RICS - APC Interview Questions

A. Mandatory Competency

Conduct Rules, Ethics and Professional Practice

 RICS ethics?

 What is the use of Complaint Handling Procedure?

 What Complaint Handling Procedure you are following in your Company?

 How you dealt with the Complaints in your Company previously?

 If someone wants to see your company financial status to provide service. What
documents you will show?

 What are the additional things to be considered Rules of Conduct for Company as
compared with Members?

 Did you have permission from the Client for the case study?

 What are the new standards?

 You are successful in you interview and given MRICS. Your friend asks you for a free
Advice. Will you give?

 What is the impact of your decision when it is free of cost over the paid service?

 What is Conflict of interest?

 What you will do if you are in such a situation?

 Is it possible to maintain it in a firm by any means?

 Do you think it is practically possible? (after I answered about China wall)

 Act with integrity is one of RICS ethical standards. What do you understand from that?

 Why RICS have rules and regulations?

 If the subcontractor offers a better job during his final accounts would you accept?

 During the final accounts if the Client offers you a cricket match ticket do you accept
it?

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 What are the five principles of ethics?

 What are the latest developments of RICS?

 Who governs the RICS?

 For unprofessional practices by member, can you apply any penalty? Can he be
dismissed from membership?
Answer: After following the procedure by disciplinary panel made up of members may
apply.
It has range of powers including: cautions, reprimands, fines, expulsions, and de-
registration.

 How you deal with customer complaint

 Are you aware of UK bribery act? Why UK bribery act is important here? What is
maximum punishment for a person? And a company?
 One person working in a firm as a senior manager and he is a RICS member and as per
company policy he needs to get permission from the board of director to sell the land of
the company. Without taking permission from the company he sold the company land
and kept the money on his account. What is your opinion? What you will do in this
situation? Which ethical standard is related to this situation?
 If you want to start a firm, what is RICS looking for you to have?
 A Client is not happy with your firm. What client can do and how do you tackle this
situation?
 How do you practice these ethical standards in your profession, give example?

 Why Ethics required?

 Set of principles to maintain high standard of behavior expected from RICS
members and firms in their professional and personal life.

 Why rules and conducts required?

 It is set of rules set out for the members and firms to follow.
 In order to maintain similar standard of behavior between all members and firms

 Gift?

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  As a professional quantity surveyor I am not accepting any gift from contractor
except seasonal greeting cards. Because, I am providing my service to the company.
Company is giving remuneration for that.

 Discount for tender?

 I have submitted my proposal without any secret profit. So I am not able to get any
discount.

 Assume you were successful in getting chartered and your friend will ask a QS advice
for extension his house. How do you deal?
 As per rules of conducts set out for the RICS firms, First of all I must have taken
appropriate PII insurance cover according to the standards approved by RICS.
 Even though the service is given to my friend I am acting as a Chartered quantity
surveyor and I will be governed by the same rules and regulations set out by the
RICS. Therefore, I must give the advice with care and diligence and carry out
necessary checking prior to give the advice.

 After getting chartered, you are going start your own firm. Tell about how to start?
 As per rules of conducts set out for the RICS firms, First of all I must have taken
appropriate PII insurance cover according to the standards approved by RICS.
 Then the firm shall have complaint handling procedure. In that there should be a
redress mechanism approved by RICS regulatory board.
 Then the firm shall have a system to client’s money handing, there must be a
designated person to handle client’s money.

 What is the purpose of PI insurance cover?

 As per the rules of conducts set out for RICS firms, firms shall have appropriate and
adequate PI insurance to cover all previous and current professional work.
 One Purpose of having PI insurance is to protect the firm from financial loss which
cannot meet from his own resources due to claim submitted by a client.
 Other purpose is when third party submits a claim due to any professional
negligence or breach of professional duty by the members to protect the members
against consequence of that.
 And then to protect the client in suffering due to financial loss of the firm.

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 What is Conflict of interest?
 Conflict of interest is a scenario where a Professional member cannot give full
proper un-bias advice or professional service to a client because he is providing a
professional service to his competitive or having a relationship with him. For
example if I am working as a project quantity surveyor for one client and in the
same project my brother is working as a contractor’s qs. So I am not a position to
provide un bias professional service to the client.

 What is the PI insurance?

 It is one of a rules of conduct for firms set out by RICS regulatory board
 Every firm shall ensure that all previous and current professional works is covered
by adequate and appropriate Professional indemnity insurance.

 What is MOTO of RICS?

Est modest in rebest. There is measure in all things.

 You will get a good job in another company? What you will do? will you go ?
 Yes. First of all I will check whether I have been covered under the company’s PI
insurance. If not I will get a proper runoff cover and after I will give sufficient
notification and after handing over my work to other person and leave the company.

 What is run off cover?

 If I am going to resign from the current job, we have to make sure that we are
covered under the companies PI insurance for the past work. If not covered we have
to have an insurance cover called run off cover. That should be for the period of ten
years from the resigning date as per the UAE law.
 But In UK, according to the limitation Act, the required duration is 6 years.

 Why you want to become a member of RICS?

 RICS is a worldwide recognized professional body. And it’s members are governed
by set of rules and regulations set up by RICS regulatory board.
 Becoming a member I also get same recognition and
 After getting the RICS membership I believe that I can give a good service to the
society.

 Ethics/Principles/Rules

Ethics (AAATT)
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  Act with Integrity
 Act in a way that promotes trust in your profession
 Always provide a high standard of service
 Take responsibility
 Treat others with respect
Principles (PACTT)

 Proportionality
 Accountability
 Consistency
 Transparency
 Targeting
Rules for Individuals 9 rules (ICPCSCSIC)

Interpretation, Communication, Professional behavior, Competence, Service,

CPD, Solvency, Information to RICS, Co-operation

Rules for Firms 15 rules (ICPCSCSICCCAAPU)

Interpretation, Communication, Professional behavior, Competence, Service,

CPD, Solvency, Information to RICS, Co-operation, Client’s money, Complaints handling

Advertising, Authority of impart, PI Insurance, Use of Delegation

Client care

 How you will manage the Client Care? Give examples on your projects.

 What is the difference between a Customer and a Client?

 What is your understanding about Client’s money?

 How do you handle it?

 What is CHP?

 What is client money handling

 What is client care?

 How do you identify and utilize the systems and process for client care?
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 What is the difference between client and customer?

 How do you handle the Clients accounts if a sum amount is given to you by Client?

 Client informs that you have done a mistake - how do you handle this – Should you
respond within 28 days

 Describe ‘duty of care’

 The responsibility or legal obligation of a person or organization to avoid acts or

omissions (which can be reasonably foreseen) to be likely to cause harm to others.

 How do you confirm that your Client is happy and satisfied with your service?

 Impact on bottom line performance

 Positive feedback; reduced complaints
 Long term relationships with existing client base.
 Potential clients approach the organization based on reputation in the market.
 Existing clientele brings in new leads.

 Distinguish the bases on which the relation between a Client and Customer vary.

 You said you did an excellent care to one client. Give one another example of client
care?
 Can you explain KPI with example?
 If a Client makes complaint about your work directly to you. What should you advise
him?
 What is CHP?
 It is shorten form of Complain handling procedure
 It is one of the rules of conduct for firms set out by RICS regulatory board.
 Every chartered surveying firm regulated by RICS shall have complaint handling
procedure. There should be redress mechanism approved by RICS regulatory board.
 When any complaint received by the firm, it shall be acknowledged and shall
maintained a complaint log. Firm shall respond to the complaint within 28 days.
 There should be a system to refer the complaint to a senior member of the firm or
designated complaint handler.
 If he cannot resolve the complaint, complaint shall be referred to a RICS approved
independent third party to handle the complaint.

 What is client money handling

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  Clients money is the money received from the clients which are not belonging to
the firms.
 There is a procedure set out by RICS under rules of conduct for firms for client’s
money handling.
 Firm shall set up a separate account with the name of the client and designated
person shall be appointed to operate the account.
 And then provide a statement of account after set up.
 There should be an agreement with the client how the money will be withdrawn.
 Statement of service fees shall be sent to the client before withdrawing money.
 Account statement shall be provided after money is withdrawn.
 Company shall maintain the account without becoming insolvent.

