[b]Project Management is an evolving and increasingly popular method/concept being used to achieve successful management of projects, be they building construction and/or engineering projects.

Many clients today, both individual, corporate and government are turning to and embracing the Project Management Concept for the successful delivery of their projects. This is because it is a known fact that a major proportion of building projects are completed, but only a fraction of these projects are completed successfully. A successful project is that which is completed – on time, within budget and at the right quality. It is on this premise that we have decided to put forward the Project Management concept. We have modified and adapted this Project Management concept to fit into present day requirements of individual and corporate clients, given the current economic climate in the country. This we shall explain more as we go further in this discourse.

By the way, we are QPC PROJECTS, a Nigerian firm providing Project Management services to various clients.
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WHAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT?

[b]We shall describe Project Management in 2 ways:

1) Project Management is the process of planning, costing, controlling, and evaluation of projects in order to achieve – timely completion, optimal quality and minimal costs within the client’s predetermined budget.
2) Project Management is also the art and science of mobilizing and managing all the resources involved in a project (people, materials, equipment, money) in order to complete the project on time, within budget and according to specified (laid down) standards.

NOTE – Project Management is not just about Supervision (as some people may think); however, Supervision is a subset of Project Management. Project Management comprises a wider scope of services, far beyond just supervision of construction works.

A Project Manager gets involved in a project, beginning from the conception stage when the client births the idea of putting up the proposed structure, to the pre-contract stage where careful planning for the project is made, and through to the construction stage where the project is actually constructed and the client’s concept brought to reality.

On the other hand, a project supervisor only comes on a project during the construction stage of a project.
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PACKAGE 101 – SPECIALIST WORKS MANAGEMENT

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In this package, in general, we provide our comprehensive project management services as usual, from the conception stage to the project execution stage (to be discussed later). However, this package is customized to help those clients who want to purchase materials themselves and do direct-labour method of construction. The peculiar features of this package in terms of project planning and execution are as follows:

1) We break down all works contained in the proposed project into specialist trades such as masonry works, carpentry works, iron-bending
works, aluminium works, furniture & joinery works (doors, wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, etc), tiling works, POP works, roofing works,
painting works, electrical and plumbing works, etc. 

2) We prepare material schedules/ bills of quantities and where required, also obtain quotations to adequately encapsulate the quantity of
 materials, labour, equipment, etc required for the various specialist works.

3) We allocate artisans, sub-contractors and suppliers to handle each of these trades after stringent negotiations with them.


4) We help our client enter into sound agreements with the service providers to ensure that the client’s interest is protected at all times during the project

5) The client has the responsibility to procure all materials to be used for the project, pay all the artisans, sub-contractors and suppliers while it is our responsibility to source for and engage them.

6) We supervise and oversee all the artisans, sub-contractors and suppliers for quality control, adherence to specifications and laid down standards.


7) We monitor the work progress of all the artisans, sub-contractors and suppliers using the already-prepared material schedules and negotiated quotations; we value their work and advise the client on periodic payments to them as at when due.

The client pays us a fee for our Project Management service which is a percentage of the estimated cost for the project.

PACKAGE 103 – ALL-IN PROJECT AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

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This package is customized for clients who based on their trust in us, want to engage us as a Project Manager and a main contractor to undertake the construction works. The peculiar features of this package in terms of project planning and execution are as follows:

1) We manage and handle the execution of all works on the project.

2) We prepare bills of quantities and/or material schedules to adequately encapsulate the quantities of work involved in the proposed project.

3) We negotiate with the client on a fixed fee for our services which is calculated as a percentage of the total cost of materials, labour and equipment for the project. Professionally, we call this a cost plus percentage fee system or contract.

4) We prepare legal and binding contract documents which highlight details of the contract (sums, timelines, quality of work, etc), duties and obligations of both the client and us and penalties to be incurred by us where there is an intentional default. These documents are signed by both the client and our representatives.

5) We fashion a feasible payment plan with the client either based on milestone payments or valuation payments such that the project can progress smoothly without hindrance.

6) In this system, the client doesn’t buy materials or pay for labour, rather he pays us as Project and Construction Managers, portions of the contract sum periodically to buy materials, pay labour and hire equipment.

7) In carrying out the works, we maintain a high standard of quality control, adherence to specifications and laid down standards.

We ensure that we maintain a steady pace of work based on the submitted programme of work in order to ensure that the project is completed on schedule or before the scheduled completion date.

WHAT IS A PROJECT?



[b]Trevor Young, in his book, the Handbook of Project Management, defined a PROJECT, as “a collection of linked activities, carried out in an organized manner with clearly defined start point and finish point, to achieve some specific results that satisfy the needs of an organization [or an individual] as derived from current business plans”.

The Project Management Institute (PMI) Body of Knowledge, 5th EDITION describes a PROJECT as “a temporary endeavor undertaken to produce a unique product, service or result”.

Dennis Lock, in his book, Project Management, says that “Project Management is the function of planning, costing, controlling and evaluating a project so that it is completed in time”.

From the above definitions, we can deduce the following specifics about the term “PROJECT” and go on to elucidate on what we at QPC PROJECTS, do to achieve these specifics:

1. A Successful Project Is Time-Bound – When the duration of a project begins to extend beyond the set time limits, project failure is imminent. One of our primary objectives is to ensure a project is completed on or before the pre-determined project completion date by implementing fast-tracking processes. (This will be discussed later).

2. A Project Is Made Up Of Linked/Interdependent Activities – These require effective coordination and organization to achieve a successful project. One of our principal responsibilities is to identify and determine which of these linked activities is on the CRITICAL PATH to the smooth completion of the project. In other words, we determine which activities which when delayed or left undone, could delay the commencement of other activities in the project. Certain activities in a project need to be completed before other activities can commence. These “certain activities” are said to be on the CRITICAL PATH and they vary from project to project.

TO BE CONTINUED...

MORE TO FOLLOW SOON....STAY TUNED!![/b]

WHO NEEDS OUR SERVICES

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Our Project Management services are essential for every prospective building client whose primary aim is achieving a successful building project at the best possible cost, within the shortest possible time, and at the right quality; within the extents of the client’s budget.
However, specifically, our services are needed by clients who have one or more of the following characteristics:

1) Individuals who cannot be physically present on their project on a regular basis due to the constraints of their work and/or business schedules.

2) Individuals who cannot be physically present on their project on a regular basis due to constraints arising from their location or the fact that they reside far away from their project location, such that visitation to their project site regularly would be a financial and logistics burden on them e.g. Nigerians in diaspora or those living and/or working in Nigeria, but far away from their project location.

3) Individuals and/or corporate organizations that is not knowledgeable in construction matters and need a single-point source of technical advice and expertise to guide their projects through and to a successful completion.

4) Individuals/organizations who do not necessarily fit into the above categories, but simply desire their projects to be handled professionally to the highest standards and achieve the identified success parameters –optimum cost, time and quality.
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