications, please see our catalog of med school admissions services. You can follow Natalie’s med school adventure by checking out her blog, Obsessive Cooking Disorder. Thank you Natalie for sharing your story with us! Do you want to be featured in Accepted.coms blog, Accepted Admissions Blog? If you want to share your med school journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at bloggers@accepted.com. Related Resources: †¢ Navigating the Med School Maze †¢Ã‚  Insights of an M3 at the UNC School of Medicine †¢ Residency Admissions: What if I Didnt Match