Building Resource Manual

Design nathansomersdesign.
ie
Funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2007-2013
Building Resource Manual

Project Management Guidelines for the Construction,
design nathansomersdesign.ie
Refurbishment or Extension of Childcare Facilities
To request this document in an alternative format, contact:
Pobal
Holbrook House
Holles Street
Dublin 2
Tel: 01-2400700
Design nathansomersdesign.ie
Fax: 01-6610411
Email: enquiries@pobal.ie
Web: www.pobal.ie
Introduction
This manual has been prepared by Pobal, on behalf great detail. These are already covered in the earlier
of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth publication, We like this place, published by Pobal
Affairs (OMCYA), to support community and voluntary in 2002.
groups through the steps of a community building A brief overview of the content in each of the 12
project. Pobal collaborated in the development of stages is provided below:
this manual with PM (Project Management) Group
and Crean Salley Architects. Pobal would also like Stage 01. Getting started
to acknowledge the contributions of Alice Griffin
The initial steps of getting started such as; identifying
(DESSA), Michael Hamill (Healy Kelly Turner &
the local childcare need, setting out clear roles
Townsend) and Ann Lane (St. Annes Day Nursery,
and responsibilities of the Project Committee and
Cork),
producing a draft plan.
The manual specifically focuses on the requirements
for buildings funded by the Governments National Stage 02. Project management plan
Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) and all Developing the Project Management Plan and
guidance provided is relevant at the time of print. agreeing the project schedule and budget.
The manual is specially tailored to support voluntary Stage 03. The site
committees embarking on a community building Site investigation, certifying the proposed site/
project and aims to provide the tools for effective premises are suitable. This section also contains
project management. While each community building information on the requirement to have a legal
project is unique, they all go through the steps of charge/mortgage for NCIP capital funded projects.
planning, tendering and construction. This manual
provides a guide, including templates, to help Stage 04. Appointment of design team
community groups through each stage of the process. The importance of appointing a design team, the
various professionals which make-up a project team
How to use the resource manual structure.
This Resource Manual is available to be used by Stage 05. Contractual arrangements
all project team members working on community
Information on the public procurement guidelines
construction projects. It is recommended that each
and the form of government contracts to be applied
team member reads through this manual at the start
for NCIP capital funded projects for construction and
of the project and keeps the manual available as a
design consultant contracts.
reference point throughout the life of the project.
While many groups will be at different stages of Stage 06. Working with the architect
the process when they first read this manual, those Working with the architect to develop the project
groups approved funding should read it in conjunction brief from sketch design to complete design and
with the Capital Information Guide for Community production of a pre-tender estimate.
Providers. Those groups who wish to apply for capital
Stage 07. Planning permission
funding towards the cost of the project should read
the Resource Manual in conjunction with NCIP The planning process, the various types of planning
application guidelines available from your local City/ permission and time-frame involved through this
County Childcare Committee. process.
This manual describes the steps covering the
key stages of developing a childcare building and
highlights the decisions which must be made at
each stage. It does not cover design decisions in
Building Resource Manual Project Management Guidelines for the Construction, Refurbishment or Extension of Childcare Facilities
Building to your design gives you the opportunity to

produce the ideal facility.
Stage 08. Construction tendering & contract By completing each task before moving on to the
The tendering process for selecting and appointing next task, you will be able to successfully manage
the building contractor. your project and produce a superb resource for your
community.
Stage 09. On-site
Start of construction stage through to final sign-off The Project Management model
and completion of the childcare facility. Project management involves three basic steps.
Stage 10. Project risks 1. Plan the project.
Risk analysis, listings all risks associated with the 2. Do the project.
project and rating them appropriately between high,
3. Check that the project is adhering to the plan.
medium and low risk.
Stage 11. Design ideas
Pointers for designing the childcare facility including
information on sustainable design and building START
energy rating.
Stage 12. Review & feedback
Incorporating an effective review system over the
life-time of the project along with a final checklist.
Why project management is important

PLAN THE
PROJECT
Taking on a major capital project of this nature may

be a significant challenge for a community group, but CHECK THE
it does provide a great opportunity to create the ideal PROJECT
facility, the right size in the right place and to design

for your community.
DO THE
While many groups may see the benefit of a project PROJECT
like this, they may be daunted by all the different

tasks that must be completed. Building a community
facility requires a clear understanding and vision
of what the end service outcomes will be; this
challenges voluntary committees to articulate these
needs effectively to ensure the building professionals FINISH THE
(architects, contractors etc.) deliver the required PROJECT
facility on time and within budget.

This is best achieved through the effective use
of project management techniques. Project
management is a structured way of managing a As planning the project is the most important step
project from start through to completion. All projects in running the project, this manual concentrates
go through the same processes. This manual outlines on developing a project plan. If a good project plan
the steps that must be taken and sequences them in is developed it can give the group confidence to
a structured manner. implement the plan.
2
Contents
Stage 01 Getting started 04
Stage 02 Project management plan 11
Stage 03 The site 18
Stage 04 Appointment of design team 22
Stage 05 Contractual arrangements 27
Stage 06 Working with the architect 34
Stage 07 Planning permission 38
Stage 08 Construction tendering & contract 43
Stage 09 On-site 47
Stage 10 Project risks 50
Stage 11 Design ideas 52
Stage 12 Review & feedback 64
Appendices 1 - Useful contacts 67

Appendices 2 - Project plan 72
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Contents
STAGE 01 Getting started
Identifying the need for childcare
Forming the Project Committee
The importance and role of a Project Committee
Key personnel/professionals and their role
The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA)
Pobal
Meetings & decisions of the Project Committee
Project plan
Contents of sample project plan
Useful prompts when forming the Project Committee
4
Getting started
For community groups interested in setting up or grounded in the needs of the community.
expanding a childcare service, there are a series At this stage the basic size and type of service needs
of steps to be taken to bring the project through to be determined.
to reality. Getting started requires some basic
What age group will be catered for?
groundwork.
Will the service provide full day, part-time or
This stage gives a guide to where to start, who to
sessional care?
contact and how to prepare for the stages ahead.
It will give a brief understanding of: What facilities are needed to accommodate special
needs?
Identifying a need for childcare in the locality;
Many of these questions are addressed in the NCIP
Forming the Project Committee;
Project Proposal Summary which will have been
Developing the project plan. completed with the assistance of the CCC when
Ideally these steps should be completed in the time applying for funding. If the numbers used in that
between discussing your project idea with your local proposal were not properly researched and verified at
City/County Childcare Committee and before receipt that time, it is important to back-track and get these
of the letter of indicative funding from the Office of numbers right at this stage.
the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA). Having identified the objectives of the project (the
provision of childcare places), we can now examine
Identifying the need for childcare possible ways of providing that service. It may not be
The starting point for any childcare project involves necessary to take on a construction project. It may be
identifying the need for childcare in the locality possible to purchase or lease an existing building.
through a combination of knowing the area, All options for providing the service should be
market research and reviewing the needs analysis carefully examined.
undertaken by the local City/County Childcare Having examined all the options a preferred solution
Committee (CCC). This work will also help to identify can be selected. Details of the preferred solution
the type of service required, such as full-day care, should be documented as an output specification for
part-time, sessional, and/or out-of-school services. the project. This may be something simple like: build
At this early stage, it is essential to be clear about a 2,000 sq ft building to provide childcare places for
the extent of the need for childcare in the area, both 50 children.
at present and in the future. Gathering accurate and
real information about the area, will provide clear Forming the Project Committee
direction when the building project moves to more A need for a new or extended childcare facility has by
advanced stages. It will enable the management now been established. Contact will have been made
committee to ensure the facility built matches clearly with the County/City Childcare Committee (CCC).
with the current and future needs of the community. In moving forward, one of the first things to establish
As the process evolves, the exact type of childcare is a working committee whose specific role is to
service required will need to be expanded upon in manage this new building project. We call this
significant detail, but clarifying the basic need at the committee the Project Committee. In some instances
outset will ensure the facility delivers and responds a childcare management committee may already
to the need identified. This manual will help in be in place. However, it is good practice to form a
building up the picture, over a number of stages, in separate core group of people with specific expertise
order to ensure that when professionals are engaged to see the building project through from beginning to
at later stages in the process, their direction is clearly end.
5
It is important to know the type of building required

