Activity  Estimates An activity estimate is a listing of all the steps required  to  construct  a  given  project,  including specific descriptions as to the limits of each clearly definable   quantity   of   work   (activity).   Activity quantities provide the basis for preparing the material, equipment, and manpower estimates. They are used to provide the basis for scheduling material deliveries, equipment, and manpower. Because activity estimates are used to prepare other estimates and schedules, errors in these estimates can multiply many times. Be careful in their preparation! Material Estimates A  material  estimate  consists  of  a  listing  and description of the various materials and the quantities required to construct a given project. Information for preparing  material  estimates  is  obtained  from  the activity  estimates,  drawings,  and  specifications.  A material estimate is sometimes referred to as a Bill of Material (BM) or a Material Takeoff (MTO) Sheet. Equipment  Estimates Equipment estimates are listings of the various types  of  equipment,  the  amount  of  time,  and  the number of pieces of equipment required to construct a  given  project.  Information,  such  as  that  obtained from  activity  estimates,  drawings,  specifications,  and an  inspection  of  the  site,  provides  the  basis  for preparing the equipment estimates. Manpower Estimates The manpower estimate consists of a listing of the number of direct labor man-days required to complete the  various  activities  of  a  specific  project.  These estimates  will  show  only  the  man-days  for  each activity, or they can be in sufficient detail to list the number  of  man-days  for  each  rating  in  each activity—Builder  (BU),  Construction  Electrician (CE), Equipment Operator (EO), Steelworker (SW), and Utilitiesman (UT). Man-day estimates are used in determining  the  number  of  personnel  and  the  ratings required on a deployment. They also provide the basis for scheduling manpower in relation to construction progress. When  the  Seabee   Planner’s   and   Estimator’s Handbook,  NAVFAC P-405, is used, a man-day is a unit of work performed by one person in one 8-hour day  or  its  equivalent.  One  man-day  is  equivalent  to  a 10-hour  day  when  the  Facilities   Planning   Guide, NAVFAC P-437, is used. Battalions set their own schedules, as needed, to complete their assigned tasks. In general, the work schedule of the battalion is based on an average of 55 hours per man per week. The duration of the workday is 10 hours per day, which starts and ends at the jobsite. This includes 9 hours for direct labor and 1 hour for lunch. Direct   labor   (“Timekeeping”   as   previously discussed)  includes  all  labor  expended  directly  on assigned construction tasks, either in the field or in the shop, that contributes directly to the completion of the end  product.  Direct  labor  must  be  reported  separately for  each  assigned  construction  item.  In  addition  to direct labor, the estimator must also consider overhead labor  and  indirect  labor.  Overhead  labor  is  considered productive labor that does not contribute directly or indirectly to the product. It includes all labor that must be  performed  regardless  of  the  assigned  mission. Indirect  labor  includes  labor  required  to  support construction operations but does not, in itself, produce an end product. SCHEDULING Scheduling is the process of determining when an action  must  be  taken  and  when  material,  equipment, and manpower are required. There are four basic types of  schedules:  progress,  material,  equipment,  and manpower. Progress  schedules  coordinate  all  the  projects  of  a Seabee  deployment  or  all  the  activities  of  a  single project. They show the sequence, the starting time, the performance  time  required,  and  the  time  required  for completion. Material  schedules  show  when  the  material  is needed on the job. They can also show the sequence in  which  materials  should  be  delivered. Equipment   schedules   coordinate   all   the equipment to be used on a project. They also show when it is to be used and the amount of time each piece of  equipment  is  required  to  perform  the  work. Manpower  schedules  coordinate  the  manpower requirements  of  a  project  and  show  the  number  of personnel required for each activity. In addition, the number  of  personnel  of  each  rating  (Steelworker, Builder,   Construction   Electrician,   Equipment Operator,  and  Utilitiesman)  required  for  each  activity for each period of time can be shown. The time unit 1-18