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Back Chapter 8 Contract Quality Assurance | Up Naval Construction Force/Seabee 1&C - Construction manual for building structures | Next Cognizant Authority |
Maintain a log of all correspondence that requires
action.
As contract work proceeds, monitor and properly
document significant information, such as the
contractors progress, problems experienced, and
pending changes. The inspectors daily report is
particularly valuable for this purpose. Theese reports
form the historical basis of the position of the
government if a dispute develops between the
government and the contractor. Therefore, frequent
visits to the contractor site and job status meetings are
essential.
Besides constantly reviewing the progress of a
contract, you must make a constant effort to foresee
problems the contractor might meet. One problem that
has major influence on the contractors progress is late
delivery of materials and equipment, such as
air-handling units or subcontractor prefabricated items.
Furnishing its resources and expertise to help the
contractor serves the best interest of the government.
You must make every effort to relieve this kind of
problem instead of trying to justify or explain it.
Many contract specifications are drawn up years
ahead of the actual letting of a contract. Some items
required by the specifications will no longer be
available and require replacement by similar items.
This change requires initiating a change order. Change
orders are formal changes to a basic contract and must
meet with NAVFAC instructions and result from one or
more of the following changes:
l Design
l Requirements
l Conditions
l Constructive
Government representatives must ensure change
orders do not needlessly delay the contractors progress.
Additionally, they must assure all change orders get
promptly started, negotiated, and issued to the
contractor. Any delay in progress by a contractor
attributed to a change order must be of immediate
concern to the government representatives. Take all
possible actions to prevent delays that could result from
change orders.
Upon completion of a contract, both contractor and
government representatives conduct a joint final
inspection. Document all discrepancies found during
the final inspection. Meeting contract specifications
requires correction of these discrepancies. Upon the
contractors completion of all contract requirements,
the contractor executes release forms and submits the
final invoice to the OIC.
The NAVFAC P-68, Contracting Manual, guides
the administration of contracts and is the primary guide
for all Navy representatives of the government on
contracts.
NAVAL FACILITIES ENGINEERING
COMMAND
In the administration of contracts, the
organizational chain of authority must be understood.
NAVFAC is the primary contracting authority for all
construction contracts, facility support contracts, and
A/E contracts related to construction. NAVFAC is also
responsible for providing technical and managerial
assistance. It also provides related engineering material
and equipment to Navy and Marine Corps shore
facilities. NAVFAC is also responsible for all
automotive, weight-handling (not material-handling
equipment), and fire-fighting equipment assigned to the
shore facilities of the Navy and Marine Corps. For a
review of NAVFAC responsibilities, read NAVFAC
P-315.
Major Claimants
Major claimants, such as CINCPACFLT and
CINCUSNAVEUR, have the responsibility for the
readiness of all their respective shore facilities. This
includes the operations, maintenance, and repair of
these facilities. NAVFAC is one of several system
commands that provide logistical support to these
claimants. NAVFAC provides support by assisting with
the operation and maintenance of these facilities.
Engineering Field Divisions
NAVFAC presently has five field divisions as its
primary field organization. Officers in command of the
engineering field divisions (EFDs) are delegated
contractual authority to award most NAVFAC contracts
without prior approval. The head of the contracts
department is responsible for all contract functions
except those involving utilities and real estate
purchasing.
Within the facilities management
department, the facilities division has principal interest
in facilities maintenance management. This division
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