440
Contract Documents
441
COMMUNICATION
Working drawings and specifications appropriate to the unique
characteristics of the Prototype Design are absolutely essential to the
successful application of the system. Many of the presumed advantages
will remain hypothetical if the system rules are not presented explicitly and
clearly. Prime contractors can be informed in pre-bid conferences on how
to exploit system characteristics in their scheduling, but they will have to
work with the prices given to them by the many subcontractors whose
major source of information will be the plans and specifications. If the
documents fail to adequately express the real situations the various trades
can expect to find in the field during systems construction, their prices will
be based completely on their customary estimating procedures, and might
actually include an additional contingency factor for non-conventional
work.
It is particularly important that the system rules be made credible and
enforceable through appropriate wording in the General Conditions, and
by reference in each section of the specifications to that wording. For
example, if a subcontractor who will have to install certain service
distribution lines above the ceiling late in the construction sequence can
not really be sure that a "reserved zone" will in fact be available to him
when he arrives on the job, he can not be expected to figure this potential
time-saving convenience in his price. Attention should be given to details
which tend to make the system "self-enforcing". In the reserved zone
example given above, it would be helpful to the contractor, subcontractors,
the supervising engineer and inspectors if the various primary and
secondary zones were clearly indicated during construction by appropriate
marks, tags, signs, color codes, etc., on the structure and ceiling hangers,
with the plans and specifications clearly keyed to these indicators.
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