 What is the difference between client and customer?

 Client is a person to whom we provide a professional service.
 Customer is a person who will buy a ready-made product and there is no long term
relationship and agreement.

 Customer satisfaction/Customer care?

 Customer satisfaction is a measure of how products and services supplied by a
company meet or surpass customer expectation.
 Customer care is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a
purchase or service.

Communication and Negotiation

1. Different nationalities are working in the site which they don’t understand the language
which you are dealing with. Then how you will pass the message to them?

2. What is effective Communication? Give Examples.

3. What is negotiation Process? How you are handling this process?

4. What are the different types of negotiations?

5. What are the modes of communication?

6. What should you do before proceeding with a negotiation?

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7. Difference between effective and efficient communication?

 Effective communication is to talk to people and help them learn and objectively
hear what we are telling them.

 Efficient communication is to talk to people so they can understand your meaning.

8. Various stages of negotiation?

9. What are the characteristics of a good negotiator

10. What are the main barriers in negotiations?

11. How is your company communicating with you

12. If you are going to negotiate with a contractor what are the Techniques you will use?

13. If you want to communicate efficiently, what tools you will use?

14. What is the Negotiation Process (What are the steps in negotiation)

 Negotiator should study and understand the matter (subject) going to be negotiated.
 Check what are the strengths and weaknesses of both parties going to be negotiate.
 What is the Zone of Possible Agreement (ZOPA) to reach Win-Win situation.
 If we managed to agree for planned ZOPA, what are the consequences of that
agreement.
 If we fail to agree for ZOPA, What is the Best Alternative to Negotiate Agreement
(BATNA).
 If we managed to agree for planned BATNA, what are the consequences of that
agreement.
 Find out what are the negotiation strategies to reach to our target.
 Prepare Agenda for the negotiation meeting.
 Conduct negotiation as per the agenda.
 Record all discussed and agreed in Minutes of Meeting

Health and Safety

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1. You asked by the management to go and verify the measurement at 3rd floor of
residential towers for the other project. Explain the procedure in safety point of view?

2. Accident happened in the site. What you will do? & to whom you will report?

3. Normally what approvals you need to get for the new project?

4. What is TIM?

5. Who is responsible for safety at site?

6. What is the role of PM in safety measure?

7. Do you think H&S is important then why?

8. As a Chartered surveyor what is your role in H&S?

9. During your site visit, you saw an accident in your site. How do you react to it?

10. What are the local laws applicable to HSE?

11. What are the regulation in UAE for fire and safety?

12. You have noticed unprotected excavation going on at site, what action will you take?
Answer: Ask to stop the works immediately, take the person out of danger and unsafe
work area, then inform HSE coordinator/ safety officer to take care about unsafe works
conditions and fix it.

13. What are codes for H&S regulations in Dubai?

Answer: Local order no. 61/1991 – environmental protection systems in Dubai
Local order no. 3 of 1999 – regulation of construction activities in Dubai
Local order no. 11 of 2003 – Public health and safety in Dubai
Administrative decision 125 of 2001 – construction regulations, conditions and
specifications.

14. What is the law for H& S regulation in UAE?

 Federal Law no. 8/1980 articles 91 to 101
 Importance of this Article: Each employers employees working in areas remote
from town and not covered by regular means of transport shall provide his
workers with following services:
 Suitable means of transport
 Suitable living accommodation
 Drinking water
 Adequate food supplies

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  First aid facilities
 Recreation and Sports facilities.

15. What is risk analysis process?

 Identify the hazards

 Decide who might be harmed and how
 Evaluate the risk and decide on precaution
 Record your findings and implement them
 Review your assessment and update if necessary

16. What are the procedures after a fire incident?

17. What is the HSE policy of your company?
18. Apart from the general hazards, what are the specific hazards related to your project?
19. Who is responsible for safety at site
20. What are the major risk areas you can identify in construction site?
21. Before using scaffolding at site, what are the important things you need to check?
22. Have you attended any Tool-box Meeting? What is it?
23. What are the things included in safety plan?
24. What you mean by safety induction?
25. What is PPE?
 It is personal protective equipment which we are using for the safety at site such
as Helmets, safety shows, cloths, glows, goggles.

Accounting Principles and Procedures

1. What is profitability?

2. What was the expected profit as per budget?

3. What was the profit that you achieved?

4. What are the different ratios used in business?

5. Can you explain what gearing ratio is?

6. How do you prepare cost plan?

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7. What are the contents of cost plan?

8. Which standard of accounting used in UAE?

9. What is Life Cycle Costing?

10. How do you calculate LCC?

11. What do you do if the cash flow is negative?

12. Explain P & L and Balance Sheet

13. What is insolvency

Answer: Inability to pay debts

14. What is bankruptcy

Answer: declared by courts regarding the inability to pay creditors

15. Current Assets

Answer: Any assets which can be converted to cash within one year (short term debts,
materials ta site/off site, raw materials, cash in hand)

16. Fixed Assets

Answer: Any assets which last more than one year (Building, land plant)

17. Current Liability

Answer: long terns and short term loans, creditors
18. How to assess the performance of a construction company by reviewing their financial
statement?
Answer: Cash in hand/bank, extend of liability, value of stocks, profits growth, value
of fixed and current assets.

19. In contract Administration process how can you use the P & L account statements?
Answer:
 Sales – cost of sales = Gross Profit
 Gross Profit – (Admin + Selling + Other expenses) = Net Profit
 Admin expenses: salaries, rent, stationaries, utility, depreciations of furniture of
office.
 Selling expenses: Marketing, depreciation of vehicles
 Other expenses: Tax, dividedness.

20. Types of ration and how you interpret the performance of Company from Ratio
analysis?
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 Answer: Liquidity Ratio
Profitability Ratio
Market Value Ratio
Liquidity ratio: current ratio = current assets/ Current liability (Ability to meet current
liability out of current assets, when they fall due)
Too high value will also result in low profitability due to idle excess funds available.

Quick/ Acid Ratio: (Current assets – Stocks) / Current liability

Ability meet current liability out of current assets.

Profitability ratio: Gross profit/ sales x 100

Measure gross profit earned per sale

Net Profit ratio: Net profit/sales x 100

21. What are the components of a financial statement?

22. Have you seen a balance sheet? Explain me about it?
23. Balance sheet
24. What is contents of balance sheet
25. What you will enter in to the balance sheet
26. How to measure financial strength of the company
27. If your contractor get bankrupt what you do
28. What are the headings in the balance sheet?
29. How do you evaluate the financial status of the contractors during the pre-
qualification?
30. What are the information you will use from the balance, to derive the ratios?
31. What is the difference between Insolvency and Bankrupt?
32. What is a Balance sheet?

 Balance sheet is a snap shot of a company at a given point of time.

 It include assets and liabilities mainly.
 As assets ,fixed assets, current Assets, retained profits ,
 And as liabilities current liabilities, long term liabilities, , shareholders’ equity

33. What is the elements of a Profit and loss account?

 Sales

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  Then Less cost of sales
 Gross profit
 Less administrative and operational cost
 Then net profit before tax and interest
 Then less tax and interest
 Then net profit after tax and interest
 Less dividends
 Retained profit

34. How you are checking the financial performance of a contractor when you are
selection through selective tendering process?

 I will request contractor to submit the audited financial statement for the last three
years, which include balance sheets and profit and loss accounts.
 Then I will check the financial liquidity by analyzing the ratios such as current
ratio, quick ratio
 And then check the Profitability by analyzing the ratios such as profit margin ratio
of the company and
 Then the check the gearing by using gearing ratio.

35. Bankrupt/Insolvency?
 Insolvency is the stage where a person or business firm can no longer pay their
debts.
 A person, firm, or corporation that has been declared insolvent through a court
proceeding and is relieved from the payment of all debts after the surrender of
all assets to a court appointed trustee.

