THE Urban Development Corporation of TT (Udecott) said on Tuesday a decision will soon be made on the award of a contract for restoration works on President House. Responding to queries from Newsday, Udecott said the tender process for this project has been completed.
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During his keynote address at the Grand Bahama 20th Annual Business Outlook at Grand Lucayan resort on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Peter Turnquest outlined some of the programs and initiatives the government is taking in order to remain transparent in its fiscal policies.
One of those initiatives is one in which the Minister said the government is very proud of, as it relates to public financial management and reform.
“In this regard we are starting with an innovative program for e-tendering for government contracts and services,” explained Minister Turnquest.
“We launched a pilot program two months ago, where we have an e-trade portal, where vendors can log on, put in their information and once that information is uploaded in that system, they (vendors) will receive automatic notifications of projects and services that are out for bid. They will be able to submit their tenders or responses electronically and they will be able to track the process on line.
“They will be able to know every stage of the bidding process; they will know when it is closed, how many bidders bid on the work, they will know who received it and they will have a summary explanation as to why the contract was awarded to that person.”
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THE National Works Agency (NWA) has announced that the bridge that was promised to residents of Chesterfield, St Mary, should be in place by the start of the next hurricane season.
The bridge, the NWA said in a release Tuesday, is one of seven that are now being fabricated in China for delivery to Jamaica by the end of March.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness last year made a promise to the residents that a structure would be erected in the area in order to ensure that the community is accessible during times of inclement weather. For years residents have, at times, had to brave flood waters in the Wag Water River, in order to access their homes.
NWA Chief Executive Officer EG Hunter said that the bridge is being sourced under the Major Infrastructure Development Programme, the release said.
The seven bridges and associated parts are being procured at a cost of US$2 million.
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You have finally been awarded the project and are eager to get to work. While the focus will be the successful delivery of the stipulated outputs, which may include preparing one or more reports, surprisingly, many Consultants and Vendors are reluctant to communicate with their clients in writing. Phone calls, text messages, especially WhatsApp, are increasingly becoming the norm. However, there are several instances during the life of a project when it would be prudent to properly document what is occurring – in the form of a letter, but at the very least an email – to ensure that there is a suitable paper trail that can be referred to as and when needed. Here we outline four situations, which may occur more than once during a project, and for which we strongly recommend be documented.
Although the scope of the project, key tasks and deliverables would be known to all parties, based on the terms of reference included in initial tender documents and in the project agreement, during the life of the project certain issues and nuances that could have an impact on project implementation may emerge after the contract has been signed. While these issues can occur at any time, they frequently become known during the initial client meetings, when you may be engaging for the first time the actual team that should benefit from your work, as opposed to the procurement team.
You may thus receive first-hand insights into the situation and challenges they are experiencing, all of which may have an impact on the approach you had hoped to implement, or what might be possible based on the circumstances now more clearly understood. For matters that are likely to have an impact on the scope, approach, deliverables and/or time lines, it is crucial to ensure they are documented and formally communicated to the client, even though the client’s designated contact person may agree with the changes that should be made,
At various points during a project, the client may be required to make decisions or agree to a particular approach or course of action. Once again, it is important to document those occurrences, especially when you are being specifically asked to pursue a certain course of action. You never know when you might need to remind a client of a decision that he/she took, which is now affecting how the project is being implemented, or the outputs that can be realised.
Depending on the project and the client, it may not happen very often, but when it does, it is recommended that you formally communicate to the client any concerns or objections that you might have on matters pertaining to the project and/or its implementation. To a considerable degree, the client is relying on you – regardless of whether you are a Consultant or Vendor, and more specifically, your expertise.
For example, if in your expert opinion you have concerns about a certain product or an approach that has been stipulated, say something – in writing. The client may have presented its requirements based on its limited understanding of its situation, and could welcome a more considered or suitable option. On the other hand, if the client still requires you to proceed as instructed (which you should ensure is also in writing!), you may get a better understanding of the circumstances and why that decision is being maintained. Alternatively, you can take solace in the fact that you gave the client the benefit of your expertise, which they chose not to pursue.
Finally, most project tend to have a time frame in which they must be completed. It therefore means that many of the project tasks are time-sensitive, with some of them being critical inputs for subsequent activities. While you, as the Consultant or Vendor, may have some control over how you use your time, and the effort applied to ensure that tasks are completed within the time envisaged. there tend to be instances over which you have very little control, but they can hinder rate of progress. Two situations readily come to mind: securing feedback or approval from the client; and securing information or feedback from third parties, such as the client’s partners, associates, customers, or stakeholders. In both instances, it is recommended that you ensure that your initial communication on the issue is documented, and thereafter, any follow-up made to urge responsiveness.
In summary, regardless of the project, it is important to develop a habit of establishing a paper trail. Although most projects will occur and conclude without incident, that should never be assumed. Further, projects can go awry for a multitude of reasons, and people tend to develop amnesia with respect to their role in the challenging situation being experienced.
It can thus be easy to try to blame you, as the Consultant or the Vendor – even when it is not your fault, However, in having a paper trail, you may be in a better position to refute allegations levelled at you, and (gently) remind all of the parties of the role in the debacle that has occurred.
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President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr. Wm. Warren Smith, today announced that the institution is making USD700 to 800 million (mn) available to help Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) recover from the impact of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The funding, which the Bank is providing over the next five years, complements its ongoing work to build resilience in the Caribbean Region.
“Disaster risk management and resilience building took centre-stage again in CDB’s strategic responses to the challenges facing our BMCs,” said Smith while outlining the Bank’s 2017 performance during his Annual News Conference on February 7, 2018.
“To incentivise BMCs to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure, CDB must be able to also offer grant and other attractively priced financial resources. But the challenges our Region faces are bigger than what CDB can handle on its own. We have, therefore, been drawing on a combination of our own resources as well as funds intermediated through CDB by other development partners to meet this challenge,” he added.
In 2017, the Bank mobilised concessionary resources from development partners to support more resilient infrastructure projects throughout the Region.
Among them was the Second Climate Action Line of Credit from the European Investment Bank totalling USD144 mn, including USD24 mn for emergency post-disaster rehabilitation.
Last year, CDB also announced a new USD70 million fund, through which the Government of Mexico is providing grants to boost regional infrastructure in the Bank’s BMCs.
In 2018, the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund, a GBP300 mn programme launched two years ago, will be expanded to include an additional GBP28 mn to assist in the recovery efforts in Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica, the President said.
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