right from the start as this may have a considerable
impact on budget and schedule.
Note for NCIP applicants: The community group is Key personnel/professionals and their
likely to have completed an Expression of Interest role
form, may also have progressed to the next stage and
The Committee will be more productive as a small
completed the Project Proposal Framework with the
team with defined roles, as opposed to a large team
CCC. Indicative approval for capital funding from the
where roles are unclear. This will also assist in the
Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
decision making process. A team of five to six is ideal
may even have been received. The setting up of a
for most projects.
Project Committee will assist in satisfying the NCIP
requirements that follow, after funding approval and It is also necessary to appoint a person to co-ordinate
before money can be drawn down. the committee and lead the team, such as a project
manager, chairperson or co-ordinator. This person
This stage explores the idea of establishing an
needs to co-ordinate and oversee the projects
effective Project Committee. It will identify:
development from the beginning to the end. The
What a Project Committee is and why it is lead person must also ensure that there is open
important; communications between all members of the team.
The role of the Committee; Persons with specific expertise should be encouraged
Key personnel/professionals and their particular or invited onto the Committee. Ideally they will
roles. be pro-active and have appropriate experience
relevant to the project. While it is preferable
The importance and role of a Project that all team members attend all meetings, it is
Committee perfectly reasonable that some individuals will only
Establishing an effective and efficient Committee attend meetings pertinent to their role. It should
be emphasised that their role is one of guidance/
is important to the overall success of the project. It

ensures that there is a team of people with specific advice until such time as expertise is required on a
expertise to manage the project, from the early stage professional basis.
of applying for capital funding, right through to the The following are some examples of possible roles
finished development. within a Project Committee.
The community group should endeavour to source
local expertise, either within the existing group or Project manager (Chairperson/
outside it, such as an engineer, architect, builder, Co-ordinator)
accountant, solicitor or childcare worker. Where The project manager will be required to co-ordinate
possible, people with these areas of expertise should and oversee the project from beginning to end. This
be invited onto the Committee to work on a voluntary does not require that this individual does all the work,
basis. but the project manager needs to co-ordinate the
Some community groups may already have an efforts of the other team members.
established appropriate voluntary committee that An effective project manager does not need to be a
is working very well. In this case it may only require building expert. S/he sets the agenda for the group
reviewing membership, identifying gaps and inviting and keeps the group progressing to the schedule and
expertise onto the committee, as required. In the budget.
reviewing the skills of the group, the team should The project manager may also act as spokesperson
be very mindful that the construction of a childcare for the group and link with relevant external bodies
facility requires a very different set of skills than such as Pobal.
those required to operate the childcare facility.
6
Architect/engineer Support from key project sponsors is important to the
success of the project.
An architect or building specialist will advise on site
and construction matters at an early stage until the
City/County Childcare Committee
appointment of the Design Team. S/he may also
representative
advise on site suitability and procedures to procure a
Design Team. Each city and county has a City/County Childcare
Committee (CCC) dedicated to supporting local
Childcare advisor childcare services and playing a key role in
implementing the NCIP. One of the roles of the CCC
An experienced childcare advisor will bring valuable
is to carry out a needs analysis of the city/county to
experience to the project in terms of having a good
identify gaps in the provision of childcare service.
working knowledge of the needs of the childcare
The CCC is the first point of contact when considering
service. S/he may also advise on the drawing up of
setting up or expanding a service and provides
plans and appropriate layout and provision of rooms.
support with:
Financial advisor Accessing information on the NCIP at local level
This person should be competent with financial Facilitating applicants through the stages of the
matters and will play an essential role in monitoring funding process
the budget, maintaining records and advising on Expression of Interest forms
financial matters throughout the project. Completing Project Proposal Framework
Supporting quality development of childcare
Legal & insurance advisor
services
A person with legal background or relevant legal
The CCC is charged with providing an initial
experience will advise on the setting up a legal
assessment of the funding proposals against the
structure for a company, limited or otherwise, and
criteria of local need, value for money and quality of
advise on title documents, executing a mortgage
the proposal.
charge, site procurement, contract documents and
legal requirements. A City/CCC representative would have useful
information (both local and broader) and expertise to
It may be difficult for the group to get this expertise
bring to any childcare project. For community groups
on a voluntary basis so the group may decide to
seeking capital funding, in particular, the CCC can act
appoint a solicitor to complete these tasks and
as an advisory link between the committee and Pobal,
provide general legal advice to the group.
especially at key stages throughout the project (such
Outside the core Project Committee, there are many as application, finance draw down and reporting
other individuals and stakeholders who can have a stages).
positive or negative impact on the project.
The Office of the Minister for Children
Project sponsor and Youth Affairs (OMCYA)
The project sponsor may not be part of the Project The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth
Committee, but is a key person ensuring the success Affairs (OMCYA) within the Department of Health and
of the project. Children has responsibility for government policy
The sponsor is someone who has authority to make relating to childcare, child protection and welfare,
key decisions on the project; for example, if the juvenile justice and early years education.
development is on church property, the parish priest The OMCYA is responsible for the National Childcare
may be the project sponsor. Investment Programme (NCIP) which involves
7
the allocation of grant aid for the development of How often will they meet?
childcare facilities. With regard to applications Who will be responsible for the different aspects of
for childcare funding, the OMCYA, as part of the the project?
Department of Health and Children:
How will they make decisions?
Directs the policy and sets the criteria for funding
How will they manage through busy periods or
Chairs the Programme Appraisal Committee through holiday periods?
Makes the final decision on all applications Investing time and effort in agreeing these rules of
Communicates funding decisions to the applicant, operation will save a lot of angst and disquiet later
CCC and Pobal. in the process. It is better that any awkward issues
are openly discussed and all issues brought to the
Pobal fore where they can be dealt with, otherwise issues
Pobal manages the day to day operations of the tend to linger and cause ongoing disruption to the
National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) on cohesive working of the team.
behalf of the Office of the Minister for Children and
Youth Affairs (OMCYA), and : Project plan
Provides support to and liaises with the City/ Having established the need for the project and
County Childcare Committees and funded created the Project Committee, the first task for the
beneficiaries; committee is to establish a project plan.
Undertakes checks of county portfolios of funding Experience shows that investing time at the start of
applications for accuracy, consistency and the process, specifically in developing a good project
completeness; plan, will have the greatest impact on delivering a
successful project to a realistic timetable.