36. Balance sheet/Profit Loss statement/ Equity statement?

 Balance sheet - A financial statement that summarizes a company's assets,
liabilities and shareholders' equity at a specific point in time. These three balance
sheet segments give investors an idea as to what the company owns and owes, as
well as the amount invested by the shareholders. The balance sheet must follow
the following formula:
Assets = Liabilities + Shareholders' Equity
 Income statement, also called profit and loss statement (P&L) is a company's
financial statement that indicates how the revenue (money received from the sale
of products and services before expenses are taken out, also known as the "top
line") is transformed into the net income (the result after all revenues and
expenses have been accounted for, also known as the "bottom line").

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  A statement of changes in equity summarizes the movement in the equity
accounts during the year namely share capital, share premium, retained earnings,
revaluation surplus, unrealized gains on investments, etc.

Business Planning

1. What is Business Planning?

 Business planning is carry out prior to start a new business or expand the existing
business.
 First of all the vision and mission has to be established
 Then I have to do internal and external analysis. That means swot and pest
 Then business target shall be established
 To achieve the target we have to make a strategy
 Then to check whether business is achieving the target, there should be a regular
monitoring system.

2. If you need to start a business, which all are the essential parameters you will consider?
3. What are the things to be there in a business plan?
4. What is meant by business strategy?
5. What is meant by strategic planning?
6. What are the main items in Business plan?
 A detailed description of the proposed business, including type of customers,
competitors, and facilities needed for production.
 Concept of proposed business
 Vision and mission
 Analysis of current market
 Present strategy
 Outline the project development of the business
 Define capital needs and procurement
 Projected project financial performance
 Present management’s credentials

7. What are business planning tools that you are aware of?
8. What do you understand by Vision and Mission of Business?

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9. Vision: A long term goal and Mission is a short term goal to reach to the vision.
10. What is your understanding on Business pyramid and how vision will be achieved
through mission and strategy?
11. What are the levels of business planning?
 Labor level planning
 Supervisory level planning
 Management level planning
12. SWOT/PESTLE?
 SWOT - It is commonly applied to a product, project or business to assess its
position in the competitive market. (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat)
 PESTLE - To understand the climate of a new market (Political, Economic, Social,
Technological, Legal and Environmental)

Conflict avoidance, management, Dispute Resolution

1. What are the different types of Dispute Resolution?

2. What is adjudication

3. Is Adjudication legally binding?

4. Difference between adjudication and arbitration

 Adjudication is judgmental but not legally binding approach in which the

adjudicator forms an opinion upon the rights and wrongs of the case, based
upon evidence presented to him and his own investigations.

 Arbitration is a settlement of dispute by one or more chosen by the parties; who

are called arbitrators. The arbitrator decides the case and the award is in nature
of judgment which can be later on incorporated into the decree of the court.
Proceeds on his knowledge/experience, evidences provided or enquiries made
and make his decision on such evidence.

5. What dispute resolution technique on your Project?

6. What is the common procedure in UAE for dispute resolution?

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7. If you are preparing the Contract documents, what dispute resolution method you will
adopt?

8. How does court decide on the payment?

9. What is ADR, list out some?

10. What are differences between mediation and adjudication?

11. Is it binding?

12. Then what is the next step?

13. Which one has more advantages?

14. Can you avoid disputes in constructions?

15. What is conflict?

16. How can conflict avoidance be managed in Construction contract?

17. What is dispute?

18. Nature of dispute in construction?

 Enforceable promises (contract)

 Technical matters
 Legal matters
 Entitlement and magnitude of that

19. Factors to be considered when selecting dispute resolution procedure?

20. What are the method of dispute resolution available in the condition of contract that
you are aware of?

21. What are the available alternate dispute resolution available?

22. What are the ADR’s used in UAE construction industry?

23. What are the commercial conciliation centers in UAE

 DIAC – Dubai International Arbitration Center

 ADCCAC – Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Center

24. What are the arbitration centers available in UAE? Answer – ADDCAC, DIAC, DIFC

25. What is litigation? Under what circumstance this is likely to happen? One example.
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26. What is the requirement of dispute board

27. How do you differentiate dispute resolution procedure in FIDIC 1999 and FIDIC 1987?

28. How do you avoid conflicts in the pre contract and post contract stage?

29. Can you explain the Dispute Resolution Procedures as per your Contract?

30. What is the different between Litigation and Arbitration?

 Arbitration process is having flexibility, because the arbitration hearing date,

time and place can be arranged as per the party’s convenience. In litigation
court will decide the date and time.
 Arbitration is a private process. So the parties have confidentiality of the case.
But litigation is a public process. So there is no confidentiality.
 In arbitration process, arbitrators are expert in the particular field. in litigation
normal judges are giving the decision.
 Arbitrators are appointed by the parties where as litigation judges are
appointed by the court.
 Arbitration is not time consuming, it take about 6 months, whereas the
litigation process is time consuming.

31. How to avoid the conflicts and disputes while preparation of tender documents?
 First thing is we should allow a sufficient design time for each packages.
 Then there should be better coordination between project team.
 Then there must be a qualified staff to prepare the documents.
 And then all the tender queries shall be answered and cleared.
 Using standard form of contracts

32. Negotiation/Mediation/Conciliation?

 Negotiation is the process of settling the differences

 Mediation – 3rd party meets each party separately gives assessment on
strength of case
 Conciliation – 3rd party meets parties together issues recommendation

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Data Management

1. What is Data Management?

2. How you are managing Data Control process in your company?

3. How you will control the Data Management Process between the Client and you
particularly on confidential documents?

4. What are all the software’s used in Data Management

5. What are the sources of information to obtain data?

6. What data do you use in your day to day work?

7. What methodologies can be used to manage data?

8. What are the modern data management system available?

Answer: BIM, Primavera expedition, Aconex, E-Builder, I connect, Doors etc.

9. What type of data needs to protected and why?

10. What is data protection act

The data protection act 1998 (UK) controls how your personal information is used by
organizations, business or the government.

11. Data management/Data protection?

 Data management is the management of sources of information and data

including the methodologies and techniques most appropriate to collect,
collate and store data.
 If you handle personal information about individuals, you have legal
obligations to protect that information under the Data Protection Act 1998.

12. If you are working for a Client, how do you ensure authorized issue of project data to
others?

Answer: Ask Consultant/Engineers/ Contractors to enter into a Non-disclosure

(confidentiality) Agreement with the Client.

13. The major challenge in data management?

14. There is a confidential information in your computer? Your boss wants to access it?
How you will deal with it.

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15. What you will do after completing the Project (DATA)

16. How many years you will keep the data with you

Sustainability

1. Have you heard about sustainability?

2. What are the benefits of a sustainable construction?

3. What is your idea about sustainability?

4. How sustainable options are implemented in your projects?

5. What is your initiative to sustainability in your project?

6. What is the sustainability standards used in Construction

7. How LCC effects to sustainable construction?

8. How is sustainability measured?

a. LEED ( Leadership in Energy and Environment Design)

b. In UAE – Pearl rating system under ESTIDAMA

c. Weighted criteria

9. What are criterion look by LEED?

LEED looks for improvement in the following:

a. Energy efficiency
b. Indoor environmental quality
c. Materials selection
d. Sustainable site development
e. Water savings

10. LEED/BREEAM?

a. Leadership in Energy and Environmental development is a green building rating

system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to provide a
suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. Certified, Silver,
Gold and Platinum are the ratings

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 b. Building Research Establishment Environmental assessment method – A method
of assessing the greenness of a building.
c. In Abudhabi, it is Estidama meaning Sustainability in arabic, grade is Pearl rating.

