The Value of Dynamic Costs for Job Order Contracts: Adjusting the costs within a Unit Price Book (UPB) on a regular basis, typically each year, helps to mitigate risk for both the Owner and Contractor by more accurately reflecting actual costs. UPBs can be research and republished annually to reflect a higher degree of accuracy...Continue Reading
While accurate, timely, and transparent cost estimating is critical to the success of any renovation, repair, sustainability, or new construction project, most construction cost estimators (over 55%) continue to rely primarily upon manual methods, hard copy documents, or electronic spreadsheets such as Microsoft Excel. Lack of robust business processes, management practices, proper education and training,...Continue Reading
It’s amazing how many cost estimators exclusively use spreadsheets. In end, this practice creates more problems than it solves. Certainly spreadsheets play an important role, however, study after study has proven them to be inefficient and prone to error when collaboration is required, or when relatively sophisticated databases are commonly used. The solution for Owners,...Continue Reading
Unit price books are unit price-based cost databases referenced by a particular JOC or SABER contract. In some cases UPBs can be task-based; however, this method doesn’t provide a level of detail consistent with the practices of most construction cost estimators. RSMeans is used in the majority of JOC contracts in the United States (over...Continue Reading
Traditional methods such as design-bid-build and even “newer” methods such as design-build are not fully collaborative. The net result is information is not shared by all parties and adversarial components of these methods typically lead to mistrust and waste. Integrated project delivery (IPD) and Job order contracting (JOC), the later also referred to as “IPD-lite”...Continue Reading
What is a coefficient? A multiplier? A factor? These terms describe a number which is applied to the unit price book (UPB) to arrive at the contractual cost for JOC / SABER construction projects. A coefficient of 1.08 means that the contractor will perform each and every line item in the unit price book for...Continue Reading
Price coefficients are applied to unit line prices from a unit price book (UPB) to determine the actual cost of JOC or SABER project and/or task order. The contracted price coefficient is applied to all labor and materials line items necessary for each job to arrive at an estimated for the job. Coefficients are important...Continue Reading
Job Order Contracting (JOC), and Simplified Acquisition of Base Engineering Requirements (SABER) are both forms of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). They are collaborative, transparent, performance-based construction delivery methods that significantly improve productivity vs. traditional design-bid-build. Procurement and project timelines are decreased, change orders are virtually non-existent, and longer term relationships exist between Owners, Contractors and...Continue Reading
Owners, Contractors and Subcontractors, 4Clicks is hosting an upcoming Regional Training Class in Las Vegas, and we’d like to invite you and your team to attend! This two day class is perfect for brand new e4Clicks Project Estimator users and those who could benefit from a refresher course. A great chance to sharpen your estimating...Continue Reading
Reminder to reserve your space before it’s too late! Great if you are new to using e4Clicks for JOC, SABER, IDIQ, SATOC and MATOC projects and RSMeans Cost Data, or simply need a refresher course. Join your fellow estimators, contractors, A/E’s, and contracting professionals for a hands-on and FUN two days of training. Our “teachers”...Continue Reading
The 2012 e4Clicks subscriptions are ready to go! We are excited about the new features in release 2.610. Be sure to read the Readme and join our spotlight events during the next few months to see the great new features! Thanks for a great 2011 we wish everyone well in 2012.Continue Reading
Visit the our new Cost Estimating and Project Management FORUM at 4clicks.com/forums and discuss a wide range of items: Visual Estimating, RSMeans Cost Data, UPBs, BIM, Contract Management, Project Management, JOC, SABER, IDIQs, MATOC, SATOC, MACC, Estimating… it’s up to you! This is an open site for Owners, Contractors, and AE’s to share information. Visit...Continue Reading
1. Buildings account for almost 40 percent of primary energy use in the United States, 12 percent of total water use, and 60 percent of all non-industrial waste. Indoor environmental quality of buildings affects the health, safety, and productivity of the people who occupy them. 2. The U.S. federal government has the opportunity, and the...Continue Reading
As usual it wasn’t the presentations or booths that provided great insight, but rather discussions with key industry thought leaders. All concurred that BIM is NOT what the products currently being offered by Autodesk, Graphisoft, Bentley Systems, et al. But rather BIM is primarily the INFORMATION required to better manage facilities throughout their lifecycle. Thus...Continue Reading