Reviews all information and submits
recommendations to the OMCYA Programme At a minimum, a project plan answers basic
Appraisal Committee; questions about the project:
Manages the expenditure, implementation and Why? Why is this project being proposed? Is the
monitoring of grant aid with all approved projects. need for the project clearly defined?
What? - What is the work that will be carried out?
Meetings & decisions of the Project Who? - Who will be involved and what are their
Committee responsibilities within the project? How will they
One of the first tasks of the committee is to decide be organised?
how they will operate as a team. This is the first When? - What is the project timeline and when will
occasion where a skilful project manager is required. particularly meaningful points be complete?
Ideally the group will form a cohesive effective team Where? Where will the facility be built? Is the site
which is able to make good decisions quickly. secured?
The team leader needs to find the right balance
How much? - What is the project budget and how
between being authoritarian or alternatively having
will it be managed?
endless debate and no decisions.
Risks? What are the major risks associated with
The group needs to make decisions on issues, such
the project?
as:
Developing the project plan can be a tedious and
Who will be the Project manager/Committee
difficult exercise as it asks many detailed questions of
chairperson?
the new committee. As the group agrees on these key
8
decisions, it should record its decisions in the project Appendix 2 includes a template for a project plan.
plan. When completing the plan, the team should complete
As the project evolves and more information it as they see fit so as to personalise the plan to make
becomes available, it may be necessary to update the it relevant to the team and to its project. While the
project plan. For many projects, a good project plan plan should be documented, this can be
developed at the start of the project will be sufficient handwritten if necessary.
to see the project through to completion.
Contents of a Sample Project Plan
Section 1 Project A brief description of the Project Committee including the team members
Committee and their roles within the team;
Contact numbers should also be listed.
Section 2 Project There are three headings in this section:

description Current & future service provision: This is a verification of the information
provided in NCIP application, Project Proposal Summary;
Description of the service to be provided;
Description of the proposed new facility.
Section 3 Budget This provides:
A summary of the planned expenditure and sources of funding for the
project;
Details of cost control and cash flow projections should also be provided.
Section 4 The site Description of the site, whether or not a site has been identified or secured.
Section 5 Working with Describe the contractual arrangements that will be established with the
the architect various professional services including the method that will be used to
procure those services.
Outline the work that the architect will be required to do.
Section 6 Working with Describe the contractual arrangements that will be established with the
the contractor construction contractor including the method that will be used to hire the
contractor.
Section 8 Project Summarise the project schedule by listing the key milestones; for example,
schedule commence construction and complete construction.
Section 9 Project risks Identify the critical project risks; give brief description on why they are critical
and how they are going to be managed.
Consider risks under each of the sections of this plan, e.g. Project Team,
Service provision, Budget, Site, Architect, Contractor and Schedule.
9
It is tempting to get stuck into the project before

developing a project plan. Taking time to develop
a plan will pay dividends later.
Useful prompts when forming the

Project Committee
Is there a clear understanding of the role of the
committee?
Is there a current committee in place? If so, is
it working efficiently and effectively and what
improvements can be made?
Is there a lead person to represent the team?
Are there available experienced professionals
willing to join the Project Committee on a
voluntary basis?
Are there any conflict of interest issues that need
to be addressed?
Are all proposed members of the committee
understanding and committed to their role as team
members?
Have the why, what, who, when, where, how
much and risks been assessed and clearly been
documented.
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Project management plan

Contents
Project Committee
Project description
Budget
The site
Working with the architect
Working with the contractor
Project risks
Developing a project schedule
Developing a project budget
11
Project management
plan
Completing a good project plan is a very important Budget
step in the process of developing a successful project.
Provide a summary of the planned expenditure and
This section of the manual lists the key areas which
sources of funding for the project.
should be addressed within the plan. The key point
about any plan is that the plan is owned by the entire There are more details on budgeting and controlling
team. project costs further on in this section under
developing a project budget.
The process of developing the plan is as important as
the plan itself. Take time to develop a good plan, and
The site
make it personal to your project. Do not copy a plan
from another group. Somebody elses plan, even if it If the group has a site, provide details about the site;
is a good plan, it is still their plan. It is not your plan. for example, location and dimensions. If a site has
not yet been secured, describe how the site will be
A template for a project plan is included in Appendix
procured and the requirements for a new site.
2 of this manual. This section gives a brief guide to
STAGE 02 Project management plan
completing that plan. There are more details on sites and site selection
in Stage 3 of this manual and also in We like this
Project Committee place.
List the names and roles/responsibilities of each

Working with an architect
member of the Project Committee.
Provide details of the contractual relationships that
Successful teams are teams where people have clear
will be entered into with the architect or any other
roles and responsibilities. The Project manager and
professional services.
other key members of the project team should be
identified. There are more details on procuring an architect and
working with the architect in Stages 5 and 6 of this
Where possible, there should be a financial, legal,
manual.
building design and childcare advisor on the
Committee. This stage should detail how the group Working with the contractor
makes decisions.
Provide details of the contractual relationships that
The project plan should identify who the owner of will be entered into with the contractor or any sub-
the complete facility will be and the legal status of contractors.
that owner.
There are more details on procuring a contractor and
Project description working with the contractor in Stage 8 of this manual.
The Committee will already have carried out an Project risks

exercise to determine the need for a childcare service
Provide a list of the major risks associated with the
in the area as part of the NCIP project proposal. This
project, including the probability of their occurrence,
exercise would have covered the type and number of
level of impact and brief description of how the
childcare places to be provided.
Committee will deal with each major risk.
At this point the committee needs to re-confirm these
There are additional details on project risks in Stage
numbers so as to ensure that the project is based on
10 of this manual.
accurate data.
The group also needs to consider other ways of Developing a project schedule
achieving this objective; for example, is there another
building available which the group may use? Providing structure
This may be an intimidating exercise as it is often at
12 this point that individuals realise the volume of work
An option worth investigating is that sites can
sometimes be made available from a local authority
as part of a community service. In some cases
community groups have successfully secured a free
site from their local authority.
ahead of them. This fear is unnecessary, as we now In practice, a little slack should be built in to allow
have a structured way to approach the task at hand. some tolerance against delays. Other similar projects
Having developed a project description, the next thing should also be considered. Many individuals will have
is to decide what the team actually needs to do, and built their own house and will know how long the
how to do it. To do this a list of all the tasks involved process requires from start through to finish.
will need to be generated. Establishing controls
Having developed the list of tasks, we can then As the project moves from the planning phase into
organise them in a structured way and assign the doing phase, progress must be monitored
responsibility to individuals for the different tasks. against the plan. This can be done by establishing a
This list of tasks is referred to as a Work Breakdown series of milestones along the way.
Structure or WBS in project management literature. If
Milestones are key points along the way to completing
any of these tasks are too complex to describe easily,
the project. Using these milestones, the committee
break it down into another level of sub tasks, until a
can monitor progress and take the appropriate
complete list of clear and simple tasks is reached.
corrective action. For example, if the schedule stated
Under the terms of the NCIP, the committee needs that the Design Team should be in place on May 1st
to sign a contract within a specified timeframe. This and that date has come and gone and the Design
timeframe will be specified on the letter of indicative Team is still not in place, the group should review the
approval from the OMCYA. In order to achieve this situation to understand why the project is running
time line, the committee is advised to complete as behind schedule. The group also needs to understand
much preparation work as possible before receipt of the implications for the rest of the project and if there
the letter. This preparation work can be completed is anything it can do to recover the lost time.
without incurring significant costs.
Milestone Plan to be
Sequencing of tasks completed by
Having developed the list of tasks we need to order Form Project Committee 01 Jan 2008
the tasks to produce a project schedule. This is
Expression of Interest (EOI) Form 01 March 2008
often carried out using software tools like Microsoft submitted to CCC
Project or Primevera but the process is more
Project plan agreed 01 April 2008
important than the software used. For many projects
Project Proposal Framework submitted 01 May 2008
a schedule can be created on a spreadsheet or even
to CCC
on paper.
Receive letter of grant approval from 10 Jan 2009
In sequencing the tasks, there are two things that OMCYA
must be done, Site secured 01 Mar 2009
Establish dependencies; for example, work cannot Procure Design Team 01 May 2009
begin on the roof until the walls have been built
Apply for planning permission 01 Aug 2009
and given enough time to set.
Planning permission secured 01 Nov 2009
Estimate work and time required; for example, it
may require four months to complete the process Building design complete 01 Dec 2009
of hiring an architect. Issue tender document 01 Dec 2009
A common error at this point is to develop over- Fire Certificate secured 01 Dec 2009
optimistic time requirements. It is human nature to Contractor hired 01 Mar 2010
ignore difficulties and to assume that the best case Commence construction 01 Apr 2010
scenario will apply, even though we know that it
Practical completion & handover 20 Dec 2010
rarely does.
Fit-out complete 31 Jan 2011 13
14
Sample Project Schedule n Milestone n Time Period
Activity Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J
Form Project
Committee
Expression of
Interest (EOI)
Project plan
agreed
Project Proposal
Framework
Receive letter
from OMCYA
Site secured
Procure Design
Team
Apply for planning

permission
Receive planning
permission
Complete building
design
Prepare tender
document
Fire Certificate
secured
Contractor hired
Construction
Practical
completion &
handover
Facility open