11. How can you contribute to sustainability in early design stage?

a. HVAC design, efficiency of heating and cooling equipment, glazing type (both
visible and solar spectra, thermal performance of window frames, insulation R-
values and lighting layout. When changes are identified determine,
b. Life cycle costing
c. Local material and source from near by
d. Natural lighting and ventilation
e. Intelligent buildings

12. Explain waste management

13. How you can identify a sustainable construction.

14. When we enter into a building how we can identify its sustainability?

15. What legislation is there in your country for sustainability?

16. Can you explain me LEED’s scoring method?

17. Principle of sustainability

18. What sustainability material you are using at site

19. Explain some Low and zero carbon technologies in construction industry? Some
products

20. What are the design factors can be considered in sustainability buildings?

21. Which authority gives the Environmental permits in Abu Dhabi?

22. What are the advice you can give at your limit to your friends about sustainability?

23. What are the green materials?

24. What are the current issues in sustainability?

Team Working

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 1. What is your understanding about team work?

2. What makes one a good leader in a team?

3. What are essential requirements for a good team?

4. Can you give an example of a team work in your job?

5. What was your role in that team?

6. What is teamwork?

7. What is the difference between a group and a team?

8. How you are going to form a team in line with Code of Conduct

9. Difference between committee and Team

10. What are the advantages of Teamwork?

a. More effective use of resources

b. Better problem solving
c. Better quality products and services
d. Creativity and innovation
e. Higher quality decisions
11. What are the stages of developing a team/

12. What are the factors in Team development

13. Difference between leadership and management in Teamwork

14. What qualities team member should have?

15. How do you convince your management if you need one more QS in your team as a
Leader?

16. What are the qualities of an Ideal Team?

17. What is your understanding about team dynamics?

B. CORE COMPETENCIES

Contract Practice
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1. What all the guarantees you are getting from the Subcontractors?

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of providing the CAR & 3rd Party liability
insurance policy by the Employer?

3. What guarantees & insurances you have provided to the Client on your project?

4. What is the maximum value of PI?

5. Who is liable for the PI Insurance?

6. What all the different types of Contract?

7. In FIDIC, in which Contract type you are familiar with?

8. What is Value Engineering process?

9. What change procedures you are following in your project?

10. Can you explain the process of termination?

11. Explain the termination procedures as per FIDIC87?

12. Will the contract end immediately after the end of the procedures?

13. What is the status for lump sum contract?

14. How can you control the cost overriding?

15. Is it possible to change the programme to manage the cost overriding?

16. Do you have the right to modify the program?

17. Is LOI legal binding?

18. What is provisional sum?

19. Where are the attendance and overhead and profit marked in a contract document?

20. What all are included in Volume 1?

21. Have you used FIDIC 99?

22. What are the difference between FIDIC 87 & 99?

23. What do you mean by back to back?

24. How a D&B contract is priced? (by a contractor).

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25. What is run-off cover?

26. What is the period for that?

27. You attended a CPD regarding bonds and guarantees, what did you understand overall
from that?

28. What is your understanding about PI Insurance?

29. When do you require a PI cover?

30. What is the difference between damages and delay penalty?

31. Is delay penalty legally possible in UAE?

32. If no, then how it is settled?

33. What is a discharge letter and when it is issued and for what?

34. What is the purpose of PI insurance cover?

35. What is the PI insurance?

36. What is run off cover?

37. What is the clause for claims in FIDIC 1987?

38. List two differences between RTA contract & FIDIC 1987?

39. What are the forms of FIDIC?

40. Are the OH and P included in the Contract price for a PS item?

41. What is a prime cost and in which clause the adjustment will be done?

42. Who is responsible if a NSC fails to execute the job? MC or client

Answer: I said if there is an objection from Contractor for his appointment and the Client
has indemnified the Contractor it’s the Client responsibility. However if the Contractor
has not raised any objection of NSC appointment then he will be treated as a domestic
contractor and MC is liable for delay.

43. What is the coverage amount for PI Insurance as per RICS regulations?

Answer: For 100,000 turnover the Insurance requirement is 250,000 and for 200,000
turnover the insurance required is 500,000 however if the turnover is more than 500,000
custom amount should be taken for Insurance.

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44. How you should manage PS Items

45. Do you issue VO’s as a contractor

46. What is the difference between LOI and a LOA?

 LOI - The expression in writing of a party’s present intention to enter into a

contract at a future date. These may be a binding one or a non-binding one.
 LOA is the expression in writing of party’s acceptance of the proposed contract.

47. What is the difference between Liquidated Damages and a Delay Penalty?

48. What are all the types of insurance in FIDIC

49. Is FIDIC 1987 for lump sum or re-measurable contract

Answer: I said it can be used for both – Then the panel asked for a specific answer – I
said re-measurable but it can be converted to lump sum – then the panel asked how do
you convert it to lump sum – I said I will include in Appendix to Tender as Lump sum –
Then the panel asked which clause in appendix to tender - I said I done remember
(Probably I should have said it should be in Part 2 specific terms and conditions of
Contract)

50. How you deal with undefined works during pre-contract stage?

51. Explain the difference between provisional sum and prime cost

52. Explain elements of Contract

53. After an accident, how the insurance is claimed? How it is defined in your contract?
54. You said your contract is bespoke, how the above is mentioned in standard form of
Contract?
55. For repairs, what did your contract say? What is standard form of contract say?
56. What are Employer obligations?
57. How the LAD’s are calculated for your particular project?
58. When can employer deduct money from the contract what instances?
59. Difference of FIDIC 87 and Oman conditions of contract
60. How you analyze EOT?
61. How you will pay material offsite
 First of all we have to make sure there is a contractual provision
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  If there is no provision parties has to agree by a supplementary agreement
 And that material shall be listed in the contract
 Material shall be stored properly and shall be approved by the engineer.
 Contractor has to provide a Westin certificate to transfer the owner ship of the
material to the employer
 and those material shall be insured properly

62. Why vesting certificate required?

 If manufacture became bankrupt while the materials are stored in the
manufacture’s store, then the material will be taken by the bank. So in order to
prove the ownership of employer’s material he must have vesting certificate.

63. Any difference between delay and disruption?

64. What are the items you will include under Appendix to tender when you prepare the
tender / Contract documents?
65. Why EOT clause is essential in the Contract?
66. You received the Suspension notice from the Employer for the Entire project. What will
be your advice to your project manager based on your contract?
67. How do you decide LAD value per day?
68. What are the major difference between the FIDIC’87 & 99’?
 In FIDIC 1987, Engineer is impartial whereas in FIDIC 1999 Engineer is
employer’s agent. So no impartiality.

 In FIDIC 1987 there is a provision for Engineer’s decision, in FIDIC 1999,

disputes shall be referred to the DAB.

 In FIDIC 1987 there is no provision for advance payment but FIDIC 1999 there is
a provision for advance payment.

 In FIDIC 1987 there is no special provision for Value Engineering. In FIDIC 1999
there is provision for VE

 In FIDIC 1987 there in no provision to pay material off site where as in FIDIC
1999 there is a provision in no provision to pay material off site where as in
FIDIC 1999 there is a provision to pay off site material

 In FIDIC 1987 time for payment is starting from the date of delivery of the
payment. In FIDIC 1999 time for payment is counted from the contractor’s
submission date.

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  In FIDIC 1987 there is a provision to adjust overheads recovery. Where as in
FIDIC 1999 there is no provision.
 In FIDIC 1999 contractor have right to inquire employers financial arrangement.
In FIDIC 1999 there is no such provision.

69. The Contractor and the Engineer liable for the construction according to the UAE law?
Explain?
70. What do mean by sufficiency of tender?
71. How do you administrate provisional Sums
72. What is time at large?
73. Time at large/EOT?
 When time runs over actual Time for Completion, such situation in known as
Time at Large. This arise due to mainly two reasons (1) If there is no specified
Time for completion as per Contract (2) If there is no proper procedure in
Contract to extend time due to Employer / neutral events.

