CLASSIFICATION OF

ENGINEERING SERVICES

Reporters:
Bryan Rovic Borja
John Ray Alentijo

Professor:
ENGR. Joel Villaruz
 CLASSIFICATION OF ENGINEERING SERVICES
2.1 GENERAL
Classification of Engineering Services
The needs for professional civil engineering services vary, and the civil engineering firms that meet
these needs vary in organizational structure, size and capability. Many civil engineering firms provide
comprehensive services of the client, while the other firms specialize on transportation, water and
construction management, and provide their services to a prime engineer, architect, or owner. Few
civil engineering firms are qualified to provide complete service for all projects, and the use of
associate professionals to provide specialized services is common.
Services provided by Civil Engineers can be grouped into five broad categories:
1. Consultations, research, investigations and reports.
2. Design services for construction projects.
3. Construction services.
4. Special services for construction projects.
5. Engineering support services.
6. Academic services.
7. Services as Employee.
The types of infrastructure under the domain of civil engineering, pursuant to RA 544, as amended,
include:
1. Streets, bridges, highways, and railroads.
2. Airports and hangers
3. Portworks, canals, rivers and shore improvements, light houses and dry docks.
4. Buildings
5. Fixed structures for irrigation, flood protection, drainage, water supply and sewerage works.
6. Tunnels
The coverage of civil engineering has not been changed nor diminished subsequent laws.
2.2 CONSULTATIONS, RESEARCH, INVESTAGATION AND REPORTS
These services deal primarily with collection, interpreting, and reporting information, together with
formulating conclusions and making recommendations. Typical services in this category are:
2.2.1 Preliminary and Feasibility Investigations and Reports
These services usually precede the authorization of capital project and may involve extensive
investigation, analyses of conditions and comparison of several possible plans. These studies may
include the impact of a project upon the environment, sustainable development, operating cost, life
cycle cost, financing consideration, expected revenues as basis for conclusions and recommendations
regarding the advisability of undertaking projects.
2.2.2 Planning Studies
These services may include the broad areas of developing the engineering requirements of master
plans for long-range capital improvement programs; preparation of preliminary engineering of land
development plans, urban plans, and regional plans; and the investigation of environmental conditions
and preparation of environmental impact studies with subsequent engineering planning to improve or
maintain existing conditions. Such planning often requires coordination of the work of many
engineering and other disciplines.
2.2.3 Appraisals, Valuations and Rate Studies
These services may include investigations and analyses of existing conditions; capital and operating
costs; overhead cost and cost of financing; and revenues as needed to evaluate a property or to
recommended establishment of prospective rates.
2.2.4 Assistance in Financial Matters
The Civil Engineer may be engaged by a client who is planning to issue bonds, particularly revenue
bonds, to finance a capital project. The scope of services may include an evaluation of capabilities of
existing or proposed facilities to meet present and projected future needs, statements of probable
construction cost, and an estimate of annual revenue requirements, with a determination of
appropriate rates to provide the income.
2.2.5 Materials Engineering and Equipment Test
These services include test of materials as equipment under established codes and standards,
specialized examination of equipment and materials used in construction and industry, and other
inspections and monitoring required by client.
2.2.6 Direct Personal Services
This includes services such as assistance in preparation for legal proceedings. Appearances before
courts of commissions to render expert opinions and conclusions and investigations of technical
matters where specialized civil engineering knowledge, experience, and judgment is required.
2.2.7 Research and Development
Research is a specialized investigation and gathering of data from existing resources of through
laboratory works and processes related to the purpose and object of the research. Research and
development may cover the following:
(a) Development of new construction materials and methods from concept to commercialization.
(b) Improvement of construction materials and methods through exhaustive studies to reduce total
construction cost and at the same time improve quality.
2.2.8 Special Services
These services can vary to suit special needs of the client and can include such diverse activities as:

 Value engineering
 Appraisal and Valuation
 Load testing
 Environmental evaluations
 Traffic engineering
  Forensic engineering for structural and other failures
 Operational assistance
 Material process design
 Pilot studies
 Computer modeling
 Safety engineering
 Topographic, sounding and boundary survey engineering
 Toxic and hazardous waste evaluation
 Permit and application services
 Expert witness
 Representation of municipal or private entities in projects proposed for privatization
2.3 DESIGN SERVICES FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Civil engineering services are required for each of six typical phases of a construction project. All
services are preferably furnished by the same Civil Engineer for consistency and efficiency, although at
times services is various phases are furnished by different engineers of by the client. The services are
supplemented by special services which may be provided by the client. A specialized engineer, or
another Civil Engineer.
