VICROADS – QUALITY ISSUES AND THE NEED FOR A PRE SUPPLY WORKSHEET

DR ELIZABETH GIBSON, General Manager CMPA reports on the need for a pre supply worksheet.

A meeting was held with Mark Koliba, Director Procurement and Contract Management, VicRoads; Mark Wagner (Conundrum Holdings); and Dr Elizabeth Gibson in Melbourne.

VicRoads is currently having issues of quality that has led to VicRoads prequalifying laboratories. Additionally, VicRoads undertakes surveillance of laboratories but is hampered by a 20% reduction in staff.

Currently, there are only two staff who conduct surveillance on a part time basis. Previously, the focus of VicRoads engineers has been on environmental, community and safety issues with quality being last on the list. VicRoads now have issues with pavement that needs repairing 1-2 years after works are complete. Quality has now become more of a focus for them.

There are warranty areas in the contracts issued and VicRoads is currently serving writs on contractors to repair the pavement.

A discussion was held concerning CMPA’s proposal for a pre supply worksheet. CMPA has identified a solution to assist VicRoads with improving quality issues that may be arising from incorrect supply of material due to miscommunication.

CMPA members receive orders for VicRoads contracts in a variety of ways from a telephone book size contract to a telephone call. The supplier and, therefore, VicRoads have no confirmation that the requirements are as set out in the Head Contract.

Whilst VicRoads would have redress through its contractual agreement with the contractor for any defect due to wrongly supplied material, this would obviously be after the contract has been completed. CMPA believes that a pre supply worksheet would ameliorate this issue. Ideally with a post order pre supply meeting.

For the pre supply worksheet to be effective it should:

• Establish a full disclosure of specifications and special specifications that have been incorporated into the contract exchange between VicRoads and the contractor.
• To the above point any hold point like assigned MMD’s and OMC can be exchanged.
• Establish supply dates and consider holding points that are in the head contract. Whilst we understand this would be agreed between the contractor and supplier, VicRoads would have some understanding on how both parties intend to proceed.
• Give the supplier confidence that the correct care will be given post supply so as not to invalidate the integrity of the materials concerned with any subsequent treatment through establishment of hold points and placement that need to be reached pre sealing and other treatments.
• Establish the management interface between the supplier and contractor and the procedures and personnel involved in the event of a dispute.

Also of concern to CMPA members is that payment occurs in full on presentation of complying test certificates and invoices relating to delivery to the roadbed and materials handover to the site.

Additionally, the suppliers’ terms and conditions of credit should apply as per the Security of Payment Act. This is currently not occurring with the contractor often remiss in making payments despite the requirement by VicRoads to sign that they have paid their suppliers.

CMPA are hoping that VicRoads decide to incorporate some form of pre supply document into a standard VicRoads document. CMPA is proposing to participate in developing the document to service what could a “tripartite” understanding between the parties, to ensure the quality of the end product.

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