 Extension of time is the entitlement for the damages or compensation for being
kept on-site longer than agreed. EOT is to relieve the contractor of the obligation
to pay liquidated damages for the whole or part of the overrun period
74. What is in Statement at Completion & Interim Payment Certificate?
75. Can you explain claim procedure?
76. Can Employer terminate the contractor?
 Yes. According to the Clause 63.1 of FIDIC fourth edition 1987, employer can
terminate the employment of the contractor under several situations.
 One is when the contractor becomes bankrupt or insolvency.
 when the contractor fail to commence the works as per the clause 41.1
 or he fail to commence the work within 28days after notice served as per clause
46.1, or
 breach the sub clause 4.1 and given the works to the subcontractors
 fail to comply with the safety regulations
 Non-compliance of the quality

77. What is the difference between assignment and Novation?

 Novation- one party to a contract replace by third party by transferring his rights
and liabilities both to the third party.

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 Eg. Dewatering contract

 Assignment: One party to a contract transfer the only rights to a third party while
keeping the liabilities. In this one, Parties to the contract does not changed.

Eg. Developer sale the projects to real estate company.

78. If your client wants to make individual Villa, which type of form you will use under
FIDIC 1999?

 Under FIDIC 1999 the green book will be used.

79. How do you release retention in a contract?

 Retention release Under the FIDIC 4th edition 1987, if TOC is issued for whole of
works, one half of Retention shall be certified. If TOC is issued for section or part
of permanent work, one half of such proportion is released.

 Then the other half of retention shall be certified upon the expiration of Defect
liability period.

 If there is sectional or partial completion, then there are different defect liability
periods. In that case other half of the retention shall be released upon the
expiration of latest defect liability period.

 If there is any balance work available instructed under clause 49 and 50, a
sufficient amount shall be withheld by the Engineer and balance can be certified.

80. Why the contractor is not entitled for cost in exceptionally adverse climatic conditions?

 This is mentioned in the Clause 44.1 only. Under Clause 44.1, contractor is
entitled only for time.

81. Why penalty clause is included in the contract?

 Main purpose is to encourage the contractor to complete the works , within the
time for completion.

 Secondly if in case any project was delayed by the contractor, to composite the
employer’s loss

82. What is the consequence of Taking over certificate?

 Once the taking over certificate is issued then the Defect liability period will be
started

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  Contractor is released from the liability of penalty.
 The care of the works will be transferred to the employer and the insurance
become cease only contractor is liable for the works undertaken by him to do
during the DLP.
 So the employer is required to take property insurance
 Contractor has an obligation to submit the statement at completion within 84
days.
 Contractor is entitled to receive one half of retention money.

83. Why conditions of contracts required?

 The conditions of contract is risk balanced document between the parties to the
contract and mentioned each parties obligations I mean the contractor’s
obligations, employers obligations and also engineer’s obligation under the
contract.
 And also it helps for proper administration of the contract.

84. How do you use provisional sums in the contract?

 According to the FIDIC 4th edition 1987 , provisional sums can be instructed in
two methods
 Engineer can instruct to the main contractor to carry out the provisional sums and
then it is valued in accordance with the clause 52.
 Or it can be instructed through nominated sub-contractor, then the sum to be paid
to the contractor will be determined in accordance with the clause 59.4

85. How do you value variations?

 According to the FIDIC 4th Edition 1987, variations shall be valued as the clause
52.1.
 The clause says if it is applicable, the variations are valued at the rates and prices
set out in the contract.
 If the contract does not have any applicable rates or prices, the available rates and
prices will be taken as a basis for evaluation of new rates as reasonable.
 If the contract rates cannot be used as a basis also, new rates shall be agreed
between Engineer and contractor.
 In the event of disagreement, Engineer will fix the rates.
 Until rates are agreed Engineer determine provisional rate for the purpose of
interim payment certification under clause 60.1

86. What is the different between common law and Civil law

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  Common law is available in the common law countries like Uk. Common law is
judge made law. Not a written law. Judges are referring to the previous court cases
giving judgment accordingly.
 Civil Law is a written law. Judgment is given based on that written law. Previous
cases are not taken as reference.

87. What is the contractor’s entitlement in concurrent delays?

 In FIDIC 4th edition 1987, there is no provision given for the contractor’s
entitlement for concurrent delay situation. However the Delay and disruption
protocol issued by society of construction law will be used as a stranded accepted
document in the industry. According to that the contractor is entitle for Extension
of time for the concurrent delay however for the prolongation cost, the contractor
is entitled only for the delay occurred by the Employer.

88. What are the reasons for retendering?

 It may be the employer’s scope has been changed. Or due to statutory requirement
project cannot be preceded.

89. What is subrogation?

 Subrogation is a clause in an insurance policy. That means the insurer will pay to
the insured and will reimburse from the responsible party.

90. What is a parent company guarantee?

 A guarantee provided by the contractor’s parent company to the employer for the
performance of subsidiary company. For example contractor is a local branch of
foreign entity, then the foreign entity will give guarantee to the employer for the
performance of the local branch.

91. What are the consequences of defect liability period?

 When the defect liability period is over, and if there is no defect, the contractor
second half of retention is released. Within 28 days DLC is issued
 Then the performance bond is released to the contractor within 14 days of DLC.
 Then the contractor has to submit the draft final statement within 56 days

92. When EOT is granted under what ground the contractor is entitled for cost?

93. What is effective contract price?

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  The effective contract price has been defined in the clause 52.3 of FIDIC 4th
edition 1987, according to that ECP is contact price excluding the provisional
sums and allowance for dayworks if any.

94. You are asked to advise the Client whether to use bespoke type Forms of Contracts or
Standard Forms of Contract. What is your advice and explain the basis for your advice?
 My advice is to use the standard forms of Contract. By using Standard Forms of
Contracts, the clients can obtain less tender price because tenderers are familiar
with all the clauses and their risk is very less. So there will not be any over pricing
 And also Standard forms of contracts are linked with the standard method of
measurements then the ambiguities are less during the post contract stage.
 And also client’s legal and document preparation fees are less.
 Because of this reasons I advise to use standard forms of contract.

95. What is clause 44?

 Clause 44 is the provision in the contract to grant Extension of time for
completion. According to the clause , contractor is entitled for extension of time
under five events
 Amount or nature of any additional or extra work
 Any cause of delay referred to conditions
 Exceptionally adverse climatic conditions
 Delay due to employer
 Any other delay for which the contractor is not responsible
 Then clause 44.2 is the provision in the contract to give notification and
submission of detailed particulars. Contractor shall give notice within 28 days
after the first arisen of the event. If he fail to serve the notice, Engineer is not
bound to make any determination of EOT.
 Contractor shall submit detailed particulars within 28 days of end of the event.
 According to the clause 44.3 if the event is continuing event, interim particulars
shall be submitted within agreed intervals.
 Engineer shall make interim determination of EOT.
 Within 28 days of end of the event, final particulars shall be submitted.
 Then the Engineer shall make final determination of EOT. Final determination
cannot be less than the total of interim determination of time.

96. What is Collateral warrantee?

 Collateral warrantees are contracts that extend the benefits of an existing contract
to the third party. For example in a building contract, AHU supplier will have a

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 supply contract with the main contractor. After completion of work, developer
will hand over the building to the end user. This collateral warranty establishes a
contractual relationship between the supplier and the end user. Then the end user
can sue the supplier against any defect.

97. What are the cotemporary records?

 Those are the records, contractor shall submit with 28 days after the event. This
include record of idling plants, idle labors, etc. this are the supporting documents
for the claims.

98. Who is responsible for the delay in Management contract?

 In Management contact, client has the contractual link with the Management
contractor only. So the contractual risk is taken by the MC. therefore the
management contractor is responsible for any contractual delay.

99. Defined/Undefined PS?

 A “defined” provisional sum relates to work whose details are known. The
contractor is deemed to have made due allowance for defined work in its
programming, planning and pricing preliminaries
 “Undefined” provisional sums relate to work where the employer is unable to
provide detailed information and the contractor is not deemed to have made
allowances for it in its price or programme.
100. Provisional Sum & PC rate item?
 Provisional sum are used for work that has not been finalized or for costs
unknown at the time the BOQ was prepared. The Engineer should instruct to
spend it.
 PC rate item means a sum included in the contract and so designated in the BOQ
for the execution of any part of the works or for the supply of goods, materials,
plant or services, contingencies which sum is used part or full on the instruction
of the engineer.

