BQA Grade 9 flashcards
BQA Grade 9 · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Open tendering
- A procurement method where the invitation to tender is advertised publicly and any interested supplier meeting stated criteria may submit a bid, maximising competition but increasing evaluation workload.
- Bid bond purpose
- A surety protecting the client against a successful bidder who refuses to sign the contract or provide performance security, usually valued at five to ten percent of the tender price.
- Tender vs offer
- A tender submitted by a bidder is legally an offer; a binding contract arises only when the client accepts it unconditionally, and a conditional acceptance is a counter-offer.
- Two-envelope tendering
- A system where technical and priced submissions are submitted separately so the technical evaluation is completed before prices are opened, reducing price bias in assessment.
- Prequalification
- A pre-tender screening stage assessing bidders on financial capacity, technical experience, and safety record to produce a shortlist of firms invited to tender.
- Variation instruction
- A written direction from the contract administrator changing scope, quality, quantity, or timing of the works, which is then valued and certified through the change procedure.
- Extension of time
- An adjustment to the contractual completion date granted for excusable delay such as weather or client-caused events, relieving the contractor of liquidated damages for that period.
- Liquidated damages
- A pre-agreed sum payable per day of culpable delay representing a genuine estimate of the client's loss; it is unenforceable if it operates as a penalty.
- Retention
- A percentage withheld from interim payments as security for defects, commonly five percent reducing to two and a half percent at practical completion, with the balance released later.
- Practical completion
- The stage when the works are substantially complete and fit for their intended purpose, triggering handover, the defects liability period, and release of part retention.
- Letter of intent
- A pre-contract document authorising limited work or payment; it may create binding obligations if it commits payment, and does not replace a formal contract.
- Unit rate build-up
- A priced rate per measured item formed by summing labour, material, plant, subcontract, overhead, and profit components, then dividing by the measured quantity.
- Preliminaries
- Site-wide costs not attributable to measured work items, such as site management, temporary works, welfare facilities, and insurance, often priced as a lump sum.
- Contingency allowance
- A sum included in an estimate to cover identified but unquantified risk; it is not a substitute for accurate measurement of known scope.
- All-in labour rate
- A wage rate that includes base pay plus on-costs such as insurance, holiday pay, and supervision, giving the true cost of an hour of labour.
- Escalation
- An adjustment applied to an estimate to account for inflation between the estimating date and the construction period, using a stated cost index.
- Critical path
- The longest duration path through the activity network, which determines the minimum project duration and has zero total float on its activities.
- Total float
- The amount an activity can be delayed without delaying project completion, calculated as latest finish minus earliest finish for that activity.
- Free float
- The amount an activity can be delayed without affecting the early start of any successor activity, always less than or equal to total float.
- Milestone
- A zero-duration marker in a programme representing a key event, decision, or contractual date rather than a work activity with resources.
- Crashing vs fast-tracking
- Crashing shortens duration by adding resources to critical activities; fast-tracking overlaps activities normally done in sequence, increasing risk of rework.
- Dangling activity
- A network error where an activity has no predecessor or successor, breaking the logic and making the schedule unreliable for float and critical path calculation.
- Concrete curing
- Maintaining adequate moisture and temperature after placing so cement hydration continues, developing the specified strength and durability without premature drying or cracking.
- Reinforcement cover
- The depth of concrete between the steel bar surface and the outer face, protecting steel from corrosion and providing fire resistance to the reinforcement.
- Dewatering
- Lowering the groundwater level around an excavation by pumping or wellpoints to keep the work dry, with assessment of settlement risk to adjacent structures.
- Strip vs pad footing
- Strip footings support continuous load-bearing walls along their length; pad footings support isolated columns at discrete points, spreading load into the ground.
- Hierarchy of control
- A ranked order of risk controls: eliminate, substitute, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment as the last resort.
- Permit to work
- A formal written authorisation for high-risk tasks such as hot work or confined space entry, confirming hazards are identified and controls are in place before work starts.
- Excavation shoring
- Temporary support such as timbering, sheet piles, or trench boxes used to prevent collapse of excavation sides where ground conditions or space prevent safe battering.
- Waste hierarchy
- A ranked preference for managing waste: prevent, reuse, recycle, recover energy, and dispose as the least preferred option, applied to construction materials and spoil.
- Conflict of interest
- A situation where a professional's personal or financial interest could improperly influence their judgement, requiring written disclosure as soon as it becomes known.
- Bid rigging
- Collusive behaviour where bidders secretly agree on prices or outcomes to distort competition; it is unlawful and constitutes serious professional misconduct.