Contract Administrator’s (Resident or District Engineer’s ... · Contract Administrator’s (Resident or District Engineer’s) – Roles and Responsibilities Divisions 5, 6,

Contract Administrator’s (Resident or District Engineer’s)– Roles and Responsibilities

Divisions 5, 6, & 8

March 21-22, 2019

Resident Engineer/ District Engineer

• Front Line Contract Administrator for project

• Countless Responsibilities and Requirements

• Often Success of Project Delivery hinges on performance of duties

• Point of Contact (One Stop Shop)

• Responsibilities Begin in Planning Stage of Project Development

• Finish years after the project is complete

What are some of the responsibilities of the Contract Administrator?

• Preconstruction Phase

• Project Development

• Pre-Award

• Construction Phase

• Day to day administration

• Post Construction Phase

• Warranty

• Construction Quality Index

Pre-Award Responsibilities

• Integrated Project Development

• May start even before Final Design Field Inspection

• Pre-Bid Meetings

• Share important information about the construction project with prospective bidders

Preconstruction Activities

Document with photographs or video the existing conditions of the project including:

• Easements

• Existing Roadway Conditions

• Condemned Parcels

• Existing Drainage Problems

• Potential problem areas (Local Ponds)

• Cracked Driveways

Preconstruction Activities

Read through the Environmental Permits and Project Commitments. Confirm the commitments have been fulfilled.

• Work with Division Environmental Officer

• Investigate Stream relocations

• Contact Wildlife Resources

• Discuss stream relocation conditions (which should be detailed in the contract and plans).

• Obtain any expectations Wildlife, Army Corps of Engineers, or NCDEQ which may not have been detailed in the contract.

Preconstruction Activities

Work with Division Utility Coordinator to Identify and relocate Utilities by Others (UBO) Conflicts

• Contact all Utilities known to be in conflict

• Contact Utilities who have received Notice to Proceed from Utility’s Section

• Schedule UBO preconstruction relocation meeting

• Discuss status of Utility relocation and date of anticipated clearing of conflict

• Document each meeting with minutes of who is responsible for meeting the timeframes

• Provide stakeout of ROW from plans to ensure relocations are out of construction limits

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Preconstruction Activities

Assess if adequate staff is available to perform inspection and/or surveying• Meet with CEI project managers

Provide plans as early as possible to proposed staff so they can become familiar

Begin investigation of surveying control

Contact Right-of-Way• Obtain any commitments established during ROW negotiations• Potential problem areas, such as condemned parcels or irate property owners• Underground storage tanks• Confirm that right-of-way commitments have either been fulfilled or detailed in the

plans.

• Railroad Issues

• Safety Compliance

Pre-Construction Responsibilities

• Prepare for the Preconstruction Meeting

• Obtain required posters for project for Contractor’s bulletin board

• Read and review all of the project special provisions

• Status of Utility relocations

• Status of Right-of-way Parcels

Construction Phase Responsibilities

• Correspondence to send to the Contractor

• Monthly Construction Meetings

• Certified Payrolls

• Monthly Estimates

• Materials Received

• Inspector’s Certifications Current

• TIMS entry

• Public relations• TV interviews

• Radio interviews

Construction Phase Responsibilities

• Submittal tracking

• Claims

• Acknowledging intents and giving instructions about how to file formal claim

• Receiving Claims

• Responding to Claims

• Supplemental Agreements

• Investigation of whether it is in the original scope of work

• Drafting Description and Justification

• Reviewing Pricing Information

Construction Phase Responsibilities

• Sampling and Testing of Materials

• Materials Received Tracking

• Pay Record Books

• Process Partial Pay Estimates

• Document Labor and Equipment on Project

• Approve subcontractor

• Track DBE Payments

• Review Certified Payrolls

Construction Phase Responsibilities

• Keep track of Contractor’s Progress

• Manage Multiple Projects simultaneously

• Answer the Phone when Construction Unit Calls

• Schedule Inspection Staff

• Troubleshoot Field Problems

• Ensure Project Coverage when Staff want (Vacations, Sick Leave, Jury Duty)

• FEMA Surveys for CLOMR

Final Inspection

• Schedule all parties for Final Inspection

• Compile punch list letter and send to contractor

Preconstruction Activities

• Assess if adequate staff is available to perform inspection and/or surveying• Meet with CEI project managers

• Provide plans as early as possible to proposed staff

• Begin investigation of surveying control

• Contact Right-of-Way• Obtain any commitments established during ROW negotiations• Potential problem areas, such as condemned parcels or irate property owners• Underground storage tanks• Confirm that right-of-way commitments have either been fulfilled or detailed in the

plans.