101. Bond/Guarantees?
Payment bonds are unconditional. They do not require any proof of default for the
employer to make demand for payment. Therefore often referred as unconditional on-
demand bonds.
 Tender bond
 Advance payment bond
 Retention bond

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 Guarantees are conditional which means a contractor must commit a default under the
contract
 Performance Guarantee
 Parent company guarantee

102. Defined risks/Force majeure?

 Defined risks -
 Force majeure – War hostilities, rebellion, riot, munitions of war, natural
catastrophes

103. Contract/Agreement?
 Contract is legally binding document between two or more parties
 Agreement is a negotiated and usually legally enforceable understanding between
two or more legally competent parties.

104. Suspension/Termination?
 Suspension is temporary stoppage of work on all or a portion of the project.
 Termination is permanent stoppage of the performance of work and leave the site.

105. Liability/Indemnity/Penalty?
 Liability is the responsibility for the consequences of one's acts or omissions.
 Indemnity is protection from loss and damage claims filed by another person
 Penalty is the punishment imposed for breaking the contract

106. Interim/Final payment?

 Interim payment certificate is issued by the Engineer, based on the Contractor's
Interim Payment applications, for the value of the works done in a certain period
of time.
 Final payment certificate is issued by the Engineer for the sum of which the
contractor is entitled under the contract

107. General/Particular conditions?

 General conditions are the conditions prevailing in the Standard form of contract
 Particular conditions are the amendments made to General conditions to suit the
requirements or for their convenience

108. Collateral warranty/Third party liability?

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  Collateral warrantee is an agreement which exists alongside another contract and
it is related to that other contract. It is a method of joining together parties who in
other circumstances would not have a contractual relationship, but who are
nevertheless involved in the same undertaking.
 Third party Liability insurance is designed to offer specific protection against
third party claims, i.e., payment is not typically made to the insured, but rather to
someone suffering loss who is not a party to the insurance contract.

109. Breach/Non-compliance?
 Breach is a legal cause of action in which a binding agreement is not honoured by
one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with
the other party's performance.
 Failure or refusal to follow requirements

110. Adversarial/non-adversarial form of contract?

 Adversarial forms of contract can promote an adversarial relationship between
contractor and client.
 Non-adversarial form of contract promotes a partnering, collaborative approach.
Non-adversarial contract is one which entails an avoidance of legal actions or
exclusion of the threat of litigation

111. Contract claim/Tort claim?

 Tort - A wrongful act or omission independent of contract in respect of which
damages may be awarded.
 A tort claim is a legal claim made in response to being subjected to a wrongful
act that did not involve a breach of contract.
 Contract claims are more wide such as rectification and repair of the damage,
consequential loss, loss of profit, alternative accommodation, loss of furniture
(like in case of rain damages).

112. Common law/Civil law?

 Common Law is when a person has committed a crime against the state (eg
robbery, rape, murder). Common law is often punishable by prison sentences and
the like.
 Civil Law is when a person has committed a crime against another person (eg
breach of contract, trespass, etc) . Civil offences are usually punishable by fines
and the like.

113. Standard form of Contract/bespoke contract?

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  A standard-form contract is otherwise known as standardized contract. Standard-
form contract is usually a preprinted contract containing set clauses.
 Bespoke contract – Amendments made in standard-form contract to suit their
project as per Client

114. Maintenance cost/WLC?

 Maintenance cost - The costs incurred to keep an item in good condition and/or
good working order.
 Whole life costing - A systematic approach balancing capital with revenue costs to
achieve an optimum solution over a building whole life.

115. Named/Nominated contractor?

 The named sub-contractors are appointed by the main contractor but from the
employer’s lists and the sole responsibility lying with the MC only.
 Nominated sub-contractor (NS) are appointed by the Employer, but the contract
will be with MC. The MC will be responsible for all his actions except the he
expressed his reasonable objection in the time of appointment of NS.

116. Completion/Substantial completion?

 Completion is the end of the construction phase when the physical work is
completed.
 The contractor has substantially completed the works at that point in time when
employer can take advantages of the project for the purpose intended by
Employer. Substantial completion does not relive the contractor of completing the
project in its entirety, nor does it obligate the employer to pay the entire contract
sum. However it entitle the contractor to be paid the contract balance minus the
value of the pending works

117. Employer’s/Contractor’s default?

 Employer’s default – Delay in payment, Prevention by employer can be claimed
as EOT
 Contractor’s default - Faulty construction, Defective & Incomplete work, Repair
costs, loss of profit etc. are the defaults. LD in case of late completion, Employer
can complete the work by another contractor and recover money from defaulter
through Performance guarantees, Bond, Collateral warranties etc.

118. Sectional completion/Partial possession?

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  If different sections are identified in the contract each with different time for
completion, it is called Sectional completion. Sectional completion is a
contractual obligation of the contractor.
 If the employer requests and contractor agrees, the employer can take possession
of those parts of the Works which is already completed. Partial possession is not a
contractual obligation of the contractor.

119. Date for completion/Completion date?

 Date for Completion is the date inserted in the Contract which is the date agreed
at the time of agreement.
 Completion Date is the Date for Completion of the Works after considering any
extension or pre-agreed adjustment.

120. Punch list/Snag list?

 This is an American version of Snag List at the time of substantial completion
 Snag list is a comprehensive list of items that are not completed correctly and
defective work to be repaired to meet the specification.

121. On site/Off site material?

 Materials delivered to the site but not yet built into the works
 Material available at a location other than the subject site

122. Overhead/Profit?
 Overhead - Contractor’s indirect cost of the management, supervision and conduct
of its business which include general and administrative costs
 Profit – A financial gain between the amount spent and amount earned

123. LD/LAD?
 Liquidated Damages - Amount inserted in contract for damages compensation to
Employer for late completion by the contractor.
 Liquidated & Ascertained Damages (Ascertained, General or Un-liquidated
damages) are the actual damages incurred. Cost Headings- Loss of return on
capital, professional costs, loss of income, extra cost of fluctuations,
commissioning costs, cost of hiring alternative accommodation.

124. Provisional sum/Provisional item?

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  Provisional sum are used for work that has not been finalized or for costs
unknown at the time the BOQ was prepared. The Engineer should instruct to
spend it.
 Provisional items are quantities included in the BoQ for works whose nature and
scope cannot be entirely foreseen or defined at the time of tendering. The
quantum of work is subject to re-measurement when the work have been
performed on site

125. Delay/disruption?
 Delay is lateness (Eg. Delayed completion equals late completion).
 Disruption is loss of productivity due to some disturbance or interruption.

Managing People

1. How you will manage the people working under you?

Procurement and Tendering

1. Different types of Procurement routes?

2. Difference between Standard form of Design & Build and bespoke design and build
contract in your project?

3. In D&B Contract, how savings will be dealt?

4. Which type of Contract, r u using for the sub-contractors?

5. What are the different types of procurement route?

6. In D&B Contract, what type of Sub-Contract you are using? Back to back or other forms?

7. What do you understand by two stage tendering?

8. You have mentioned about two stage tendering in your submission? Can you explain?

9. There is a refurbishment scope. What is the best suited procurement method?

10. How you evaluate the risks while tendering?

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11. How such risks are incorporated in the tender?

