Construction Information Technology Blog

All PDF’s are not alike

The accelerating trend towards sharing and distributing construction documents online requires people who do so to be more aware of what the technology issues are that relate to the process. A very common issue we see is the misunderstanding of document formats and what they can do. The most common format we see for digital construction documents is PDF. It is a raster format which essentially means it is just an image with no particular ‘intelligence’ unlike a vector format like DWG which has all kinds of potential functionality and information embedded in it.

Portable Document Format (PDF) is described in Wikipedia as “a file format created by Adobe Systems in 1993 for document exchange. PDF is used for representing two-dimensional documents in a manner independent of the application software, hardware, and operating system. Each PDF file encapsulates a complete description of a fixed-layout 2D document that includes the text, fonts, images, and 2D vector graphics which compose the documents. Lately, 3D drawings can be embedded to PDF documents with Acrobat 3D using U3D or PRC and various other data formats”.

What is important to recognize about PDF documents is that they are not all created equal. Neither are they all displayed equal. Bad English but I hope you get the point. There are many ways to create PDF documents such as from the full version of Acrobat, a conversion from Word, a scanned image, or even something like a fax machine can produce a PDF. Each of these has the potential to be slightly different, which is where the potential problems arise. It depends what you are using the PDF for and how you are viewing it. For example, if you are sharing it over the internet or in email it is important to properly manage the size for the file. Some of the more sophisticated methods of producing PDF’s or the features that Acrobat allows such as embedding graphics or working with layers can make the files exponentially larger than a simple ‘flattened’ version of the same image.

There are some simple techniques and tricks that can dramatically help with making sure your image files are appropriately prepared for the purpose intended. It may not be a big deal for a few pages but if you are preparing a full set of drawings and specifications for a project it would be best to get it right. Otherwise, the people you are sharing them with will find it very difficult to work with them and you will be back spending time to sort it out. If this is an issue for you and you would like some assistance with how to properly manage or convert files for the internet we would be happy to help. Just email or call and we will help you optimize your PDF’s.

A four step estimating tune up

Construction estimating is a complex and time consuming process. A good estimator truly understands how a project is managed from start to finish and is able to translate every step into a dollar amount. Estimators today have some very powerful tools available to help them put together the best and most accurate numbers upon which to base their final price. If you are not already doing them here are four ideas that might help you fine tune your process:

1. Help your Trade contractors and suppliers be more efficient
   On a recent and very large project the General Contractor decided to distribute the drawings and specifications on Dvd’s. There were hundreds of pages of drawings and the cost of distributing paper would have been significant. The information on the Dvd’s was poorly organized and very difficult for anyone to work with and find what they needed. Many opted to simply get it all printed out at significant expense just to figure it out. This was simply a short sighted exercise in transferring the cost and effort on to the Trades and Suppliers. It is hard to imagine how that kind of approach which essentially says ‘I don’t care about your time and expenses to give me a bid’ can ultimately result in that Contractor getting the best price from that Trade. If your attitude up front is that you don’t care, why would it be any different when you get on the site? Given that a significant portion of any bid is usually made up of bids from many Trades and Suppliers it would only make sense to demonstrate that you are good to work with and that you are interested in doing what you can to help them make money as well. A better alternative to the Dvd’s (and subsequent addenda) which still took time and cost money to produce and distribute would have been to make them available in an online planroom like PlanSource for fast and easy access by everyone who needed them. It would have cost less than the Dvd’s, taken less time and would have been far better for everyone involved.
   
   
2. Make sure the right people know when you are looking for pricing
   Sending out Invitations to Bid is essential. There is no doubt that for critical Trades and Suppliers you will still need to have a conversation with them but why not give notice that you are working on the project and let them view the documents in advance of your call to make the exercise more efficient. There are countless stories of how one price from one particular Trade or Supplier made the difference in getting the project. Even for a Construction Management or negotiated contract it is still essential to let people know as soon as possible that you are looking for them to spend some of their time and resources to work with you to put pricing together. Adequate notice simply helps them plan better. PlanSource has excellent Invitation to Bid and messaging functionality that can make the process fast and easy.
   
   
3. Get your database of Trades and Suppliers in order
   We are in a position to see lots of company databases of their Trade and Supplier contacts. Obviously, a key resource for any estimator is the list of contacts they have available to gather pricing from. It appears to be a big challenge for many Contractors to maintain and keep accurate as people and companies come and go. The task of “cleaning it up” is often a once a year exercise for one of the administrators that can take a lot of time and effort to get done. There is a better way. Once again there is software available today that virtually eliminates the need to maintain the list. It can be automatically managed and updated using the management tools available in PlanSource . Add in the available prequalification tools and you have an easy way to screen prospective new contacts to improve and expand your available bidders.
   