Developing a project budget Unforeseen Costs
The importance of proper budgeting in the No project is ever designed perfectly; there will
construction and development of a new childcare always be unforeseen conditions or mistakes that
facility cannot be over-emphasised. Developing a will require a construction change order. The
comprehensive and detailed budget is one of the key contingency budgets for these unknown additions to
steps toward ensuring the smooth progression of the the project.
project. On a straightforward new build a 10% contingency
In developing a project budget the group needs to is recommended. On a more complicated project
consider all the costs associated with the project, not like a refurbishment of an existing building, a 15%
just the construction costs. contingency is recommended.
A list of typical costs which can be used as a prompt If this contingency is not utilised in the construction,
to ensure that all costs are identifioed is listed below. the group can use the funds for other useful
At the outset of the project, the group will not have purposes like furniture or equipment.
solid cost data available for many of the cost headings Protect the contingency. The temptation may be
listed below. In this case realistic estimates can be to surrender the contingency to the first item that
used. These estimates may be based on known cost comes in over budget. If this happens there will be no
per square foot /metre or some other known cost contingency for the remainder of the project.
data. As more solid information becomes available, it
is important to update the budget. Late design or brief changes
Having developed a budget at the outset of the Late changes to the brief are all too common
project, that budget needs to be managed throughout on projects. These changes result in increased
the life of the project. professional fees, increased construction costs and
There are three major issues to be aware of: delays to the project.
Actual costs varying from the original estimate, Changes to the design or brief should not be accepted
unless the implications on the budget have been
Unforeseen costs,
clearly understood. This may require cutting costs
Late design or brief changes. back on other items to achieve the project within the
overall budget available to the group.
Actual costs varying from the original
estimate & unforeseen costs Typical budget line items
It is critical to continuously update the budget as
A: Acquisition
estimates become actual costs, and to balance the
total project costs with the total funds available. Building/land
As the tendency is for all parties to underestimate Acquisition price of the land or building.
costs, it is advisable to always include a contingency.
Building inspections
Another issue of which to be mindful is runaway
If purchasing an existing building a detailed
design, where the architect and project group
inspection of the building will be required.
repeatedly tweak the design, adding cost throughout
the project. An example of this is where the group Legal costs
agrees to a higher quality finish than was originally The cost of conveyance.
budgeted for.
15
B: Professional fees Insurance

Project management, architecture and engineering The site must be insured during the course of
construction. This responsibility can be passed over
This cost covers the design of the building,
to the main contractor or the Committee can carry
preparation of construction documents and
the cost itself. If the contractor is responsible for
overseeing the construction. For budgeting purposes,
providing the insurance, verification should be sought
approximately 15% of the total project costs should
that this insurance is in place before construction
be allocated for professional fees.
commences.
Site surveys
Site surveys may be required to examine the E: Furnishings and equipment
foundation and soil conditions of the site. This helps Programme equipment
determine if the site can support the design and
Administrative and office equipment needed for
construction of the project. Fees for such services
operations. The needs and an estimate of costs
depend on the nature of the survey required.

should be determined.
C: Construction Data & communication equipment
Renovation costs The costs of phone and computer cabling and
Cost for renovating an existing building. equipment, if these costs are not part of the
construction budget.
New construction costs
Security equipment
Cost for new construction of a building.
The costs of equipment and cabling for a security
D: Project financing fees and costs system for the facility.
Legal fees Other furnishings

These may include conveyancing costs, establishing Other necessary furnishings for operations in the
a legal entity, review of contracts, review of loan facility.
documents, etc. Outdoor Play Area
Loan interest The costs of outdoor play area and landscaping if
If it is necessary to take out a bridging loan, interest these costs are not part of the construction budget.
may be incurred on this loan. It should be noted that
loan interest is not an eligible expenditure under F: Project contingency
NCIP. Groups are recommended to consider their This is set-aside for cost overruns. On a
ability to repay loans over the short/long term. straightforward new build, a 10% contingency is
Stamp duty recommended. On a more complicated project
like a refurbishment of an existing building, a 15%
Stamp duty may become due and payable during the
contingency is recommended.
course of the construction project.
Commercial property rates
Commercial rates are a property-based source
of income that is levied by local councils on the
occupiers of commercial and industrial properties.
This includes shops, factories, offices and land.
16
Sample Typical project budget
Total project budget Notes Total cost

A. Acquisition
Building/land Purchase Price 237,000
Building Inspections Estimate 3,000
Legal costs Estimate 7,000
B. Professional fees
Professional fees % of construction costs 80,000
Site surveys Estimate 10,000
C. Construction
Renovation costs Per square foot
New construction costs Per square foot 400,000
D. Project financing fees and costs
Legal fees Estimate 25,000
Loan interest Estimate 3,000
E. Furnishings and equipment
Program equipment Estimate 40,000
Data & communication equipment Estimate 25,000
Security equipment Estimate 15,000
Other furnishings Estimate 25,000
Outdoor play Area Estimate 15,000
Stamp duty Based on purchase price
Commercial property rates Published rates
Insurance Brokers advice
F. Contingency 10% of project cost 100,000
G. Miscellaneous 20,000
Planning permission
Fire Certificate
Capital contributions
Utilities connection costs
Site security
Start up costs
Other
Total Development Cost 1,000,000

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STAGE 03 The site
The site
Contents
Introduction
Brownfield site
Greenfield Site
Protected structures
Archaeological sites
Site purchase/lease
Legal charge/mortgage
Recommendation
Prompts
18
The site
Introduction Brownfield site

Once the basic style and scale of the service are clear A Brownfield site is defined as a site that has
it is now a case of looking for a premises or site. previously been developed and may have potential
The suitability of the site is crucial to the success of for redevelopment. It may involve reusing an existing
the project and it is advisable to engage professional building by converting, renovating or extending it, or
help if in any doubt as to the suitability of a potential demolishing it and building a new one.
site/premises. When considering redevelopment, it is advisable
This stage examines: that professional advice be obtained to confirm if
the proposed development is permissible and to
Some of the typical sites that may be considered;
ascertain the level of work and costs involved.
Site purchase or lease options.
There is no particular benefit in developing a
Remember that all sites are different and each Brownfield versus a Greenfield site. It all depends on
requires individual consideration. It is vital that the suitability of the existing building whether or not
when assessing sites, the team considers any it is worth developing. In some cases, it may cost less
potential pitfalls that may result in additional to develop a new building. It is essential to secure
building costs, such as poor ground and drainage, professional advice from an architect, engineer or
site gradient, difficult access, no adjacent services quantity surveyor to assess any benefits either way.
such as electricity, gas, sewage, drainage, etc. The Legal advice should be obtained before making any
committee, or committee member who is responsible final decisions.
for this element of the project, should consult with an
engineer or architect on the sites suitability from the Greenfield Site
outset.
A Greenfield site is defined as undeveloped land.
Community groups are advised to consult the local Again, the committee is advised to obtain professional
authoritys Development Plan for the area to check advice and to consult with the local authority on the
the category of zoning for any site considered. suitability of the site and the possibility of obtaining
Sites, or land, can be zoned by a local authority for planning permission.
residential, industrial, agricultural or community use
only. This may impact upon the possibility of securing Protected structures
planning permission for a childcare facility on a Sometimes buildings are protected for historical
particular site. reasons or for reasons of architectural merit. These
If there is any suspicion of unusual or risky ground are listed in the City or County Development Plan for
conditions, it is essential to investigate the risk the area, which can be viewed at the planning office
before committing to the site. It may be necessary of the local authority.
to have site investigations undertaken at an early Care should be taken regarding such structures and
stage (including soil analysis and examination of professional advice obtained to ascertain the planning
ground conditions) by a civil/structural/geo-technical authoritys requirements if it is proposed to alter or
engineer if so advised by the Design Team (see Stage extend such structures. In all cases requiring change
4). to a protected structure, the permission of the local
Note for NCIP applicants: planning authority is required.
If the building is being grant aided by NCIP, specific In many cases specialist professional advice may be
requirements are set out in the funding contract required from conservation architects. Most local
relating to ownership of the property/site. authorities have in-house conservation architects
that can provide this advice.
19
Archaeological sites Recommendation

