PRE-CONSTRUCTION PHASE

SIP strongly believes that a road map is absolutely crucial to any project. The key to successful planning is continuous monitoring and refinement so that at any point in time a realistic plan to completion is in place.

Planning - Dedicated Department

Time management is not as it should be within the construction industry. Approximately 20 years ago SIP reassessed their projects and found that there were different standards with regards to what planning entailed and how it was implemented. It was at this point that the SIP Planning Department was established to develop programmes that were competent and an integral part of the project management process. Having a specialist planning department differentiates SIP from most of the other project management companies.

There are seven distinct types of programmes developed for any SIP project as follows:

• The Project Initiation Programme is developed during the pre-construction phase and indicates all the issues that have to be completed or resolved by the Client and Professional Teams prior to the commencement of construction activities.
• The Indicative Construction Programme used to determine the construction duration for feasibility and tender purposes
• The Documentation Programme which is drawn up in conjunction with the whole Professional Team as well as the Client and is probably one of the most important programmes as it is designed to ensure that the design priorities and construction priorities are properly co-ordinated and integrated
• The Procurement Programme is developed in conjunction with the whole team to monitor and regulate the appointment of all contractors and sub-contractors as well as to track the orders of all long lead and critical items required for the project
• The Contract Construction Programme is developed in conjunction with the Main Contractor. A detailed information requirement schedule is developed from this programme
• The Progress Programme is updated at regular intervals during construction and will show dates when activities actually occurred and makes a projection of when future activities will take place
• A Claim Adjudication Programme which shows the impact of any event that has caused a delay and mitigation action that can be implemented

We have specialised responsibility within the organisation to drive the planning and programming process on our projects providing an objective, unbiased review of the project status which is always necessary to differentiate the "wood from the trees".

Communication Co-ordination

With SIP, there is constant interaction with the owner through regular management meetings where major policy decisions, evolving design and financial matters are managed.

Emphasis is placed on welding divergent parties into one team. If success can be attributed to any single factor, it is that of team work.

Financial Control

SIP works in close co-operation with the quantity surveyor, assisting in guiding the Owner through the minefield of decision making with up to date cost and time implications on the evolving project. Thus the Owner will not have to accept merely being confronted with historical data or with fait accomplis, but can meaningfully participate in the process of the project as it evolves.

Contractor Appointments

In the early stages of tender documentation, SIP, through liaison with all consultants, invests a great deal of time and effort in order to reach consensus on methods and conditions of tender and the incorporation of special requirements particular to the project. Prequalification of tenderers is carried out prior to the tender stage to establish the contractor's suitability.