Methods and data used by large building contractors in preparing tenders

The process of submitting lump sum competitive tenders continues to be commonly practised by UK building contractors. Most tenders are based on a detailed analysis of project details and a detailed costing of parts of the work to be done. Considerable resources are being devoted to the preparation offenders in this way. Any means of improving the efficiency of this process would be very welcome to contractors and to the construction industry as a whole. This paper presents a documentation of methods offender preparation in the form of a model of the tasks executed. This model is a description of the process in its most complex possible form as currently executed and does not attempt to portray the tendering process as it is typically performed. Variations within the model have beenfound to occur between individual contractors and for alternative means of procurement as well as for differences in project complexity. However, the model is generally representative of the means by which tenders are prepared b...