Estimating and Tendering for Construction Work Fifth Edition Free PDF

Estimators need to understand the consequences of entering into a contract, often defined by complex conditions and documents, as well as to appreciate the technical requirements of the project. Estimating and Tendering for Construction Work, 5th edition, explains the job of the estimator through every stage, from early cost studies to the creation of budgets for successful tenders.

This new edition reflects recent developments in the field and covers:
• new tendering and procurement methods;
• the move from basic estimating to cost-planning and the greater emphasis placed on partnering and collaborative working;
• the New Rules of Measurement (NRM1 and 2), and examines ways in which practising estimators are implementing the guidance;
• emerging technologies such as BIM (Building Information Modelling) and estimating systems which can interact with 3D design models.
With the majority of projects procured using design-and-build contracts, this edition explains the contractor’s role in setting costs, and design statements, to inform and control the development of a project’s design.

Clearly written and illustrated with examples, notes and technical documentation, this book is ideal for students on construction-related courses at HNC/HND and degree levels. It is also an important source for associated professions and estimators at the outset of their careers.

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Project Performance Tracking and Reporting Spreadsheet

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PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION Questions & Answers The Environment in Which Project Operate

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION

Questions & Answers

The Environment in Which Project Operate

Questions:

1. Which of the following best describe management elements?

A. Management elements are the components that comprise the key functions or principles of general management in the organization.
B. Management elements are the project management principles that guide how projects are executed in the organization.
C. Management elements are established by PMOs to guide project implementation.
D. Management elements are influenced by the governance framework, established for effective implementation of projects.

2.Governance is the framework within which authority is exercised in organizations. This framework includes all of the following components EXCEPT:

A. Rules.
B. Policies.
C. Techniques.
D. Relationships .

3. The interaction of the various system components creates the organizational culture and capabilities that are important for projects. Which role is typically responsible for establishing the system?

A. Organization’s management.
B. Project sponsor.
C. Project manager.
D. Project team.

4. Projects operate within the constraints imposed by the organization through their structure and governance framework. The system factors include all of the following EXCEPT :

A. Management elements.
B. Governance framework.
C. Organizational structure types.
D. Project management processes .

5.The organization’s processes and procedures for conducting project work during Executing, Monitoring, and Controlling include all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Change control procedure.
B. Issue and defect management procedures.
C. Resource availability control and assignment management.
D. Project closing guidelines.

6.The organization’s processes and procedures for conducting pro ject work during project initiation and planning include all of the following EXCEPT :

A. Preapproved supplier list.
B. Traceability matrices.
C. Tailoring guidelines for project management processes and procedures.
D. Product and project life cycles, and methods and procedures.

7. Organizational process assets (OPAs) influence the management of projects. Which one of the following best describes the important categories of OPAs?

A. Organizational knowledge bases and processes
B. Processes, policies, procedures, tools, and techniques.
C. Organizational knowledge bases, processes, policies, and procedures.
D. Organizational knowledge bases, tools, and techniques.

8. All of the following are external environmental factors EXCEPT :

A. Legal restrictions.
B. Organizational values and principles.
C. Competitive movements.
D. Economic conditions .

9.All of the following are potential information in organizational knowledge repositories EXCEPT :

A. Metrics used to collect and make available measurement data on processes and products.
B. Configuration management.
C. Tacit knowledge of previous projects such as project performance data and lessons learned.
D. Issue and defect management data.

10.A primary function of a project management office (PMO) is to support project managers in a variety of ways, which may include all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Intervening in project execution directly and without involving the project manager.
B. Managing shared resources across all projects administered by the PMO.
C. Identifying and developing project management methodology, best practices, and standards.
D. Coaching, mentoring, training, and oversight .

11.The types of project management office (PMO) structures in organizations include all of the following EXCEPT :

A. Supportive PMOs that provide a consultative role to projects by supplying templates, best practices, training, access to information, and lessons learned from other projects.
B. Controlling PMOs that provide support and require compliance through various means.
C. Harmonizing PMOs that strive to reduce conflict and improve harmony among project team members.
D. Directive PMOs that take control of the projects by directly managing the projects.

12. Enterprise environmental factors refer to both internal and external environmental factors that surround or influence a project’s success. All of the following are true about these factors EXCEPT :

A. Enterprise environmental factors include organizational culture, structure, and processes.
B. Enterprise environmental factors include government or industry standards, such as regulatory agency regulations, codes of conduct, product standards, quality standards, and workmanship standards.
C. Enterprise environmental factors include information technology software (e.g., an automated tool, such as a scheduling software tool, a configuration management system, an information collection and distribution system, or web interfaces to other online automated systems).
D. Enterprise environmental factors exclude personnel administration functions (e.g., staffing and retention guidelines, employee performance reviews and training records, and time tracking) because these are considered to be functions of the human resources department .

Answers:

1. Answer: A.

PMBOK® Guide, pages 44 – 45, Section 2. 4. 3

Management elements are the components that comprise the key functions or principles of general management in the organization. The general management elements are allocated within the organization according to its governance framework and the organizational structure type selected.