   
4. Use On Screen Takeoff software
   Accurate quantity takeoffs are of course a critical element of a good bid. While there is certainly nothing wrong with a scale rule and estimating pad there is no question that good onscreen takeoff software can help you get the work done faster, more accurately and with more options for analyzing and refining your numbers. In addition to the takeoff tools available in PlanSource, there are many options in the market but one well worth looking at can be found at www.oncenter.com .
   

In a market like the current one where every tender is highly competitive it is more important than ever to make sure you are doing all you can to be efficient with your own time and expenses and to reduce the time and expenses it takes Trades and Suppliers to work with you. Better systems yield better results and ultimately improve your odds of being the successful bidder.

 

Christmas and New Years Wishes

This past year has been a challenging one for many of our clients. Construction is truly a bellwether industry and the signs of the economic slowdown were felt across North America. We are in the fortunate position of seeing the level of activity occurring as it occurs in many parts of the country. There are exceptions but for the most part there was still work to be had .... but there is no doubt that the competition for it was intense. It is satisfying for us at Infinite Source to know that we helped our clients be as competitive as they could be and that their businesses and ours are both better for having worked together.

We see lots of reason for optimism and are very encouraged about what lies ahead for us and the construction industry next year. It is our heartfelt wish for all of our clients, colleagues and industry friends that you and your families have a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous 2010.

Looking beyond BIM to Business Information

There is an interesting Blog that I follow called AEC Bytes authored by Lachmi Khemlani. In a recent guest article written by Michael Tardif, Director of Integrated Project Delivery Systems at Grunley Construction Company, Inc. discusses the rationale for the agcXML standard which was developed by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) in collaboration with NIBS as a standard to support the exchange of business information during design and construction. Khemlani states that, “It is important because dramatically improving productivity and efficiency in the building industry cannot be achieved through BIM alone -- we need to look beyond the building-specific and project-specific information that can be compiled in a BIM model to the entire information flow, workflow, and business processes needed to create and sustain the built environment”. 

The article does a great job of making the case for the development and adoption of standards that facilitate the easy exchange of building and project information are essential to increasing the overall productivity in the industry. We will be looking at incorporating these standards into our applications. This link will connect you to the article. http://www.aecbytes.com/viewpoint/2009/issue_49.html

Free stuff from PlanSource!

We are nearing the final stages of developing a new secure online technology that is simply the fastest, easiest and most efficient way to share and distribute construction documents.

Do you receive digital files from others? Do you have access to an online planroom or an FTP site? Do you need to then share or exchange those files with other contractors or suppliers? PlanSource FT is designed to be the most efficient possible way for you to do that. It is like an FTP site on steroids. Unlike a typical FTP site where you can only transfer files, PlanSource FT allows users to instantly view, print, download or order paper copies of documents. It is easy to use and requires ZERO training. There is no software to buy or hardware to install. Just sign up online and in minutes you are ready to go.

PlanSource FT is the latest development from one of the construction industry’s most innovative and successful technology companies. Our experience in delivering online planroom technology to over 15,000 users on over 100,000 projects has positioned us with the technology platform and industry knowledge to develop this breakthrough on demand service for the construction industry.

We will be making Version 1.0 of PlanSource FT available early in 2010. If you would like to be one of the first to benefit from using it we have a great offer for a limited number of participants. The first 50 companies who sign up to use this great new software service will receive 6 months of service free. Simply click on this link to sign up. You will be provided with complete details of all fees (which only apply if you continue to use the service after the first 6 months) and of how the service works prior to the launch date. This offer is only available until December 30th 2009 so we encourage you to take advantage of this no cost, no risk offer and be one of the first to start saving time and money.

Paying for opportunities to bid

One of the major challenges of being in the construction business is the need to constantly find new opportunities to bid on work. Market conditions are a major factor of course but the time and expense of locating information about new projects can be high. You would think that with the growth and power of the internet that someone would have found a way to aggregate all this information to make it easily accessible to those who want it.

Not so. In fact it seems that it may even be getting harder to find it. Owners, Architects, Engineering firms and Contractors are constantly probed by various parties who want to collect and disseminate this data. These information collectors are then able to sell this information to contractors and suppliers who are looking for their next opportunity to bid. Depending upon the scope of the information provided this can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year just to view the list, which is of course no guarantee that you will be able to submit a bid on the project.

For a variety of reasons around controlling who gets access to the information it is getting harder for ‘information collectors’ to assemble this project data in any sort of reliable way. It appears that the trend is moving towards electronic invitation to bid processes. As these electronic systems begin to proliferate in the market it would be wise to learn which ones provide you with the easiest and most efficient access to the opportunity, the documents related to that opportunity and the tools and features you need to work with that information. If you find one that works for you don’t be afraid to tell your General Contractors clients which one(s) you prefer. If you don’t, odds are you will be faced with having to live with and learn about less than ideal systems that are expensive, time consuming and inefficient.

Frozen by Feature Fear?

Do you use all the functions available to you in every piece of software you use? I sure don’t and honestly can’t imagine anyone who does. Almost all software products grow in capability every year as Users and Product Managers identify new requirements that supplement the core functionality of the application.