Should a site be zoned as being of archaeological The lease or purchase of a site is very important
interest, it will be necessary to carry out site and before it takes place, legal and other specialist
investigations before carrying out any work. Design Team advice is essential. It is advisable to
This can be expensive and time consuming, as under secure planning permission prior to purchasing
legislation the client/owner may be responsible for a site, i.e. purchase the site subject to securing
funding any excavation and investigation required. planning permission.
Professional advice from an archaeologist is essential It is also advisable that a written report from legal
and should be sought at an early stage. advisors, architects and engineers as to the suitability
of any site for the proposed project is obtained. This
Site purchase/lease will allow the assessment of any additional works
A site may be purchased outright or leased. and hitherto unforeseen costs to be included in the
STAGE 03 The site
overall budget cost prepared by a quantity surveyor.

Community childcare services are always encouraged
to secure the maximum lease possible in order to
safeguard the interests of the childcare service and
Prompts
ensure its longevity. The following is a list of possible questions that
should be asked in assessing the suitability of any
Note for NCIP applicants:
site. These questions are particularly relevant in
If leasing premises, a long-term lease will normally
cases where the community group does not already
be required as part of the funding contract,
have a site, but should also be used to examine the
depending on the amount of funding approved.1
suitability of a site that is already leased/owned or
that the group has in mind. The most appropriate
Legal charge/mortgage
person(s) responsible for each question is suggested
Under the NCIP, projects approved for 200,000 or in brackets, where relevant.
more in capital funding are subject to the creation of
Have we already got a site?
a legal charge (a lien or mortgage) over the property
in favour of the Office of the Minister for Children and Do we need to find a site?
Youth Affairs. The threshold of 200,000 relates to the Is the geographical location of the site suitable?
purchase, building or refurbishment of a property, Is the site zoned for the proposed use under the
not including the costs for fixtures and fittings. The local authoritys Development Plan for the area?
purpose of this is to ensure that the monies are used
Will planning permission be easily obtained?
for the purposes granted and that where this does
(architect)
not occur, there will be an obligation to repay the
grant monies. Can the site be purchased subject to planning
permission?
It is important that the group has the authority to
provide this lien. If the site is leased or the group is Are there likely to be objections to the proposed
granted use of the site by another organisation, for development?
example, a church body or sporting organisation, If purchasing the site, is the cost coming from
the lien will need to be authorised by the owner of the within the project budget?
property. Can the site be purchased from the local authority
at a reasonable cost?
1
These requirements are set out in detail in the NCIP Application
Process Toolkit held by each CCC
20
2
Do we have sufficient professional advice to These conditions are set out in the Capital Information Guide for
Community Providers available on www.pobal.ie.
purchase/lease the site?
Has legal advice been sought?
Is the site serviced with essential services, such
as drainage, electricity, water, sewage, telephone
lines etc., and suitable for development? If not,
what are the costs required to service the site?
(architect)
Are the costs of site development included in the
budget?
Is the site suitable to take the foundations of a new
building with reasonable costs? (engineer)
Will additional works be required to secure
the foundations? If so, what will the costs be?
(engineer and quantity surveyor)
Is the site level to allow easy access? (architect)
Is the orientation of the site suitable? (For
example, what is the orientation of the site for
maximising the passive solar gain for the new
build?) (architect)
Will the site require additional costs to develop
before work on the building begins? (architect)
Is legal title clear to lease or purchase?
Are there any easements on the site, i.e. do other
persons have a right to access or utilise the site?
Is the site subject to planning restrictions; for
example, historic interest, area of conservation,
archaeological interest?
For projects approved 200,000 or more in capital
funding, will there be difficulty creating a legal
charge (a lien or mortgage) over the property in
favour of the OMCYA?
Has the engineer carried out site suitability tests
and approved the site?
If leasing the site, do the terms of the lease allow
the group to meet the NCIP contractual conditions
on the length of operation of service? 2
All of the above questions should be addressed at the
earliest possible time.
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Appointment of design team

Contents
Introduction
Why appoint a Design Team?
Design Team members
Project Team structures
Integrating the Design Team and the contractor into a Project Team
22
Appointment of design team
Introduction can ensure that the project remains within budget.

By this stage of the process, the Project Committee is A good Design Team will guide the project through
in place and a project plan has been agreed. The next each phase such as agreeing concept designs,
important step is the appointment of the Design Team. securing planning permission, costing the project,
Before proceeding through the process of tendering appointing the building contractor and supervising the
for and selecting a Design Team, it is important to construction through to completion.
be familiar with the various types of professionals
with whom the Committee may be in contact with Design Team members
throughout the development and implementation of Different projects will require different Design Teams
the project including the different forms of contract based on the complexity of the project. While a range
that are available to be used. of these specialities may be required, one organisation
In this stage we will look at: may be able to provide one or more of the required
services.
The different design professions that may be
required; The following are suggested members of a Design
Team:
Different project team structures (between the
architect, engineers, contractors, sub-contractors);
Health and Safety
Form of contract for the appointment of design
The Project Committee will be considered as a client
professionals and contractors.
under the Health and Welfare at Work (Construction)
We will also look at the process to appoint a Design Regulations 2006. The first duty of the client will be
Team. to appoint (in writing and before design works starts) a
Project Supervisor for the Design Process (PSDP)3.
Why appoint a Design Team? It is a legal requirement to make this appointment.
Designing and building a new childcare facility is a
The role of the PSDP is to ensure that the design is
complex issue requiring the input of many different
safe to build and safe to operate. As this is a design
specialists. An architect can design the building, but a
safety role, it is preferable that the lead designer
structural engineer may also be required to verify that
fulfils this role. Even though many architects may not
the foundations will support the building. A quantity
wish to be the PSDP, this should be included in the
surveyor may be required to manage the costs of
scope of services for the architect.
the project. Other specialists may also be required,
depending on the nature of the project and the site. The client will also appoint a Project Supervisor for
the Construction Stage (PSCS). The role of the PSCS is
As the Design Team costs will normally account for
to ensure that the designs are safely constructed. The
between 10% and 15% of the complete project cost,
main contractor is the ideal person to fulfil this role.
this is a significant component of the total project
cost. However securing a good Design Team should
Architect
produce a superior building which will be more
efficient to operate and maintain. The architects skills include concept design,
detailed design, contract administration and project
A well-conceived project can be built more efficiently
management. The architect is trained to deal with all
and economically. The Design Team can help the
aspects of building and advising on the need for other
group through the various regulatory steps and
expertise when required.
produce a superior design. This can include issues like
energy efficiency and effective use of natural daylight. The architect has the expertise to act as the
By specifying the correct quality finish, the architect lead designer co-ordinating the different design
professionals. S/he also manages the contractor on
23
site and, in addition, acts as the main contact point Other consultants
between the committee and the other designers and

