Prebid and preconstruction planning process

Construction planning systems have been the subject of research, development, and implementation for the last several decades. Most studies have focused on planning tools and techniques, and not on the planning process itself. This paper presents the results of a research project that examined how construction planning is actually done at the prebid and preconstruction planning stages. The data were gathered through personal in-depth interviews conducted with experienced, competent project managers and other functionaries in leading, progressive United States construction companies. Construction planning was examined by four principal measures: the degree of involvement in the planning process; the proportion of plan issuance; the relative planning effort in various functional plans; and the formats used for issuing plans. The findings suggest that the practice of construction planning differs from what is commonly accepted and supported by the existing literature.