Quality Cost Consideration in Construction by Bumiputera Contractors

A Quality Project is defined as a project that meet the requirements or satisfaction of the customer as stated in the contract’s documents. A successful completion of project refers to project that is completed on time and meets the required quality as defined in the contract documents. Extension of Time (EOT) or delays in completing a project should be avoided as much as possible by a contractor.

Government projects involve taxpayers’ money. Delays normally involve extra cost that could have been used for other badly needed infrastructures. Certain measures must be taken by the government, the custodian and manager of taxpayers’ money, to avoid the delays so that it will not jeorpadize the successful completion of a project.

Some common causes of delay in a project are the lack of commitment by the contractor, poor management and ineffective project planning and lack of manpower, equipment and materials on the project.

Contractor’s ability to complete government’s projects within time, cost and quality as stipulated in the contract documents is a challenging issue that requires immediate rectification plan by all parties involved in the construction industries, including local government authorities. Quality projects come from quality contractors.

Delays or late deliveries, sub-standard workmanship and materials, poor safety management on sites and cost over-run of government’s projects are some the issues that have been seriously discussed by the government. Several actions can be taken by the government in ensuring a quality project such as improving the contractors selection process whereby only competent contractors should be allowed to participate in government projects, all design calculations and construction plan must be approved by professional engineers and subject to audit process by the Public Works Department and lastly more training in design, monitoring and supervising skills should be given to all personnel involved in the process.

Failures to perform to the quality expectations is a common cause of problems among the contractors in government projects. The quality of contractors in implementing the government projects have often been subject to questions, criticisms and underating and completion of a project. Improving the contractors selection process is one of the preventive action plan to overcome the quality problems in government projects.

Project failures is not only about delays, cost over-run or shoddy workamanship but it also include, among innumerable others, environmental degradation and physical eyesores, lack of green fields or playgrounds, deforestation of all kind of pollution, pervasive soil erosion, flash floods, ozone depletion and mediocre building designs.

Projects failures create a lot problems directly or indirectly to all parties involved in the project such as the government or its agencies, the community where the project is implemented and the project’s contractor whose reputation and opportunity to secure future contracts will be at stake.

Project failures are due to variey of factors but what is more important is to search for the solutions and ways to prevent future occurance of the problems. The reasons for project failures especially among the bumiputera contractors should be looked as challenges that need to be highlighted especially when considering the fact that certain government projects are restricted for the bumiputra contractors. Therefore, to ensure a sucessful completion of a project, the procedures for award of contracts need to be evaluated and appraised to ensure that only the best contractor for the job will we selected .

The highest ranking of project quality cost parameters is the quality of raw material. Quality of raw material is important because it plays the important role int meeting the required quality of the project.

The second highest ranking is site management and organization. The site management and organization is significant towards the quality cost.

The lowest ranking of project factors is fraudulent practises and kickback. Fraudulent practises and kickback can occur at every phase of a construction project example during design, tender, construction and during project execution. These practices can involve giving and receiving bribes or kick-back money..

*posted by ameerul hafedz baharin (2007130923)