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Western Dam Engineering <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />15 <br />cases it may be desirable to prequalify contractors in <br />order to prevent the problems associated with <br />inexperience. This will largely depend on the <br />complexity of the construction project and the ability <br />of the owner’s engineer to provide consistent <br />oversight of the project during construction. This is <br />particularly important if several items are being left to <br />the contractor’s design and means/methods as <br />mentioned in the last issue of this series, “Team Effort <br />Specifications.” <br /> <br />Require Experienced Personnel to Construct Your Job <br />In cases where value selection of contractors is <br />allowable (i.e., no requirement to select the “low-bid” <br />contractor on cost basis alone), it may be desirable to <br />utilize project award criteria that consider both the <br />price and established contractor qualifications to get <br />both the best price and the best qualified contractor <br />for a given project. This increases your chances of <br />successful completion. <br />Beware of contractors with a significant claim history! <br />While not all claims can be avoided, a pattern of <br />repeated claims against the owner and/or engineer <br />should send up a large red flag regarding that <br />contractor’s business methods. In any event, the <br />purpose of pre-qualifying contractors should not be to <br />reduce the number of bidders on a particular job, but <br />to ensure that those who do bid are capable of <br />constructing it. <br />Common Specification Pitfalls <br />Poorly written specifications, the use of specifications <br />not tailored to dam construction, or many of the other <br />concerns discussed above may result in: <br /> Lengthy schedule delays for design review by <br />state regulatory agencies <br /> Poor quality construction that may influence <br />long-term performance <br /> Costly change orders <br /> Post construction claims and litigation <br /> Delays that impact the use of the reservoir for <br />the upcoming season <br /> Team conflict <br /> Unanticipated expenses for the dam owner <br />for additional materials and inspections (i.e. <br />unhappy dam owners) <br /> In a worst case scenario, construction of a dam <br />that incorporates unsafe elements, resulting in <br />undesirable and unnecessary risks to lives and <br />property downstream and loss of the water <br />resource until deficiencies are corrected. <br />Useful References <br />The following references provide additional tips on <br />specification requirements for dam construction. <br />[1] New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (2008), Technical <br />Specifications for Dams. <br />[2] Montana Department of Natural Resources (2012), Specification <br />Requirements for Dams (Technical Note 8). <br />[3] Colorado Division of Water Resources (2007), Rules and Regulations <br />for Dam Safety and Dam Construction <br />[4] Colorado Division of Water Resources (2014), Project Review Guide. <br />[5] U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (1987), Design of <br />Small Dams, 3rd Ed. <br />[6] U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (1998), Earth <br />Manual, 3rd Ed. <br />[7] U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (1988), Concrete <br />Manual, 8th Ed. <br />[8] U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (2003), Engineering Regulations, ER <br />1110-1-8155. <br />[9] U.S Dept. of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service <br />(2001), National Engineering Handbook, Part 642: National Standard <br />Construction Specifications, Chapter 2. <br />[10] Construction Specifications Institute, Master Guide Specifications. <br />