12. What are the difference between and estimating and tendering?

13. What are the different procurement routes?

14. What is the difference between Management Contracting and Construction Management?

15. How do you select a procurement route?

16. What you will do if a tender returns with various prequalification and arithmetic errors

17. If you envisaged lot of variations during post contract stage what is the procurement type
you will used?

18. What are the tender documents you will include in “Design and Build” procurement?
(Client brief, Performance specification, quality plan, evaluation criteria)
19. Assumed you received a tender invitation from one of developer. How do you decide
whether you are going to bid or not?
(Current company recourse level, workload, company vision & mission, potential jobs,
client relationship)
20. Under which circumstances open tender is suitable? Tell some examples

(Government projects, low important, smaller projects)

21. How do you evaluate a tender submission?

(Tender checklist, tender bond, trade license, form of tender sign, authority / power of
attorney, lists of docs, arithmetic error, patent error, un prices item, qualification, alternate
bid, loading)

22. How do you evaluate pre-qualification of a contractor?

(Technical, financial, financial ratios)

23. What two stage tendering? Why this method is preferred by Clients?

(1st stage – schedule of rate, preliminary bill / general req., OH&P, program, method
statement. 2nd state – negotiate, or go for next tender) (to get contractor knowhow, build
ability)

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24. The Employer is willing to build “5 star Hotel” and he would like to set the cost in initial
stage. What is your advice on selection of procurement route?

(Quality, Cost certainty)

25. Your employer is going to renovate one of five star hotels and he is willing to go with
Design and Build procurement Route. What is your advice regarding this.

(Wrong, quality cant achieved)

26. What is PPP/PFI?

 Public Private Partnership - Public facilities and utilities are designed, built,
maintained, and operated by private sector.

 Private Finance Initiative - It is the way of involving the private sector in public
sector capital spending. Thru PFI the objective is to generate greater value for
money and transfer risk to private sector.

27. Price certainty/Competitive?

 Price certainty is related to the firm price for the total construction cost that will be
obtained at the commencement of the construction period

 Competitive price is a price lower than that offered by the competitors

28. Single/double stage tendering?

 Single stage tendering -

 Double stage tendering - Contractor is selected on first stage based on limited

scope say Skills, experience, resources, preliminary costs, OH&P. In second stage
full price is negotiated

29. Partnering/Joint Venture/Consortium?

 Partnering is the collaborative approach between parties

 Joint venture is joining together of two or more parties for the purpose of executing
a particular business undertaking. All parties agree to share in the profits and losses
of the enterprise.
 A consortium is an association of two or more
more individuals, companies, organizations or governments (or any combination of
these entities) with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling
their resources for achieving a common goal.

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30. Partnership and LLB partnership?

 Partnership means partners are fully liable for any financially difficulty an
organization may experience
 Limited Liability Business Partnership means that each partner will have limited
liability. This means they will only be financially liable for monies they have put
into the business.

Programming and Planning

1. What are Concurrent delays? Give Example.

 Concurrent delay situation is arising when the effect of Contractors delay and
Employers delay is overlap together.
 It may happen in two ways.
 Once the Contractor delay event and Employers delay event is happened
consequentially and the effect will come parallel. This is called sequential
concurrency.
 Secondly the Contractor’s delay event and Employer’s Delay event happen
parallel and the effect also come parallel. This called Parallel concurrency.
 In FIDIC conditions of contract not mentioned about concurrent delays so
the” delay and disruption protocol “issued by the society of construction law
is used as a guidance by the industry professionals.

2. Delay/Concurrent delay?

 Delay is lateness which may be due to contractor or Employer.

 Two or more delays caused by different parties occur independently of each
other, but during the same period and it affects the critical path. Delays
absorbed by ‘floats’ are not considered as concurrent. Only delays that extend
completion can be considered as concurrent.

3. How project Master programme aid to client?

4. Who owns the float?

5. How you are going to use it?

6. Float/Critical path

 Float is the time available for an activity or path in addition to its duration.
Types are free float and Project float.
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  Critical path is the consecutive sequence of activities in a project whose
cumulative time requirements determine the minimum total project time.
Delay in Critical path activity delay the entire project if other steps are not
compressed. Critical path is the series of activities with least float or no float.

Construction Technology

1. As a QS, what advise you will provide to the Client regarding the selection of Air
Conditioning ducts?

2. Different types of Ventilation?

3. What type of Ventilation you are normally executing in your project?

4. Have you heard any other type of reinforcement?

5. What is BIM?

6. What are the criteria of concrete cladding over a steel structure?

7. What are the procedures of building construction?

8. Are you aware about the latest technology for fire protection in a steel structure?

9. What do you understand by construction management?

10. What are advantages and disadvantages of steel and concrete buildings?

11. When will you prefer a steel structure over concrete?

12. What are the types of piles construction?

13. Where is a secant pile used?

14. For a thermal resistance and sound absorption which type of structure do you prefer
concrete or steel?

15. What do you mean by BMS system

16. What are the pilling systems you familiar with

17. How you advise to your client on insitu concrete and precast concrete?

18. How you advise to your client on concrete technology with sustainable development?

19. Your client wants to use HDPE pipes instead of DI pipes. How you going to deal this?
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20. Different methods of dewatering?

21. Difference between steel and concrete structure

22. What is prefabrication? And which component you are using at site?

23. Can you tell us different types of concrete test?

24. One of your junior QS asking about cube test process. How do you explain?

25. For the Industrial ware houses which type of Ventilation system is most suitable?

26. What are the types of Formwork Systems are used in high-rise building?

27. How do you advise tot eh employer for most cost effective foundation system
pertaining to a high-rise building.

28. Piles / Shoring?

 Piles – Based on material – Concrete, steel, timber & composite piles
 Based on manufacturing - Cast in situ piling, Bored piling
 Based on installation – Driven piles, Continues Augered pile, Screw in pile &
Bored augered pile
 Shoring – Sheet piling, Secant pile shoring and Diaphragm wall shoring

29. Foundations?
 Foundation – Shallow foundation and Deep foundation
 Shallow foundation – Spread or Pad foundation, Strip foundation and Raft
foundation
 Deep foundation - Pile foundation

30. Slabs?
 Prefabricated slabs
 Cast-in-situ slabs
 Based on Design - Post tensioned slab, Post stressed slab, One way slab, Two way
slab,

31. Façade cladding?

 Block work masonry, Curtain wall, Stone cladding, Aluminum panels, Steel
panels, Cement based panels.

32. Dewatering?

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  Dewatering – Open dewatering, well point dewatering, deep well dewatering,
Well point jetting & general sump pumping.

33. Excavations?
 Keyhole excavation is also known as making test holes.
 Vertical Excavation is a form of excavation in which a trench is dug through a
site. It allows for strata to be compared and is good for areas of multiple
occupations. It is also good for sites such as mounds because it allows you to
study the mound without totally destroying it. And it gives you a chance to date
the mound because you retrieve thing for carbon testing from an undisturbed area
of the base.
 Open area excavation is when the whole site is excavated
 Step-Trenching and Cofferdams
 Step-trenching is very similar to vertical excavation. The only real difference is
that it is for deeper digging. So, the trenches are dug stepping down to the bottom
strata. This will minimize the likelihood of cave-in, but still allow for strata to be
compared.
 Cofferdams are used in water logged sites. Basically, walls are put up so shifting
sediment does not cave-in.

Risk Management

1. What is risk register?

2. Can you tell us some risks to the contractor in one of your lump sum project?

34. OPTIONAL COMPETENCIES

Commercial Management of Construction

1. What method / system are you using for the Post Contract Cost Control in your
Company?

2. How you are preparing the CVR report? Which items have to be included in the CVR
Report? What is the use of CVR report?

3. What cost report you are submitting to the Client?

4. Do you aware of EVM and its use? Why you are not using EVM in your company?
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5. What is Value Engineering process?

6. Are you aware of value engineering and value management?

 Value management is a term used to describe the overall structured team based
approach to a construction project. The value management process includes
 Clearly defining the client’s strategic objectives
 Considering the optimum design solutions within the context of the client’s
business objectives
 Then deciding which of these provide the optimum lifetime value to the client.
 As well as review of the process after occupancy.
 Value management includes Value Engineering as part of the process.
 It says a systematic approach to delivering the required functions to the required
quality at the least cost.

7. Have you done value engineering in your work?

8. What do you mean by cost planning?

9. What is cost control?

10. What is cost reporting? Contents of a cost report

11. What is earned value method?

12. What is the difference between variation and varied works?

13. What do you mean by commercial management?

14. What is CVR?

Cost Value reconciliation - The monthly assessment by which the income (Value) and
expenditure (Cost) of a Project is compared with the initial analysis and anticipated
performance.
15. What are all included in CVR?

