The design and use of experimental bills of quantities for civil engineering contracts

The purpose of the Bill of quantities in Civil Engineering Contracts has been studied and the practices which stem from its contractual use observed. These practices were shown to cover a wide range of financial control functions. The conventional form of Bill was shown to sustain practices which resulted in an unnecessary uncertainty of the forecasting, control and settlement of payments for work done, and to absorb administrative resources on a scale unjustified by the accuracy of control achieved. Alternative forms of Bill of Quantities were designed and tested by simulation of their use, and by contractual use for financial control of work in progress. Their contractual effect and influence on other control functions were observed. It was concluded that the form and uses of the Bill of Quantities could be changed in order to lessen the uncertainty associated with financial control by the Client, by the Contractor, and at the contractual boundary between them. The use of the Bill could be integrated more closely with other control functions, and the use of administrative resources reduced. The principal change proposed to achieve these objects was that the Bill should represent the pattern of accumulation of construction costs more realistically and simply. It should include fixed and time-related charges in addition to quantity proportional charges for the work to be done. The quantity proportional charges should be itemised in less detail than is now used. The results of experimental use of bills in this form were used to derive a proposed new form of Bill of quantities.