1.Lock the quotation scope of steel structure project

 The scope of the project is the core of the project quotation. Once the quotation scope is less than the contract scope, the loss is hard to estimate.When quoting, the contractor must carefully review the bidding documents, drawings and illustrations, so as to avoid omission of quotation contents.In addition, it is necessary to understand the design intent, inspect the site in detail, communicate with the bid inviting party in time for the unclear parts in the drawings and instructions, and make detailed records of inquiry and answering questions, so as to provide sufficient evidence for future disputes. 

2.Check the steel structure bill of quantities and construction drawings

 If the employer does not quote with the steel structure construction drawings, but adopts the bill of quantities, and states that the contractor is responsible for the bill of quantities, the Contractor shall carefully check the bill of quantities provided by the employer with the construction drawings. If any omission is found in the bill of quantities, the employer shall be required to clarify whether it can be added in the quotation.Do not abandon the drawings and only quote according to the bill of quantities, resulting in the inconsistency between the quotation contents of the list and the construction drawings, and both parties hold their own opinions and have disputes.

 The loss of the contractor due to the missing items in the bill of quantities is mainly the case of lump sum contract.Under the condition of lump sum contract, the specific reasons or responsibilities for missing items are treated differently

 One case is that the employer provides the bill of quantities and does not require the contractor to supplement.This situation is generally because the scope of the project is relatively simple, or the employer is more confident about the amount of work.If the missing items are found in the bill of quantities at this time, the treatment is usually relatively simple, and the employer shall be responsible for it and add it into the corresponding expenses;

 The other case is that the employer provides the bill of quantities and allows the contractor to supplement and bear the risk of contract quantities and missing items; or the employer only provides drawings and work requirements, and the contractor prepares the bill of quantities and bears the risk of quotation.For example, the employer will require that it be clearly stipulated in the contract that any expenses not listed in the quotation sheet of the bill of quantities, but in accordance with the requirements of the engineering specifications and the completion of all the items in the contract drawings, shall be deemed to have been included in the price of other relevant items in the quotation list of the bill of quantities; the contractor must bear the accuracy of all items and quantities in the quotation sheet of the bill of quantities, except thatIn addition to the project adjustment approved by the employer in writing, the project cost will not be adjusted due to the difference between the quantities in the quotation sheet of the bill of quantities and the quantities actually completed.

 In the latter case, as the contractor, the construction enterprise must pay attention to prevent missing items in the list during the bidding process, and fully understand the quotation risk of the bill of quantities.

 3.Avoid one person to calculate steel structure quantities

 When preparing the commercial bid, the Contractor shall adopt the “back-to-back” method, and more than two budgeters shall calculate or review the quantities at the same time, so as to find out the missing and wrong calculation of the quantities in time.Avoid calculating quantities by one person.

 Skills to prevent omission of items in the list during bidding

 (1) For the contractor, the scope of the project is the core of the fixed price, once the scope of quotation is less than the scope of the contract, the loss is difficult to estimate.When quoting, the contractor must carefully review the bidding documents, drawings and illustrations, so as to avoid omission of quotation contents.In addition, it is necessary to understand the design intent, inspect the site in detail, communicate with the bid inviting party in time for the unclear parts in the drawings and instructions, and make detailed records of inquiry and answering questions, so as to provide sufficient evidence for future disputes.

 (2) If the employer quotes the bill of quantities instead of the construction drawings, and states that the contractor is responsible for the bill of quantities, the Contractor shall carefully check the bill of quantities provided by the owner with the construction drawings. If any omission is found in the bill of quantities, the employer shall be required to clarify whether it can be added in the quotation.Do not abandon the drawings and only quote according to the bill of quantities, resulting in the inconsistency between the quotation contents of the list and the construction drawings, and both parties hold their own opinions and have disputes. 

(3) “Back to back” method shall be adopted in the preparation of commercial bid, and the quantities shall be calculated or reviewed by more than two budgeters at the same time, so as to find out the missing and wrong calculation in time.

 (4) In the bill of quantities attached to the construction contract, in consideration of the risk of missing items, the Contractor shall, as far as possible, agree with the employer on such provisional contents as “provisional items”, “provisional quantities” and “provisional contract unit price”.Because there are many uncertain factors in many projects, the employer hopes to sign the construction contract as soon as possible in some specific schemes and details. In this case, the contractor should seize the favorable opportunity to make the above ambiguous agreement.

4. agree on the “tentative contents”

 In the bill of quantities attached to the steel structure construction contract, considering the risk of missing items, the Contractor shall agree with the employer as much as possible on the provisional items, provisional quantities, provisional contract unit price, etc.Because there are many uncertain factors in many projects, the employer hopes to sign the construction contract as soon as possible in some specific schemes and details. In this case, the contractor should seize the favorable opportunity to make the above ambiguous agreement.

 It is inevitable to miss items in the bill of quantities of steel structure, but by taking effective measures, we can reduce the risk of missing items to the minimum.This is not only responsible for the project itself, but also responsible for their own company.