The above listed consultants form the nucleus of the
contractors.
appointed Design Team. From time to time, however,
other specialist advisors may be required depending
Quantity Surveyor
on the project and its specific requirements. The lead
The quantity surveyor is a professional trained to designers role would be to advise the committee
provide financial advice to the client and architect should such appointments be required. Other
from early on in the project. The quantity surveyor specialists possibly required could include the
will co-ordinate all costs from the start (including following:
site purchase, building construction, professional
fees and local authority charges) and present the Planning consultant;
client from the outset with a financial package Landscape architect/designer;
or framework within which to work. The quantity Interior architect/designer;
surveyor will, at various stages of the project,
Conservation architect;
produce budget updates to help control spending and
complete the project within the approved budget. Archaeologist;
Fire consultant;
Structural/Civil Engineer Asbestos specialist;
The structural/civil engineer will work with the Timber specialist;
architect and Design Team from early in the project.
Damp and dry rot specialist;
S/he will advise on the suitability of the site (and
existing building, where appropriate) and site Acoustics specialist.
services, including water and drainage. The engineer The above list is not exhaustive but indicates a range
will also deal with structural elements such as of other possible specialists which in seldom cases
foundations, columns, beams, etc. and will assist may be required.
the architect by designing a cost effective structure.
The engineer will carry out a site inspection and Project Team structures
attend site meetings during the construction works, Projects are usually carried out by teams including;
ensuring the design is being carried out by the
The client represented by the committee and
contractor to the required standards.
led by the project manager (often committee
Mechanical/Electrical Engineers chairperson).
The mechanical and electrical engineers will also Design Team (consultants), usually led by an
work with the architect and Design Team from early architect, but also containing civil/structural
on and will advise on the environmental requirements mechanical & electrical engineers, quantity
of the building, such as heating, ventilation, internal surveyors, Health & Safety and specialist
drainage, lighting, electrical services, insulation and consultants.
energy conservation. The mechanical and electrical Contractors and sub-contractors.
engineers will also liaise with service providers, such
as the ESB, Bord Gis, telecommunications providers
and the local authority.
24
Design Team structure b. Single appointment of lead designer for provision
of all the services
The Design Team contains different specialities which
can be procured in two different arrangements.
a. Lead designer with separate contracts for the CLIENT
different specialities
Under this arrangement the lead designer, usually
LEAD DESIGNER/
the architect, is appointed as the lead designer and ARCHITECT
is required to co-ordinate the services of the other

designers. These services are recruited separately by
the client and are contracted directly by the client. MECHANICAL CIVIL/ QUANTITY HEALTH & OTHER
& ELECTRICAL STRUCTURAL SURVEYOR SAFETY CONSULTANTS
Many architects and engineering services firms are ENGINEER ENGINEER
familiar with this arrangement.
CLIENT
This organisational arrangement is becoming more
popular, especially for smaller publicly funded
projects (less then 2.0m). Under this arrangement
LEAD DESIGNER/ the lead designer provides all of the required
ARCHITECT
services. The lead designer may have this capability
in-house or may need to subcontract some of the
services to appropriate specialists.
MECHANICAL CIVIL/
As the client has only one contract, it is easier to
QUANTITY HEALTH & OTHER
& ELECTRICAL STRUCTURAL SURVEYOR SAFETY CONSULTANTS
ENGINEER ENGINEER
establish this Design Team. It is the lead designers
responsibility to ensure that the different team
members cooperate. In the event of a defect or a
With this arrangement the client needs to establish dispute, the client is in a strong position as there is
separate contracts with each service provider. This only one contractual relationship.
may involve tendering and reviewing quotes for each It is anticipated that most NCIP applicants will pursue
service, which may be a difficult administrative task this structure.
for the client.
The client does have control over each speciality but Integrating the Design Team and the
needs to remain close to the project to ensure that contractor into a Project Team
each team member is co-operating properly with There are many different project team structures
each of the other team members. which can be pursued of which the most common
In the event of a dispute, the client may find it are:
difficult to identify the source of the problem as Traditional;
each consultant may attempt to pass the blame onto
Design and build.
another organisation.
Each method has its own merits.
This arrangement is suitable for large multi-million
euro projects but may be too cumbersome for
projects funded under NCIP.
25
Traditional The contractor assumes responsibility for completing

the design and the construction of the facility. This

Traditional structure is the most common
arrangement has advantages as it requires only one
organisational structure used in Ireland.
contract and passes many of the risks over to the
The traditional form of contracting is where the client contractor.
appoints a Design Team to produce the design, and
As the contractor is now responsible for design, the
subsequently appoints a main contractor to construct
client has less influence over the design. This has
the building in accordance with the design.
advantages as it removes a large burden from the
client however it also removes a lot of control. As
CLIENT
the contractor is responsible for design decisionss/
he will ensure that the design is the most economic
solution that can be found, even if this is not entirely
to the clients satisfaction.
DESIGN TEAM CONSTRUCTION
LED BY
DESIGNER
TEAM LED BY
MAIN CONTRACTOR
The client needs to very carefully specify the
requirements for the building and should appoint an
architect to complete this task. An example of the
type of difficulties that can occur is where the client
NOMINATED
SUB-CONTRACTORS
DOMESTIC
SUB-CONTRACTORS specifies wooden floors and the contractor supplies
(SPECIALIST)
a chip-board floor. Technically this is in compliance
with the specification, but is very different from what
Traditional Organisational Structure
the client anticipated.
The contractor is usually appointed after the design
This solution works well on civil projects like roads,
is completed having been selected through a tender
but is not ideal for a childcare building project.
process. The price from the contractor is based on a
3
Bill of Quantities4 which describes the works. Appointment is made by sending an AF1 form to the Health & Safety
Authority. Further details are available at www.hsa.ie
While there is no contractual relationship between 4
A Bill of Quantities (BOQ) is an itemised list of materials, parts,
the lead designer and the main contractor, the lead and labour (with their costs) required to construct the building. It is
designer will typically oversee the construction to usually prepared by a quantity surveyor and used by contractors to
develop a price to construction the building
ensure that the building is completed as per the
designs.
Most projects should use this approach unless the
committee has a compelling reason to pursue an
alternative arrangement.
Design & build

Under this arrangement the client appoints the
contractor to provide the completed building to
the agreed cost and schedule. Instead of working
to a Bill of Quantities and a completed design, the
contract documents would typically include an output
specification setting out the functional requirements
that the facility should accommodate together
with the expected functional life, maintenance
requirements, etc.
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Contractual arrangements
Contents
Public procurement guidelines
Does the Government Capital Works Management Framework apply?
Contract for construction services
Public works contracts
Process for the appointment of design consultants
Evaluation criteria to select a lead designer
27
Contractual
arrangements
STAGE 05 Contractual arrangements
Public procurement guidelines These requirements were introduced by Government