The six standard phases of a construction project and the engineering services needed for each are:

 Study and Report Phase, Analysis of the client’s needs, conceptual design conceptual opinions
of probable construction cost.
 Preliminary Design Phase. Preparation of final design criteria, preliminary drawings, outline
specifications, and preliminary opinions of probable construction cost.
 Final Design Phase. Preparation of design calculations, construction drawings, specifications,
estimated construction cost, and other contract documents.
 Bidding or Negotiating Phase. Assistance to the client with the bidding or negotiating process
for construction of project.
 Construction Phase. Advice and Consultation on matters related to his services.
 Operation Phase. Assistance to the client in start-up and operation of the project, including
periodic inspections.
2.3.1 Study and Report Phase
This phase involves determination of project scope and economic and technical evaluation of feasible
alternatives. The services performed during this phase may include:
1. Reviewing available data and consulting with the client to clarify and define the client’s
requirements for the project.
2. Advising the client as to the necessity of providing or obtaining from others additional data or
services and assisting the client in obtaining such data and services. These additional services
may include photogrammetry, reconnaissance surveys, property surveys, topographic surveys,
geotechnical investigations and consultations, seismicity studies, compilation of hydrological
data, traffic studies, materials engineering assembly of zoning, deep and other restrictive land
information, and environmental assessments and impact statements.
 3. Identifying and analyzing requirements of governmental authorities having jurisdiction to
approve the design of the project and participating in consultations with such authorities.
4. Providing analyses of the client’s needs, planning surveys, comparative evaluations of
prospective sites and solution.
5. Providing a general economic analysis of the client’s requirements applicable to various
alternatives.
6. Preparing a report and presenting alternative solutions available to the client with the Civil
Engineer’s findings and recommendations. The report may contain schematic layouts, sketches,
conceptual design criteria with appropriate exhibits to indicate clearly the considerations
involved (including applicable requirements of governmental authorities having jurisdiction)
and the Civil Engineers conceptional opinion of probable cost for the project.
2.3.2 Preliminary Design Phase
This phase involves the establishment of the general size and scope of the project and its location on
the selected site. The preliminary design services may include:
1. Consulting with the client, reviewing preliminary reports, clarifying and defining the project
requirements, reviewing available data, and discussing general scheduling. Conferences may
also be required with approving and regulatory governmental agencies and applicable utilities.
2. Advising the client as to whether additional data or services of the type described under the
study and report phase above are required and assisting the client in obtaining such data and
services.
3. Preparing preliminary design documents consisting of final design criteria, preliminary
drawings, outline specifications, and written descriptions of the projects.
4. Preparing revised estimates of probable total project costs.
5. Providing periodic status report.
2.3.3 Final Design Phase
This phase of the project development is usually undertaken only after the client has approved the
preliminary design phase material. The basic services for the final design phase may include:
1. Preparing construction drawings and specifications showing the character and extent of the
project based on the accepted preliminary design documents.
2. Preparing and furnishing to the client a revised estimate of probable total project cost based on
the final drawings and specifications.
3. Furnishing the necessary engineering data and assisting in the application for regulatory
permits from local, or national authorities. This is distinguished from and does not include
detailed applications and supporting documents for furnished as additional services described
later in this section.
4. Preparing basic documents related to construction contracts for review and approval by the
client (and the clients legal and other advisors). These may include contract agreement forms,
general conditions and supplementary conditions, invitations to bid, instructions to bidders,
insurance and binding requirements, and other contract-related documents.
5. Furnishing to the client specified number of copies of drawings, specifications and other
contract documents.
 6. Providing final design and construction services for design-build contracts. The engineer
generally serves as a subcontractor to a general contractor during initial planning and design
phases. Services provided by the engineer may extend through the construction phase, as
appropriate.
7. Providing periodic status reports.
2.3.4 Bidding or Negotiating Phase
Services under this phase may include:
1. Assisting the client in advertising for and obtaining bids or negotiating proposals for each
separate prime construction contract, maintaining a record of prospective bidders to whom
bidding documents have been issued, attending pre bid conferences and receiving and
processing deposits for bidding documents.