16. What is cash flow?

17. What is fixed unit price?

18. Can the client request for a change in rate if the quantity exceeds?

19. What is a cost plan and how do you prepare one?

20. Why schedule of rates are provided in a BOQ?

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21. What is a cash flow?

22. What are the contents and heads of a monthly cost report?

23. What are the main heads in a prolongation claim?

24. How do you value variation?

25. Can the Contractor reject the variation?

26. How do you prepare budget and what are the contents of it?

27. What are the contents of Cost Report?

28. How do you prepare a cash flow?

29. What are all the uses of a cash flow?

30. What do you include in a Cost Statement

31. How do you control the costs in project?

32. What are the components of a final valuation?

33. For a Consultant what is profitability? How you can be a part of it?

34. Elemental cost plan

35. What is cash flow

36. What is S curve

37. How you make sure your estimate are correct and what is your basis of estimate and
from where you are collecting data

38. What are the documents required for pricing a tender?

Dwgs, spec, soil investigation, cost information)

39. What are the main difference between domestic sub-contractor and nominated sub-
contractor?

Selection by, approval, specialized work, payments)

40. How do you prepare the cash Flow?

Program, payment terms, conditions of contract)

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41. When you prepare the cash flow you found that there is negative cash flow for 2
months. How do you advice your management to overcome this issue/

Payment terms from employer & sub con. Retention, split ordering materials)

42. Why commercial management is important in project/

Make sure the profitability, control the cost)

43. How you will do?

(CVR, cost to complete)

44. How you will carry out the Cost to complete Exercise?

Cost of balance work)

45. What is Earn Value Management?

46. How to prepare the Cash Flow?

47. How consultant QS/Employer can control the cost in Cost Plus contract? How you can
check all the data’s provided by Contractor is correct and necessary for the project?

48. In your project you have negative cash flow for 2 months. What are the actions you
will take to overcome this issue?

49. What is cost to completion?

50. What is the cash flow statement of the contractor?

51. What is Profit/loss statement

Income statement, also called Profit and loss statement (P&L) is a company's financial
statement that indicates how the revenue (money received from the sale of products
and services before expenses are taken out, also known as the "top line") is
transformed into the net income (the result after all revenues and expenses have
been accounted for, also known as the "bottom line").

52. Escalation/Fluctuation/Inflation?

 Escalation is the increase in price over a period of time

 Fluctuation is the increase or decrease in price
 Inflation is the rise in price over a period of time

53. Estimate/Budget?

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  Single rate method – Unit of occupancy, Superficial floor area (m2),
Building volume
 Budget or Multiple rate method – Elemental Cost plan, Approximate BoQ,
Priced BoQ

54. Actual/Accruals

 Actual costing is the recording of product costs based on actual cost

of materials, labour, overhead costs incurred, allocated using the actual
quantity of the allocation based experienced during the reporting period
 An accounting method that measures the performance and position of a
company by recognizing economic events regardless of when cash
transactions occur.

55. Value Management/Value Engineering/Cost cutting?

 Value management is a systematic approach to delivering the required

functions at optimum whole life cost without detriment to quality,
performance and reliability. Example: Space planning
 Value Engineering is a systematic approach to deliver the required functions
(or components) to the required quality at the least cost. i.e. the method of
ensuring that the client gets the best possible value for money in terms of
safety, performance and delivery targets. Example: Revising RC slab to PT slab
 Cost cutting is the measures implemented by a company to reduce its
expenses and improve profitability Example: Changing the high cost Ceramic
tile cost to economical cost Ceramic tile

56. Cost management/Value Management?

 Cost management is the process of planning and controlling the budget of a

business.
 Value management is a systematic approach to delivering the required
functions at optimum whole life cost without detriment to quality,
performance and reliability.

57. Loss/Consequential loss?

 A reduction in the value of an investment or a condition in which

company's expenses exceed its revenues.

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  The amount of loss incurred as a result of being unable to use business
property or equipment if it is damaged through a natural disaster or accident.

58. Target cost/GMP?

 Guaranteed Maximum Price - Any savings below the pre-agreed guaranteed

maximum price are shared between client and contractor and where the
contractor takes sole responsibility for any cost overruns above the
guaranteed maximum price.
 Target Cost - Any differences between the target cost of the work and
actual cost at completion are shared between client and contractor with a pre-
determined sharing ratio above and below the target. The second key element
to a target cost contract is that what is known as a ‘pain/gain’ mechanism. Put
simply, if the final outturn cost (the contractors actual cost referred to above)
comes in below the target price then the project is said to be ‘in gain’. If the
final outturn cost is above the target price then the project is said to be ‘in
pain’. The idea is that the pain or the gain is shared out between the two
parties at the end of the project.

Case study
1. Out of the three options can you tell which one is contractually most suited?
2. How the additional cost incurred due to air-freight procurement is justified?
3. You said in CA that it is a bespoke condition of contract, what are the disadvantages?

General

1. What is Method Related Changes?

2. How Method Related Charges will benefit to the Client?

3. Difference between POMI & CESMM3?

4. Difference between SMM7 & CESMM3?

5. What are the different standards of measurement?

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6. What is NRM?

7. You have mentioned about BCIS. What is it?

8. Which country is BCIS data’s available from?

9. Can you use BCIS data for a project in UAE?

10. Why do you want to become MRICS?

11. What are the contents of a MOU?

12. What is Kyoto protocol?

13. What is prevention principle?

14. How BOQ helps the contractor while execution of the job?

15. What are the different types of measurement STDs used?

16. Have you used POMI? Then which one you are using?

17. How a BOQ items is derived according to CESMM3?

18. CESMM3 is best for what kind of works?

19. Why you want to become a member of RICS?

20. How do you control the Quality in project?

21. How do you arrive Labor Rate in your projects?

22. How do you measure the piles as per POMI?

Answer: No. of piles is enumerated stating the length of the pile. (As per POMI the
piles are measured in mts indicating the length of pile in description)

23. What is OSE meaning in hotel projects? - Operating Supplies and equipment

24. What are the roles and responsibilities of a Contract Administrator once he enters into
the site?

25. Where is SMM7 used and why it is not used in UAE?

26. Identify where NRM1, NRM2 and NRM3 are used?

Answer: I said NRM1 is used in cost planning and NRM2 in estimation and NRM3
for maintenance works.

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27. What is the difference between estimate and a price?

28. What is gross built up area?

29. Where is the gross built up area defined?

30. If the employer walks in the site and asks you to change some specification at site –
say change the table specifications what do you do

Answer: I said I will ask the EI from engineer – Chairman was not happy with the
answer – Then I said I will send a CVI….if it’s not contradicted then that will be an
instruction.

31. Why we can’t use CESMM3 for FIDIC form of contracts?

32. How you overcome that?

33. How you assess the delay events?

34. How you assess the culpability

35. What is the use of standard method of measurement

36. What is meant by fast track projects

37. Can you tell us some standard method of Measurements?

(SMM7, CESMM3 and POM(1))

38. Why we should use Standard method of Measurements?

(Unique, variation evaluation, pricing by all tenderers, same intention)

39. What are the items included in General requirements in POMI

(CoC, Spec, facilities, temporary works)

40. List out differences between CESMM3 and POM (1)

Civil-construction, general items – general req., work class-section, coding-no,

provision & placing-poured conc, method related charge-no, descriptive-short

41. Assume in road project, the Contractor is not carried out the items under method
related charges, how do you deal with the payment for these items

It is for carry out the work, need to pay

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 42. You are preparing the BOQ accordance with SMM7 and your line manager saying
that no need to take-off the reinforcement separately and included within the concrete
item, how you advise him.

Variation, not common understanding

43. CESMM3/SMM7/POMI?

 Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement 3 – Method of measurement

suitable for Civil Engineering works

 Standard Method of Measurement 7 – Method of measurement suitable for

Building projects

 POMI – Principles of Measurement International

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