to assist publicly funded capital projects avoid cost
Public procurement ranges from the purchase of
over-runs (i.e. the increase in project cost between
routine supplies or services to formal tendering and
the tender price accepted and the final completion
placing contracts for large infrastructural projects.
cost) of building contracts, and also to assist with
To cover this range, there are different procedures
implementation of standardised conditions for the
depending on what is being purchased, with simple
employment of construction consultants.
procedures for simple purchases and more complex
procedures for more complex projects. The procurement process is fundamentally the same,
whether purchasing goods or construction services
The key point about public procurement is that the
or construction itself. The only thing that is different
process should be open and fair. For projects of
is that a different contract is used.
value less than 50,000, there is very little difference
between public procurement guidelines and what
Which form of contract should be used
normally happens in the private sector. For example,
if a private service provider wanted to get a builder to A project that is more than 50% publicly funded, when
do a garage conversion or an architect to design the entering into a contract, must use a Public Works
conversion, they would get three quotes, choose the Contract, the types of contracts to be used are the
winner and enter a contract with the winner. following:
Groups funded under NCIP should adhere to the Purchase of goods - e.g., furniture. Any purchase
following public procurement procedures for capital contract
grants: Construction services - e.g., to hire an architect.
for goods/services with a value less than 5,000 The government contract - standard conditions
(excluding VAT) one written quote is required; of engagement for construction related services
should be used;
for goods/services with a value between 5,000
and 10,000 (excluding VAT) three written quotes Construction works - Public works contract should
are required; be used.
for goods/services with a value between 10,000 One important point on public works contracts is
and 50,000 (excluding VAT) three written quotes that they are fixed price contracts. In order for the
or tender process is required; contractor or architect to give a fixed price for the job,
the client has to provide a fixed specification for the
for goods/services greater that 50,000 (excluding
job. It is therefore important that the client be sure
VAT) must be advertised and the contract awarded
of what is required from the architect, and also that
after a tender process.
architect complete the design before the appointment
Standard Conditions for Engagement of of the contractor.
Construction Consultants and Public Works
Contracts for Construction Projects Does the Government Capital Works
The Irish Government has introduced a new Management Framework apply?
Government Capital Works Management Framework If a construction project is subsidised by 50% or
to be used on construction projects as a sub-set of more with public funding, then groups must comply
the broader public procurement procedures. with the Government Capital Works Management
The framework consists of two parts: Framework. This means that all public works
(i) Standard Conditions for Engagement of contracts and standard conditions for engagement of
Construction Consultants consultants must be used. If the construction project
(ii) Public Works Contracts for Construction Projects is funded, but public funds are contributing less
28
than 50% of the total cost, the Government Capital All of these contracts are available to download from
Works Management Framework does not apply to the www.constructionprocurement.gov.ie
project, however, funded groups must comply with For more information on public procurement, please
normal public procurement procedures. refer to Pobals Guideline for Public Procurement
In determining whether or not Government Capital available at www.pobal.ie
Works Management Framework applies, the group Further information is also available at
must consider the project as a whole. www.etenders.gov.ie
On this basis, most community based groups
will be subject to the Government Capital Works
Management Framework as they typically receive
over 50% funding.
Contract for construction services

A contract titled, Standard conditions for the
engagement for construction consultants has been
developed and must be used to appoint consultants
who work on construction projects which are over
50% publicly funded.
Under this contract, all professional services,
including architects, civil engineers, etc., are referred
to as consultants.
If multiple consultants or designers are to be
appointed to work on the project, each consultant
must be appointed using this contract. Alternatively
a lead designer can be hired to a supply all the
services. That lead designer can sub-contract the
various specialities to sub-consultants. In this way,
the client has only one contract to manage.
Public works contracts

As part of the Government Capital Works
Management Framework, a suite of six public works
contracts has been developed for the appointment
of construction contractors on publicly funded
construction projects.
A contract titled Minor civil engineering and
building works designed by employer is to be
used on building projects with a total value less
than 5,000,000 (including V.A.T.) and greater than
500,000.
A contract titled Short public works contract must
be used on building projects with a total value less
than 500,000 (including V.A.T.).
29
Public procurement: step by step flowchart

Value of Contract
Less Then 5K - 50K 5oK - EU

5,000 Threshold
Send brief specifications

Obtain written Draw up
to a number of suppliers
quotes from tender documentation
(at least three) seeking
competitive suppliers
written quotes/tenders
Evaluate offers
Select lowest price / Set basis for award
objectively against
most suitable (lowest price / MEAT)
specified requirements
Select most
For MEAT set
suitable offer
award criteria
(weighted)
Advertise on etenders,
Notify/debrief appropriate media or
unsuccessful bidders invite suitable tenderers
(at least five)
If price is base for

award, select lowest
If MEAT, evaluate compliant bid
tenders using weighted
scoring sheet based
on award criteria
(including prices)
Invite most competitive

to present
on / elaborate
on bids if necessary
Select most suitable offer
Award contract based

on successful tender
Debrief unsuccessful Notify unsuccessful

tenderers tenderers
30
Process for the appointment of design Step 3: Decide on the appropriate structure for the
consultants Design Team and the contractor
The following is a step by step guide through Will the project be constructed using the traditional
the process of appointing design consultants approach (Design Team to produce the design, and a
in accordance with Government Capital Works main contractor to construct the building) or will it be
Management Framework. Design & Build (contractor to provide the completed
building to the agreed cost and schedule)?
Step 1: Ensure that the project definition is
Further steps assume a traditional approach; that is
sufficiently clear.
a Design Team will produce the design, and a main
Step 2: Establish whether Government Capital contractor will construct the building.
Works Management Framework applies.
The committee must now appoint a Design Team.
Step 3: Decide on the appropriate structure for the This can be done on the basis of
Design Team and the contractor.
a. Lead designer with separate contracts for the
Step 4: Decide on the appropriate procurement different specialities
procedure.
b. Single appointment of lead designer for provision
Step 5: Write scope of services. of all the services
Step 6: Complete a request for tender and advertise The merits of both options are covered under Project
for tenders. Team structure section in Stage 4 of the manual.
Step 7: Evaluate the returned tenders. The same procedures must be utilised whether a
Step 8: Interview tenderers if necessary. single appointment or multiple appointments are
Step 9: Analyse tender bids and select winning bid. to be made. The major difference is that if multiple
appointments are to be made, separate competitions
Step 10: Issue letter of Intent to the successful
must be run for each contract.
tenderer and letter informing unsuccessful
tenderers of their position. Further steps assume single appointment of lead
designer for provision of all the services.
Step 11: Prepare and sign contract documents.
Step 4: Decide on the appropriate procurement
Step 1: Ensure that the project definition is
procedure
sufficiently clear
If the anticipated value of the contract is less than
This project definition has been dealt with as part of
50,000, the group may prepare a specification for
the project plan and should be fixed at this stage.
the work and get three quotes to do the work. The
Any changes to the project definition after this stage
group may then choose the most suitable offer from
are likely to increase the cost. It is most important to
those three quotes.
get the project definition right as many projects fail
due to errors at this stage. If the anticipated value of the contract is greater than
50,000, the project must be advertised and a tender
Step 2: Establish whether the Government Capital competition must be held.
Works Management Framework applies
There are two possible ways to run the tender
If the project is in receipt of over 50% funding competition.
then the Government Capital Works Management
a) Open procedure
Framework applies.
In the open procedure, the contract is advertised,
As most community groups receive funding in excess
either on e-tenders (www.etenders.gov.ie) or other
of 50% of the total cost of the project, it is assumed
appropriate media. The notice invites tenders and
that the Government Capital Works Management
Framework applies.
anyone may apply to be awarded the contract. The
31
time limit for receipt of tenders by the client can be client will be paying for services which may not be
no less than 52 days (normally 60 days) from the date required.
of despatch of the notice.
Step 6: Complete a request for tender and
During this period there is an opportunity for advertise for tenders
applicants to raise questions which the client may
Complete tender documentation needs to be
answer. These questions are typically clarifications of
prepared and advertised on e-tenders. A sample
the brief.
tender document is available from Pobal which can
In evaluating the tender the client may reject any be edited to suit the groups requirements. This
tender it deems unacceptable. Only tenders which sample tender document includes a comprehensive
meet the minimum requirement are evaluated. scope of services which can be modified as required.
b) Restricted procedure Step 7: Evaluate the returned tenders
The restricted procedure is a two-stage process and The returned tenders must be evaluated in
allows a short listing of candidates before releasing accordance with the evaluation criteria chosen.
the tender documentation. In the first stage, a notice
is published which states that a contract is to be Step 8: Interview tenderers if necessary
awarded and invites applications to be placed on a There is no obligation to interview any or all of
shortlist. The closing date for applications must not the tenderers. Interviews should be considered
be less than 37 days (normally 42 days) from the date optional and purely to clarify issues within the tender
of despatch of the notice. documents.
This stage allows a shortlisting process to take place. Step 9: Analyse tender bids and select winning bid
The client, in deciding whether a candidate gets
A tender bid analysis report should be prepared and
on a shortlist or not, may look at each candidates
the winning bid selected.
technical ability to provide the service as well as
the candidates financial standing to complete the Step 10: Issue letter of intent to the successful
contract. tenderer and letter informing unsuccessful
The client must set out the evaluation criteria in the tenderers of their position.
published notice. If a potential candidate feels it could Care should be taken with all correspondence with
not meet the standards required, it need not apply to tenderers to protect the committee from any claims.
be placed on the list. After the clarification process has finished, the
Those who have been shortlisted are invited to decision to award should be communicated by letter.
tender for the contract. The second stage is the The form of letter is available in a set of model forms
submission of tenders. The client issues the tender which can be downloaded from
documentation which must be returned to the client www.constructionprocurement.gov.ie. This model
within a minimum of 40 days. letter can be edited to suit the requirements of each
Further steps assume that an open procedure will project.
be applied. This can include a minimum standards These letters have been drafted by solicitors as there
requirement. is a possibility of accidentally creating a contract if
Step 5: Write scope of services these letters are not correctly scripted.
The scope of services specifies the work that the This letter to the winner states that it is the intention
winning designer will carry out. Great care is required of the client to enter into a contract with the
in developing the Scope of Services as any work that consultant, but that there will be no contract until the
is not included will be considered an extra. On the contract is signed. This gives the winner time to get
the appropriate documentation in place, for example,
32 other hand, if every possible task is included the
a tax clearance certificate.
At the same time, the unsuccessful tenderers should to gather the required documentation, insurance
be notified of the intention to award the contract to etc. It also provides the unsuccessful tenderers an
the winner who should be identified (this letter is opportunity to object before the contract is actually
sometimes referred to as the Alcatel letter). signed. Unsuccessful bidders have a legal right to
The unsuccessful tenderers should also be given the this opportunity. By not accepting or rejecting any of
following information in the notice: the tenders, the client is retaining the opportunity
to award the contract to the runner-up should
Their own mark for each of the quality criteria, or
something go wrong with the winner, for example, if
if they failed on a pass/fail criterion;
they can not provide the required insurance.
Their overall ranking in the competition (second,
third, etc.); Step 11: Prepare and sign contract documents
If their price was not the lowest price, inform them Complete the Standard Conditions of Engagement
that their price was not the most competitive; for Construction Consultants and have the winning
bidder sign the contract. The client also signs the
If their price was the most competitive inform
contract.
them of this at the same time as informing
them that their marks for quality, though above
Evaluation criteria to select a lead
the minimum, were not high enough to win the
designer
competition.
The winning lead designer will be selected by
This procedure of informing both the winner and
evaluating the tenders using pre-defined criteria.
the unsuccessful tenderers of the results of the
Typically 70% of the marks are awarded for quality
competition provides the winner an opportunity
and 30% are awarded for price.
Typical award criteria may include:
Criteria Details Weighting

