Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2018
339. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the procedure for ensuring contracted builders are on track with works on schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45483/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder my Department's Design Team Procedures, when a contract is awarded the Contractor must provide the Employer's Representative, before the Starting Date, a detailed programme, in the form set down in the Contract, that will permit effective monitoring of the works.
The Contractor is obliged to submit to the Employer’s Representative monthly progress reports, in the form set down in the Contract, within 7 days after the end of the month.
Each progress report shall include (in particular but not limited to):
- A detailed description of progress against the Contractor’s current programme
- Details of when any instructions to be given by the Employer’s Representative will be required, and any that are outstanding
- Details of when any Works Items or other things to be given by the Employer will be required, and any that are outstanding
- Details of any Delay Events and Compensation Events that have occurred during the period, or are unresolved
- Details of any accidents, injuries, hazardous incidents, environmental incidents, labour relations problems and public relations problems concerning or affecting the Works
- Details of anything that might have an adverse effect on the execution of the Works, the steps the Contractor is taking or proposes to take to reduce those risks, and any steps that the Contractor proposes that the Employer or the Employer’s Personnel take to reduce those risks
- Anything else relevant to a progress report that the Employer’s Representative directs.
The Employer’s Representative must schedule regular meetings attended by the Contractor’s Representative and the Employer’s Representative and attended by the Employer’s and Contractor’s personnel, as required. Within 5 working days after each meeting the Employer’s Representative shall issue minutes of the meeting to the Employer and the Contractor.
Interim payment certificates, based on the interim recommendations prepared by the Quantity Surveyor, must be prepared and issued by the Employer’s Representative to the Contractor and then submitted by the Contractor, through the Client, to the Department for processing and payment.
A Project Review report must be prepared by the Employer’s Representative and Quantity Surveyor jointly on the Template Progress Report Form (available at www.education.ie) and submitted to the Client monthly i.e. together with each Interim payment certificate. An electronic copy of same must also be sent (by the ER) to both the Client and to the appropriate Department Officer.
Each Progress Report must be completed in full and must contain all Change Orders since the previous certificate.
Where any change orders outside the Employer’s Representative’s limitations of Authority were authorised by the Employer’s Representative without approval a full explanation must be submitted. (Refer also to Change Orders)
The Employer’s Representative must report on any critical delays in the Contract Programme and the causes of any such delays, implications for the Client i.e. alternative temporary accommodation requirements, and what actions have been/are being taken under the contract to mitigate such delays. It should (where appropriate) include brief statements from the Civil/Structural Engineer and Services Engineer, comparing progress to date with the agreed Contract Programme.
The Quantity Surveyor must comment in the Progress Report Form on actual cash-flow and compare it to the forecast/programmed cash flow. Any significant variance between actual cash flow and forecast cash flow, and its relationship with works progress relative to the Contract Programme must be fully explained.
The Client must in turn send a hardcopy of that Progress Report Letter directly to the Department with the original certificate.
