by Simplar | Jun 2, 2021 | Business Development, Business Development, Business Development, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Leadership, Leadership, Leadership, Weekly Construction Message
My overview of the construction industry breaks down the management function into three broad categories: 1. Getting the work 2. Doing the work 3. Accounting for the work. The Chief Financial Officer’s (CFO’s) role in “Accounting for the work” is...
by Simplar | Mar 10, 2021 | Leadership, Leadership, Procurement, Procurement, Weekly Construction Message
ATTENTION OWNERS Look Beyond Low-Bid For the past two years, I have been preaching to contractors the wisdom of looking beyond low-bid. I have been frustrated to receive less than enthusiastic responses from a greater majority of contractors. Their reaction to my...
by Simplar | Jan 14, 2021 | Procurement
SUBJECT: THE HISTORY OF LOW BID “The Bidder Who Makes the Most Mistakes… Gets the Job” If this weren’t true, it wouldn’t be funny. Irony is humor because the underlying truth shouldn’t be so, but it is. Our industry has been enjoying this old joke ever since the...
by Simplar | Jan 14, 2021 | Proposal Writing, Proposal Writing
What Wins Work? How to Write Successful Project Proposals by Brian Lines, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Kansas Low-Bid Procurement When contractors simply had to “sharpen their pencil” to win work, they knew where they stood. In a simpler world, the...
by Simplar | Jan 14, 2021 | Risk Management, Risk Management, Risk Management
Another Low-Bid Loophole by Jake Smithwick, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Charlotte Within the construction industry, the heavy/civil sector consists of site development and infrastructure projects, such as those related to earthwork, bridges,...
by Simplar | Jan 14, 2021 | Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Business, Strategic and Project Planning
Pre-Contract Planning Detailed project planning prior to contract award is not as common in construction as you might think. Research reveals that traditional procurement processes typically select a contractor and move directly into contract award without any formal...