2. Issuing addenda as appropriate to interpret, clarify, expand or amend the bidding documents.
3. Assisting the client in determining the classifications and acceptability of prospective
contractors, subcontractors and materials suppliers.
4. Consulting with and advising the client as to the acceptability of alternative materials and
equipment proposed by the prospective constructors when substitution prior to the awards of
contracts is allowed by the bidding documents.
5. Attending the bid opening, preparing bid tabulation sheets and providing assistance to the
client in evaluating bids or proposals and in assembling and awarding contracts for
construction, materials, equipment and services.
2.3.5 Construction Phase
Services under this phase involve consulting with and advising the client during construction and are
usually those associated with services as the client’s representative. Most Civil Engineers are not willing
to assume the responsibilities associated with construction phase services without providing resident
project representative services at the site. Construction phase services may include:
1. Reviewing, for compliance with design concepts, shop and erection drawings submitted by the
constructors.
2. Reviewing laboratory, shop, and mill test reports on materials and equipment.
3. Visiting the project site at appropriate intervals as construction proceeds to observe and report
on the progress and the quality of the executed work.
4. Providing services during construction by a full-time resident project representative, and by
supporting staff as required, to enable construction to be accomplished in conformance to the
construction drawings, specifications, other contract documents.
5. Issuing instructions from the client to the contractors, issuing necessary interpretations and
clarifications of contract documents, preparing change orders, requiring special inspections and
testing of the work, and making recommendations as to acceptability of the work.
6. Making recommendations to the client on corrective actions or contractual measures that may
be exercised by the owner.
7. Preparing sketches required to resolved problems due to actual field conditions encountered.
8. Determining amounts of progress payments due, based on degree of completion of the work,
and recommending issuance of such payments by the client.
9. Observing and assisting performance test and initial operation and project.
 10. Preparing record drawings from information submitted by the contractor.
11. Making a final inspection and reporting on completion of the project, including
recommendations concerning final payments to contractors and release of retained
percentages.
2.3.6 Operation Phase
At the completion of construction, the Civil Engineer may as a basic service, assist in the start-up of
project operations. The Civil Engineer may be commissioned to prepare a manual for both operation
and maintenance requirements, and may also provide assistance in adjusting and balancing
equipment, identifying deficiencies and assisting in obtaining corrections, and performing inspection
prior to the end of the project warranty period.
The Civil Engineer may assist in operator training, setting up job classifications and salaries, organizing
the purchase of supplies developing charts for recording operational data, and observing and reporting
on project operation.
2.4 Construction Services
A registered Civil Engineer may engage in construction contracting after being licensed as a contractor
by the Contractors Accreditation Board. It is considered unethical for a civil engineer to allow his
license to be used by any other construction company except his own.

A registered Civil Engineer may provide the services of supporting technical employee as required of a
construction company. He shall however, be pain the professional fees, in addition to his regular salary,
for any design work he performs for which he signs as professional Civil Engineer and/or engineer on
record.
A Civil Engineer may be employed as a construction engineer, resident Civil Engineer, project engineer,
quality control engineer, cost engineer or engineer inspector in a project. In accordance with the
Section 23 RA 544, only registered Civil Engineers can take charge or supervise construction or
alteration of any building or structure and any other civil engineering works mentioned in section 2 of
the mentioned Republic Act. The Civil Engineer when employed is similarly required to comply with the
code of ethics of the profession as the consulting Civil Engineer.
2.5 SPECIAL SERVICES FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Special services required during the study, design, construction, and operation phases of a construction
project may include investigations, reports, and activities beyond the scope of the basic services. These
services, many of which are also listed earlier in these section under the category “Consultations,
investigations and Reports, may relate to the clients decisions as to the feasibility scope, and location
of the project. The research, compilation of engineering data and acquisition of property may involve
professional specialists in engineering and other fields.
Special services that may be provided by the civil engineer or negotiated with other firms or sub-
consultants by the Civil Engineer acting on behalf of the client could include:
1. Geotechnical engineering – including test borings, sampling and analysis, and
recommendations.
 2. Special studies, test, and process determinations to establish design criteria or demonstrate
compliance.
3. Land surveys, establishment of boundaries and monuments preparation of easement
description, and related computations and drawings.
4. Engineering and topographic surveys for design and construction.
5. Mill, shop, or laboratory inspection of the materials and equipment.
6. Additional copies of reports, construction drawings specifications and other documents as
required for bidding and construction beyond the number specified in the Basic Services
agreement.