2. Answer: C .

PMBOK® Guide, page 43, Section 2. 4. 2. 1

Governance Framework in Project Management

3. Answer: A .

PMBOK®Guide, page 42, Section 2. 4. 1

Systems are typically the responsibility of an organization’s management. The organization’s management examines the optimizational trade-offs between the components and the system in order to take the appropriate action to achieve the best outcomes for the organization. The results of this examination will impact the project under consideration.

The following EEFs are external to the organization:

Marketplace conditions. Examples include competitors, market share brand recognition, and trademarks.
Social and cultural influences and issues. Examples include political climate, codes of conduct ethics, and perceptions.
Legal restrictions. Examples include country or local laws and regulations related to security, data protection, business conduct, employment, and procurement.
Commercial databases. Examples include benchmarking results, standardized cost estimating data, industry risk study information, and risk databases.
Academic research. Examples include industry studies, publications, and benchmarking results.
Government or industry standards. Examples include regulatory agency regulations and standards related to products, production, environment, quality, and workmanship.
Financial considerations. Examples include currency exchange rates, interest rates, inflation rates, tariffs, and geographic location.
Physical environmental elements. Examples include working conditions, weather, and constraints.
An organization’s value and principle, while not explicitly stated, are related to organizational culture and thus are internal to an organization

4. Answer: D .

PMBOK®Guide, page 42, Section 2. 4. 1

Projects operate within the constraints imposed by the organization through their structure and governance framework. To operate effectively and efficiently, the project manager needs to understand where responsibility, accountability, and authority reside within the organization. This understanding will help the project manager effectively use his or her power, influence, competence, leadership, and political capabilities to successfully complete the project.

The interaction of multiple factors within an individual organization creates a unique system that impacts the project operating in that system. The resulting organizational system determines the power, influence, interests, competence, and political capabilities of the people who are able to act within the system. The system factors include, but are not limited to:

Management elements,
Governance frameworks, and
Organizational structure types.

Project managers should consider tailoring the project management processes based on these
system factors.

5. Answer: C .

PMBOK®Guide, pages 40 – 41, Section 2. 3. 1

The organization’s processes and procedures for conducting project work for Executing, Monitoring and Controlling

6. Answer: B .

PMBOK®Guide, page 40, Section 2. 3. 1

The organization’s processes and procedures for conducting project work for Initiating and Planning

7. Answer: C .

PMBOK®Guide, page 39, Section 2. 3

Organizational process assets (OPAs) are the plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases specific to and used by the performing organization. They may be grouped into two categories:

Processes, policies, and procedures; and
Organizational knowledge bases.

8. Answer: B .

PMBOK®Guide, page 39, Section 2. 2. 2

Enterprise Environmental Factors

9. Answer: C .

PMBOK®Guide, page 41, Section 2. 3. 2

Potential information in organizational knowledge repositories

10. Answer: A .

PMBOK® Guide, page 49, Section 2. 4. 4. 3

Project Management Office

11. Answer: C.

PMBOK® Guide, pages 48 – 49, Section 2. 4. 4. 3

There are several types of PMO structures in organizations, each varying in the degree of control and influence they have on projects within the organization, such as the following:

Supportive. Supportive PMOs provide a consultative role to projects by supplying templates, best practices, training, access to information, and lessons learned from other projects. This type of PMO serves as a project repository. The degree of control provided by the PMO is low.
Controlling. Controlling PMOs provide support and require compliance through various means.
Compliance may involve adopting project management frameworks or methodologies; using specific templates, forms, and tools; or conformance to governance. The degree of control provided by the PMO is moderate.
Directive. Directive PMOs take control of the projects by directly managing the projects. The degree of control provided by the PMO is high.

12. Answer: D .

PMBOK®Guide, page 38, Section 2. 2. 1

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION Project Management Office

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION

Project Management Office

A primary function of a PMO is to support project managers in a variety of ways, which may include, but are not limited to:

Managing shared resources across all projects administered by the PMO;
Identifying and developing project management methodologies, best practices, and standards;
Coaching, mentoring, training, and oversight;
Monitoring compliance with project management standards, policies, procedures, and templates by means of project audits;
Developing and managing project policies, procedures, templates, and other shared documentation (organizational process assets); and
Coordinating communication across projects.

PMOs do not generally intervene in a project’s direction, especially without communicating with the
project manager

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION Potential information in organizational knowledge repositories

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION

Potential information in organizational knowledge repositories

Tacit knowledge is personal and difficult to express, and is generally not found in organizational knowledge repositories. One of the important purposes of knowledge management is to transform tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, which can then be stored in repositories.