The key to deciding on a new software application is to be clear about the primary task(s) you are expecting it to do ... and then make sure it does them well. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the complexity of all the other bells and whistles that each product offers but for the most part they just aren’t important. You will achieve 90% of your efficiencies from the core functionality and the other 10% can be achieved conveniently if and when you are ready for them.

Selecting the right software solution can be a challenge when there are so many options available to you but just don’t be frozen into inaction because you can’t see how you can possibly use all the features available. If the core functionality works for you and the business case makes sense on that basis alone, then all the other features just don’t matter.

The ‘Site of Record’ approach to tendering

The process to obtain a price and enter a contract for construction work is complex in part because virtually every project is unique. Over the course of years construction tendering standards have evolved and been shaped by best practices and changes in the law. The advent of new internet technologies offers a new way of integrating the entire process to eliminate some of the more common issues and problems that typically arise through the tender period of a project.

The following are just a few examples of typical issues that arise during the process:

• Missing documents or information
  
• Trade contractors having different information than the Prime Contractor
  
• Late issuance of Addenda
  
• Incorrect document versions
• Unclear closing times
  
• Incomplete tender submissions
  
• Missing schedules or attachments
  
• Missing tender security (bonds)
• Late submission of tenders
  
• Busy fax lines precluding bid amendments from arriving on time
  

These and many other related issues can be managed effectively using a Site of Record approach to tendering. All tender activities, information and documents are made available to all bidders in a single secure online site. The Site of Record is the only official set of information made available to bidders leaving no chance for errors in the production, distribution or tracking of hard copy documents. Every bidder who accesses the information is automatically included in the distribution list for any addenda. The tender form is made available to Bidders electronically with all requirements clearly defined for the bidders. It cannot be submitted with missing information which ensures a complete tender submission. At the instant the reverse countdown clock reaches the closing time bids are no longer able to be submitted or edited. At that same instant the results of all properly submitted tenders along with any required bid bonds or other attachments are all immediately available for review either individually or in a spreadsheet format. All of the activities in the process are logged ensuring that all the key elements of the process are verifiable should the need arise after the fact.

Using a Site of Record approach to construction tendering saves time, reduces costs for all parties and most importantly it significantly reduces the risk of problems or claims arising from errors or omissions in the tendering process.

File Transfer – Building your own solution?

There is an undeniable trend happening in the construction industry towards greater use of the internet for moving drawings, specifications and other documents. The use of FTP (File Transfer Protocol) by Architectural and Engineering teams is widespread. Contractors and Suppliers are receiving more and more information in digital format that they still need to share with others.When working out how to resolve this issue some are looking at the option of building their own in-house solution.

When considering this option it might be useful to ask yourself a few key questions:

• Are you confident that the solution you plan to spend time and money to build has a high probability of delivering the desired results?
  
  
• Are you confident that the actual working solution can be completed within the timescales for development and implementation that are initially predicted?
  
  
• Are you confident that the fully functional solution will be implemented for a cost that is controllable and acceptable?
  
  
• Are you confident that once implemented the cost of maintenance will not be an uncapped drain on your IT Department’s resources?
  
  
• Are you confident the solution will meet your requirements for speed, simplicity and security?

The harsh reality is that in many cases the actual solution finally provided will probably not achieve the original business objectives or savings in costs which made the project valid in the first instance. The inescapable conclusion is that where an existing solution exists, it should be used unless it can be demonstrated that it cannot handle the majority of the required business process. Few companies have the resources and energy it takes to build a fully functional solution. Wasting time, money and people resources on a non-core business activity to implement what seems like a fast and cheap solution is unlikely to make your business better.

 

Electronic Bidding for Construction Projects

The adoption of internet technologies to create efficiencies for the construction industry continues to grow. The latest innovation being made available to the industry is the ability to create tenders and submit bids online. The idea of online transactions is not a new concept with everything from online banking to purchases of major items such as vehicles all being transacted safely and securely. The challenge that makes the management of bidding for construction work online so difficult is the many complicated pricing options such as separate, alternate, unit, combined and other pricing options. Add to that the need to handle items such as cash allowances, bid bonds, required time to perform the work and schedules such as lists of Subcontractors and other details. Over the years these challenges have been handled by creating what are often complex and detailed tender packages that need to be completed and submitted in hard copy by a specified closing time. 

Infinite Source has recently introduced a comprehensive electronic tendering system for construction projects that is already being used successfully to streamline the bidding process for our clients. When combined with our ability to manage all the tendering documents and related communication, a powerful system is created that ensures a seamless process from the initial Invitation to Bid through to the reception and analysis of those bids. We recently completed work on a project with the BC Construction Association that employs our PlanSource bidding technology to deliver their new Electronic Bidding System and are very pleased that the first projects are scheduled to close within the next month or so. You can read more about the BCCA Electronic Bidding System here.