• Railroad Issues

• Safety Compliance

There is a lot to do, but you are not alone.

• Utilize relationships with Division Environmental Officer, Division Utility Coordinator, Division Construction Engineer, etc. to accomplish goals

• Work performed upfront on projects will reduce Construction Claims for Delays and additional compensation

• Reduce overall construction cost

• Increase Project Delivery

Who should you call first for Contract Administration issues?

Your Area Construction Engineer

Routine Monthly Activities

Perform Work Site Reviews

Conduct Accident Investigations

Nuclear Safety Contact Person

Public Outreach Campaigns

• Provide information to the public about the project. Work with Public Affairs office

• Media releases

• Press Releases

• IMPACT Program

• HAWKS Program

Resident Engineer’s Responsibilities

• Training Coordinator

• Project Scheduler – who is on what project

• Compensatory Time Off Tracker

• Chairperson of Monthly Safety Staff Meeting

• Project Correspondence Writer

• Supplemental Agreements

• Responding to Notice to File Claim Intent

• Letters for Begin Construction

• Final Quantity Letter

• Certified Payroll Discrepancies

• FHWA 1273 in July

• Track DBE Payments

• Identify Controlling Operation

• Document Conversations and major events in weekly summary diary

Routine Activities

Conduct Monthly Safety Meetings for Staff

Interview for vacant positions

• Incident and Injury Investigations

• Office Manager

• Manage Comp Time for Employees

• Approve Time Sheets

• Review and approve CEI invoices

Final Quantities Phase

• Begin Compiling Final Estimate Assembly

• Check Pay Record Books

• Complete As-Built Plans

Warranty

• Compile the Warranty Dates

• Construction Quality Index Reviews

Construction Quality Index

• Schedule time to review the project with Division Personnel, Construction Unit Personnel

• This is a feedback mechanism for Design Units

Who should you call first for Contract Administration issues?

Area Construction Engineers

Rules to Work By

• If it is to be; It is up to me!

• Act with a sense of urgency!

• We all want to do our jobs well

• Don’t get trapped in analysis paralysis.

• Consider yourself the fixer. Your job is to eliminate conflicts to keep the project moving towards completion.

• You clear the conflicts for the contractor, so he is in control of his destiny. If he makes it on time (realizes profit), but if it comes in behind schedule (liquidated damages).

Contract Administrator’s Responsibilities

• Monthly Construction Meetings

• Office Manager

• Approve Employee’s Time

• Incident and Injury Investigator

• Technician Certification Tracker

• Training Coordinator

• Project Scheduler – who is on what project?

• Letters for Begin Construction

• Final Quantity Letter

• Certified Payroll Discrepancies

• FHWA 1273 in July

Breakout Scenarios

• Look at your Name Tag to see which Table you need to sit

• Group Introductions

• Assign a Scribe

• Develop a list of issues (written)

• Prepare to discuss with the larger group.

Resident Engineer’s Responsibilities

• Notification of Warranty Provision

• Scheduler of Partial Inspections

• Scheduler of Final Inspections

• Scheduler of Construction Quality Index Meetings

• Claims Reviewer

• Process and Approve Subcontracts

• Certified Payrolls

• Enter and Approve Timesheets

• Review CEI Invoices (hours and mileage of each employee)

• Interpreter of Standard Specifications

• Problem Solver

• Providing Meeting Minutes for

• Preconstruction Conference

• Utility Conflict Meetings

You may wonder if the plans and contract are in conflict, what governs?

This answer is found in Article 105-4 -Coordination of Plans, Specifications, Supplemental Specifications and Special Provisions.

• Calculated dimensions shall govern over scaled dimensions;

• Supplemental Specifications shall govern over Standard Specifications;

• Plans govern over Supplemental and Standard Specifications;

• Standard Special Provisions shall govern over Plans, Supplemental Specifications and Standard Specifications; and

• Project Special Provisions shall govern over Standard Special Provisions, Plans, Supplemental Specifications and Standard Specifications.

The contractor shall not take advantage of any apparent error or omission in the contract. In the event such errors or omissions are discovered the Engineer will make such corrections and interpretations as may be determined necessary for the fulfillment of the intent of the contract.