Engineering consultants play a key role in the management process of a project. The broad term encompasses site engineers, structural engineers, civil contractors and other specialists in mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire safety and more, who contribute to the engineering requirements of the project. These consultants make the vision of the project come live on the site, which is why their appointment is considered as a turning point in the project.
Convinced already? Know more on how the appointment of these consultants can bring a significant change in the project’s execution. Read ahead.
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Significance of Engineering Consultants Appointment
Engineering consultants are the backbone of a project—their contribution is required right from laying the foundation on the ground to wiring the electrical lines on the walls of the structure. When chosen right, these consultants will take a project to a high-performance standard, making its success rate go skyrocketing.
Choosing the right engineering consultants helps in:
- Achieving the best project quality in terms of materials, methodologies, etc.
- Controlling costs and time throughout the important phases of construction
- Minimizing the risk of structural failures during and after the completion of the project
- Improving the ease of post-completion works like maintenance etc., among others.
Don’t believe us? Take a look at the projects managed by SSACT that came to their best form with the best engineering consultants in India, handpicked by us.
Are you eager to ace the selection process of this valuable workforce? Begin by understanding their scope of services.
Scope of Services for Engineering Consultants
The first step in appointment of engineering consultants involves definition of the scope of services that is agreed upon mutually by the clients or project managers and the consultant groups. This may help in formulating the design responsibility matrix or other software-based tracking systems involved in the management of the project. In short, the scope is nothing but a list of all services offered during the project’s execution that gives a reference to cross-checking the work executed and helps in monitoring the progress in the project. It also acts as a document that can be referred to, in case of disputes occurring at any point of the project completion process.
A typical scope of services includes:
- A brief of the work involved in the project
- A plan or work structure listing the milestones or deadlines
- A line up of construction methods and technologies specific to the project
- An indication of costing patterns such as time-based hourly charges, project-based lump sum charges etc.
In case of large-scale projects demanding a larger workforce, the above list may also include:
- The list of staffs or sub-consultants used in the project
- The series of mock-ups applicable throughout the project cycle, among others.
Looking for an example of the scope of services? Head to SSACT services list and check out how we present our services in an unambiguous and coherent matrix. Along with the modular service delivery, we at SSACT employ several other state-of-the-art methods that help with the management of your project. Click here to know more.
Documentation works, Budget Fixation and more.
The appointment process calls for a series of documents that establish the terms between the consultants and the project managers or clients. This documentation work is carried out with clarity, detail and reliability to facilitate the smooth onboarding of the consultants, all the way till the handover of the project. The basic documents facilitating these activities are:
- The contract highlighting the mutually agreed particulars
- The budget break-up listing the budget allocated for every work involved
- The non-disclosure agreement validating the project’s confidentiality, among others.
In addition to these standard documents, a detailed budget overview is desired for any project. Being the core of a project’s goals, the budget-related requisites are documented with clarity-to-detail. The requirements include:
- A basic project estimation quoting the ultimate project cost
- A basic specification listing the best-suitable grade quality of the materials
- A catalogue of warranties and guarantees of the materials and other resources
- Additional fee charging policy for all works falling outside the scope of services (as a given percentage or hourly rates)
Note: All projects have a different set of documents unique to their nature.
If you are confused about the documentation works and looking for a customised document list specific to your project, you can contact the expert team at SSACT and relax. We will take care of the rest!
Methods of Appointment of Engineering Consultants
In a regular project functioning without proper project managers, the appointment methods are often under-utilized. Using traditional practices in such situations can leave a project with an incompetent workforce and low calibre that affects the progress of the project. Modern-day practices alleviating such situations include:
- Direct Appointments where a consultant is appointed directly without elaborate selection processes E.g. Referrals, Previous collaborators
- Financial Tender where tenders are invited from a group of consultants E.g. Selective tenders
- Framework Agreement where consultants are invited on a call-off basis for works involved in a given period of time E.g. Minor works contracts
- Expression Of Interest where the consultants request to participate in a selection process with response to an advert or notice E.g. Open tenders
- Open Competition where different consultants are invited to submit for a competition declared in public E.g. Design competitions
- Hybrid Approaches that may combine two or more appointment methods to scrutinize a large number of entries E.g. Design competitions for shortlisted tenderers etc.
Did you know?
The experts at SSACT are known to follow the best practices in the appointment of consultants. We help our clients overcome the fear of bringing a group of professionals under one roof by formulating a smart project management process. Hear it from our clients!
Custom checklist for the selection process
Finding the engineering consultants ideal for a project can be a tedious process that needs meticulous planning and an all-inclusive checklist—these expectations further stand out with a proper code of conduct. Such elaborate selection criteria assure that the project requisites are best met with, whilst planning the resources, saving on the costs incurred and accelerating the entire process.
The ideal checklist for such a fruitful selection process demand for:
- Years of experience in the field
- Experience relevant to the project
- Familiarity with the current-day construction methods
- Ability to act as a proof-consultant
- Connection with other field experts
In addition to this, a set of non-technical qualities are also expected from the consultants, such as:
- Genuineness in sourcing materials
- Refraining from commissions while organising manpower
- Composure while handling a large team
- Reliability in the matters of problem-solving, project deadlines etc., among others
With such detailed selection processes guided by expert teams like SSACT, your dream project has a high chance of becoming a grand reality. Get the best engineering consultants in India for your project by giving us a call. Alternatively, you can drop us your details and our team will be happy to assist you. Click here to discuss.
