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