7. Extra travel and subsistence as defined by the agreement for the engineering services.
8. Value engineering – including review of the work of other engineers, either within the same
organization or in other firms to determine whether a proposed solution is optimum and, if not,
to suggest a better approach for meeting the projects functional and financial criteria.
9. Redesign to reflect changes requested by the client or necessitated by the client’s acceptance
of the substitutions proposed by the contractor.
10. Assistance to the client as an expert witness in litigation in connection with the project or in
hearings before approving and regulatory agencies.
11. Final investigations involving detailed consideration operation, maintenance, and overhead
expenses; preparation of final rate schedules, and earning and expense statements; appraisals,
valuations, and material audits or inventories required for certification of force account
construction performed by the client for extra work done by the contractor.
12. Preparation of detailed applications and supporting documents grants or advances for public
works projects.
13. Plotting, computing, and filling of subdivision plans, staking of lots and other land planning and
partitioning activities.
14. Preparation of environmental assessment and impact statements and other assistance to the
client in connection with public hearings.
15. Additional studies and design efforts to meet special conditions encountered during
construction.
16. Assistance to the client in the selection and engagement of architects, other engineers,
contractors and subcontractors, and observation and approval of their services or work;
contacts with governmental agencies to obtain permits and documents; and other services
related to protect development.
17. Assessment of completed projects ability to meet its design intent relative to capacity,
maintainability, operability or reliability.
18. Computer simulation and modeling.
2.6 ENGINEERING SUPPORT SERVICES
The professional services described above often require engineering support services. Geotechnical
engineering, for example, frequently requires services such as taking soil and rock borings, excavating
test pits sampling and identifying soil and earth materials, field and laboratory test and geophysical
measurements and observations. The engineering support services in general civil engineering practice
may involve drafting, land and construction surveying, and other data gathering activities for
specialized purposes. Although persons who are not Civil Engineers sometimes accomplish some of
these tasks, the procurement of engineering judgment and guidance. Since soundness of any
engineering decision is dependent upon the accuracy and suitability of data obtained in field and
laboratory investigations these supporting services must be under the guidance of the Civil Engineer
whose decisions will be based upon those data.
2.7 ACADEMIC SERVICES
These services involved full or part time teaching or training of prospective professionals and also the
upgrading of knowledge and skills of fellow professionals. Academic services may include:
a. Teaching of civil engineering courses in engineering colleges/universities on part/full time basis.
As per RA 8981, all subjects for licensure examinations shall be taught by persons who are
holders of valid certificates of registration/professional licenses and professional identification
cards, or special temporary permits, or a valid certificate of competency for the profession
issued by the Commission, and who comply with the other requirements of the CHED.
b. Lecturing in civil engineering courses designed by the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers for
practicing engineers who want to obtain CPD credits.
c. Conducting tutorials/refresher courses on civil engineering concepts and related subjects.
d. Serving as a Resource Speaker in technical Session.
e. Writing technical articles and pamphlets.
2.8 SERVICES AS EMPLOYEE
This is a condition when a Civil Engineer engages to perform work or fulfill duties regularly for wages or
salary being paid by an employer.
A Civil Engineer maybe employed for any position or function in any commercial or institutional
organization. Where he is performing civil engineering functions, he is required to follow the code
ethics for Civil Engineers and comply with the standards and guidelines of this manual. A licensed Civil
Engineer may not allow his licensed to be used by the company that employs him without the proper
agreement for his professional services. Where the firm he is working for uses his license to sign and
seal the plans, specifications and contract document, the Civil Engineers much charge the professional
fee for said services.
A Civil Engineer in part time employment with a firm is considered to be an employee and at the same
time a consultant of the firm. The standards for an employee and an individual consultant as defined in
this manual apply to this Civil Engineer.
Any Civil Engineer employed as an individual consultant of any firm whether the firm is performing
engineering, commercial, administrative, management or financial services is required to comply with
the requirements and the standards herein established for a consulting Civil Engineering firm or
consulting Civil Engineer.
All Government Civil Engineers employed by the instrumentalities of the Government e.g. national and
local, shall be governed by pertinent existing laws and regularities and particularly to those prescribed
by the Civil Services Commission. In case of any conflict with any of the provisions of this Manual of
Practice, such pertinent laws and regulations shall take precedence and shall govern.