TABLE 4: CONSTRUCTION PHASE

PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHECKLIST

1 Assemble the Owner’s construction project management team during the
tendering phase, so they can begin to familiarize themselves with the
demands of the project. Perform a constructability review.
2 Establish clear lines of authority and responsibility within the Owner for
various construction phase functions (e.g.: technical/design functions;
financial and accounting functions; contract interpretation and
administration; and legal functions).
3 Develop a plan for efficiently handling the following typical items of
Contractor requests and submissions:
a. Request for information (RFI’s): these are routine requests which the
Contractor makes to clarify requirements contained within the drawings and
specifications—typically of a technical nature.
b. Technical submittal: in most cases, the specifications will require that the
Contractor submit product data, catalog information, calculations, samples
and shop drawings of individual equipment items and systems for approval
by the Engineer. The Owner’s construction project management team is
responsible for providing a timely review and approval or rejection of the
submittals.
c. Variation/notice of variation/proposal for extra cost: when the Owner or its
authorized representative requests (orally or in writing) that the Contractor
perform work that is a modification or change to the Works, the Contractor
may submit a notice of variation and/or a written proposal advising the
Owner of the extra costs to be anticipated as a result of the change.
d. Critical path method (CPM) or other form of scheduling information: the
Owner must insist that the Contractor submit a detailed plan for performing
the work, so that the Owner can monitor the Contractor’s performance
against an approved “baseline” schedule. Usually, the specification allows
for the Owner to review and comment upon the proposed plan prior to its
approval for use as the baseline.
e. Schedule update: the Contractor must update the schedule periodically
(usually once every month). This updated schedule is provided to the Owner
for approval. Any changes in the sequencing or number of activities in the
schedule must be addressed by the Owner in an expedited fashion.
f. Material test results: test results will frequently be provided by an
independent materials testing agency hired by the Contractor. The Owner’s
representatives must be in the position to monitor the Contractor’s
compliance with the testing requirements of the Contract and immediately
review all test results to determine if the materials used for construction meet
the minimum demands of the specifications.
g. Payment requisitions/certificate: to facilitate periodic (usually monthly)
payment of the Contractor, the Contractor will present a monthly statement
of work completed and materials on site. The Engineer will verify and
prepare a payment certificate for 90% of completed works and 75% of
materials on site, or on such other basis as may be determined according to
terms of Contract. UAE national contractors are exempt from retention if a
bank guarantee is provided. Payment is required within 45 days of issuance
of payment certificate by Engineer.
h. Request for deviation: in some cases, the Contractor will request that a
deviation from the Contract drawings and specifications be permitted to
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 expedite the work or prevent delays.
i. Request for time extension: should the Contractor’s progress fall behind the
plan established in the approved baseline schedule, the Contractor may
request a time extension to avoid delay penalties. The Owner’s
representatives must have the ability to quickly analyze such requests to
determine if the time extension is justified, analyze the period of extension to
be granted.
j. Claim correspondence: from time-to-time, the Contractor may claim that the
Owner or its representatives have improperly administered the Contract. In
such situations, the Owner must scrupulously follow the dispute provisions
of the contract and attempt to resolve quickly any differences of
interpretation in order to avoid an adversarial relationship with the
Contractor.
4 Study the Contract—become familiar not only with the technical
specifications of the project, but also with the requirements of the
Agreement, the General and Special Conditions, Amendments to Tender
Documents, etc. In particular, note the following:
a. The notice requirements for requesting variations in the work and any
additional compensation.
b. The notice requirements by which the Contractor must request an extension
of time for unforeseeable delays or other circumstances.
c. The notice requirements for making any claims by or against the Owner.
d. The notice requirements and specific procedures for terminating the contract,
either due to the default of the Contractor or for the convenience of the
Owner.
e. All phasing requirements, interim milestones, and related delay penalty
provisions.
f. All submittal requirements and times within which submittals are due from
the Contractor and its suppliers.
g. Payment, bonding, guarantee, and other articles relating to the financial
responsibilities of both the Owner and Contractor.
h. Responsibilities of the Engineer.
i. CPM or other scheduling specifications.
j. The timing requirements for providing all pieces of Owner-furnished
equipment and materials.
5 Understand the contractual relationships of the parties involved and the risks
assumed.
6 Utilize standard form RFI Logs, Variation Logs, Proposal Logs, Material
Testing Logs, Correspondence Logs, and other documents which summarize
events of a recurring nature.
7 Recognize the importance of scheduling—make a commitment to use CPM
or other scheduling tools, as appropriate, and make them work successfully
by:
a. Reviewing and approving (or rejecting) Contractor prepared schedules and
updates on a timely basis.
b. Attending joint meetings to resolve technical differences.
c. Updating the schedules at least monthly in joint sessions.
d. Maintaining accurate records on file of each update including network
diagrams, computer generated reports, and electronic records.
e. Maintaining a ledger of all Contract time extensions requested, approved,

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 pending or denied (either partially or totally).
8 Keep senior management and legal counsel informed of any breach of the
contract or anticipatory breach requiring early intervention.
9 Monitor the Contractor’s daily workforce and compare actual labor utilization
with planned labor utilization.
10 Monitor the Contractor’s productivity at various stages and compare actual
productivity with planned productivity.
11 Interview worker’s periodically at the project site to determine if the Contractor
is conforming to any labor hour requirements of the Contract and/or to any
applicable labor laws.
12 Prepare interim reports of deficiencies and omissions in the work and obtain the
Contractor’s commitment to correct same immediately without waiting to the
end of the project.
13 Keep accurate and detailed records of events in the field—establish regular
meeting times to discuss progress, negotiate variations, and resolve problems.
14 Maintain detailed safety records of job related injuries—be proactive about job
safety to eliminate the possibility of serious injuries to persons and property.

The items contained in Table 4 above reflect basic project management

objectives, including the monitoring of time, costs and compliance with the
Contract. By pursuing these objectives, the Owner also will be able to
anticipate and mitigate disputes and delays. Three important components of
project management useful in achieving these objectives are:

(1) schedule control;

(2) cost control; and
(3) document control.

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