The organizational knowledge repositories for storing and retrieving information include, but are not limited to:

Configuration management knowledge repositories containing the versions of software and hardware components and baselines of all performing organization standards, policies, procedures, and any project documents;
Financial data repositories containing information such as labor hours, incurred costs, budgets, and any project cost overruns;
Historical information and lessons learned knowledge repositories (e.g., project records and documents, all project closure information and documentation, information regarding both the results of previous project selection decisions and previous project performance information, and information from risk management activities);
Issue and defect management data repositories containing issue and defect status, control information, issue and defect resolution, and action item results;
Data repositories for metrics used to collect and make available measurement data on processes and products; and Project files from previous projects (e.g., scope, cost, schedule, and performance measurement baselines, project calendars, project schedule network diagrams, risk registers, risk reports, and stakeholder registers).

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION Enterprise Environmental Factors

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION

Enterprise Environmental Factors

Enterprise environmental factors (EEFs) refer to conditions, not under the control of the project team, that influence, constrain, or direct the project. Enterprise environmental factors are considered inputs to most planning processes, may enhance or constrain project management options, and may have a positive or negative influence on the outcome. EEFs vary widely in type or nature.

These factors need to be considered if the project is to be effective. EEFs include, but are not limited to, the factors below.

The following EEFs are internal to the organization:

Organizational culture, structure, and governance. Examples include vision, mission, values, beliefs, cultural norms, leadership styles, hierarchy and authority relationships, organizational styles, ethics, and codes of conduct.
Geographic distribution of facilities and resources. Examples include factory locations, virtual teams, shared systems, and cloud computing.
Infrastructure. Examples include existing facilities, equipment, organizational telecommunications channels, information technology hardware, availability, and capacity.
Information technology software. Examples include scheduling software tools, configuration management systems, web interfaces to other online automated systems, and work authorization systems.
Resource availability. Examples include contracting and purchasing constraints, approved providers and subcontractors, and collaboration agreements.
Employee capability. Examples include existing human resources expertise, skills, competencies, and specialized knowledge.

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION The organization’s processes and procedures for conducting project work for Initiating and Planning

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION

The organization’s processes and procedures for conducting project work for Initiating and Planning

The organization’s processes and procedures for conducting project work for Initiating and Planning include, but are not limited, to:

Guidelines and criteria for tailoring the organization’s set of standard processes and procedures to satisfy the specific needs of the project;
Specific organizational standards such as policies (e.g., human resources policies, health and safety policies, security and confidentiality policies, quality policies, procurement policies, and environmental policies);
Product and project life cycles, and methods and procedures (e.g., project management methods, estimation metrics, process audits, improvement targets, checklists, and standardized process definitions for use in the organization);
Templates (e.g., project management plans, project documents, project registers, report formats, contract templates, risk categories, risk statement templates, probability and impact definitions, probability and impact matrices, and stakeholder register templates); and
Preapproved supplier lists and various types of contractual agreements (e.g., fixed-price, costreimbursable, and time and material contracts).
Traceability matrices are important considerations during the project execution

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION The organization’s processes and procedures for conducting project work for Executing, Monitoring and Controlling

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION

The organization’s processes and procedures for conducting project work for Executing, Monitoring and Controlling

The organization’s processes and procedures for conducting project work for Executing and Monitoring and Controlling include, but are not limited, to:

Change control procedures, including the steps by which performing organization standards, policies, plans, and procedures or any project documents will be modified, and how any changes will be approved and validated;
Traceability matrices;
Financial controls procedures (e.g., time reporting, required expenditure and disbursement reviews, accounting codes, and standard contract provisions);
Issue and defect management procedures (e.g., defining issue and defect controls, identifying and resolving issues and defects, and tracking action items);
Resource availability control and assignment management;
Organizational communication requirements (e.g., specific communication technology available, authorized communication media, record retention policies, videoconferencing, collaborative tools, and security requirements);
Procedures for prioritizing, approving, and issuing work authorizations;
Templates (e.g., risk register, issue log, and change log)
Standardized guidelines, work instructions, proposal evaluation criteria, and performance measurement criteria;
Product, service, or result verification and validation procedures.
Project closing guidelines are included in OPAs for the Closing Process Group.

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION Governance Framework in Project Management

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION

Governance Framework in Project Management

Governance is the framework within which authority is exercised in organizations. This framework includes, but is not limited to:

Rules,
Policies,
Procedures,
Norms,
Relationships,
Systems, and
Processes.

This framework influences how:

Objectives of the organization are set and achieved,
Risk is monitored and assessed, and
Performance is optimized.

Specific techniques are low-level details not usually specified by governance.

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION What a project should achieve to be successful

PMBOK® GUIDE SIXTH EDITION
What a project should achieve to be successful

One of the most common challenges in project management is determining whether or not a project is successful. Traditionally, the project management metrics of time, cost, scope, and quality have been the most important factors in defining the success of a project. More recently, practitioners and scholars have determined that project success should also be measured with consideration toward achievement of the project objectives.

Project stakeholders may have different ideas as to what the successful completion of a project will look like and which factors are the most important. It is critical to clearly document the project objectives and to select objectives that are measurable. Project success may include additional criteria linked to the organizational strategy and to the delivery of business results.