Lead designer Who from the lead designer firm will be managing the project? Has that 20%
experience person previous experience on childcare project(s)? References should be
included.
Has the lead designer displayed knowledge of appropriate legislation?
How will the lead designer work with the Project Committee?
Project What will the lead designer show the group along the way to explain the 15%
management project? Will the group see drawings or sketches?
How will the lead designer manage the construction phase?
If the team is a consortium, has the lead designer displayed how they will
manage all the other specialists?
Has the lead designer proven that the design team can work together to
complete the project?
What does the lead designer expect the group to provide?
Cost Control & How will the lead designer manage the project budget? 20%
Planning What is the lead designers approach to securing planning permission?
Permission
Innovation & Has the lead designer displayed innovation or interesting design features? 15%
Design Features
Price Fixed Price for the project. 30%
The Project Committee should define the award criteria and the weighting for its own project.
33
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Stage e6
Working with the architect

Contents
Introduction
Developing the brief
Design Team work stages
Pre-tender estimates
Prompts
34
Working with the
architect
Introduction cool, quiet aspect), and placing toilets close to where

the children can safely access them and to natural
The project committee will by now have considered
ventilation. Good circulation areas, especially at the
the overall project in terms of the site/premises
main entrance, are also details to be considered. (See
and meeting the needs of the area. In addition, the
We like this place..)
Design Team will have been contracted and will have
appointed the Project Supervisor for the Design The Design Team will use this brief when preparing
Process (PSDP). The next stage for the committee, in sketches of their first pass concept design.
collaboration with the Design Team, will be to bring There is more information on developing the brief in
the original project proposal to design. Stage 11, Design ideas.
There are four key stages within the design
development stage: Design Team work stages
The Design Team will set about designing and
1. The committee develops the brief to the level from
developing the project proposal through various work
which the architect can work;
stages as follows:
2. The architect develops a sketch design for approval
Development of brief to sketch design
by the committee;
The Design Team will produce the first sketch plans
3. Scheme Design: develop design to planning displaying concept designs for presentation to the
permission application level; committee. The architect may produce more than one
4. Complete the design. concept to provide the group with a more complete
understanding of the possibilities which may be
Developing the brief achieved.
The committee will have prepared a design brief for These concept sketches should be carefully studied
the facility as part of their project proposal. This will before being accepted or requesting specific changes
have been further updated in completing the project be made by the architect.
plan and the tender documentation prepared for the When reviewing the sketch design, the committee
architect tender. should pose the following questions:
Up to this point, the brief is a very curt statement of Is the design in keeping with the original brief?
requirements, stating the number of spaces to be
Does it provide easy access for all users?
provided and the nature of the completed facility.
This brief needs to be developed before the kick- Has good use been made of natural light,
off meeting so that the architect can get a clear circulation areas, etc.?
understanding of the clients requirements. Are the room allocations appropriate for the age
The committee will have carried out their own groups intended?
research and have formed their own opinions on Does it accommodate toilet training, nappy
what they want to have included within the completed changing, sleep room, milk kitchens, etc.?
design. Is there good provision for storage, cleaning,
It is advisable to visit similar projects to help laundry, cooking, dining, office meetings and staff
stimulate ideas. Keep notes, photographs, and facilities?
publications etc., of anything that appealed in terms Have site services and the planning issues been
of good design ideas. Keep in mind practicalities adequately considered?
such as making good use of south facing areas
(remembering that sleeping children will require a
35
STAGE 06 Working with the architect
Does the proposed facility comply with all Preliminary play area layout;
applicable statutory regulations such as Building Preliminary mechanical, electrical, and plumbing
Regulations 1997-2008, Child Care Regulations issues;
(Pre-school Services) 20065, Equal Status Acts,
Preliminary civil engineering questions (paving,
Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction)
grading, drainage, etc.) and structural engineering
Regulations?
questions (foundations, soils, etc.);
Can the proposal be completed within budget?
Review cost estimate.
The architects design sketches may need to be re-
The HSE Pre-school Inspectorate for the area should
worked on a few occasions, but ideally the original
be notified of the proposed project, and should be
brief should not need to be amended at this stage.
requested to review the drawings/plans also.
Once these design sketches are agreed, the architect
and other designers can progress quickly with the The drawings produced at this stage should be
detailed design of the facility. suitable for discussion with the local authority
planners and, subject to agreement; a planning
If the committee wish to amend some aspect of the
application can now be prepared.
design after these design sketches are approved, this
amendment may have a significant impact on both It is very important to keep a close check on cost
cost and schedule as a lot of work may need to be estimates at this stage of the design. It is very easy
redone. to add features to the design but to find out later that
the project is significantly over-budget.
It is reasonable to expect the committee members
to develop their thoughts on what they expect from Detail design and Building Regulations 1997-2008
the new facility, having discussed the different At this stage the committee needs to make a decision
possibilities with the architect and having reviewed whether to:
the concept sketches. The team need to be careful
1. Allow the design team to proceed with the next
at this stage in the process as, if they rush decisions,
stage, i.e. working drawings and tenders.
they may make errors which will be very difficult to
rectify later. On the other hand, if they take too long Or
to make decisions, the project will lose time and 2. Wait until a planning permission (or refusal)
momentum. decision is made by the planning authority.
Scheme design To proceed with the next stage while planning

permission is being processed means that all
Once the sketch designs have been agreed and
documentation can be prepared and made ready for
approved by the design team and the committee, the
tenders to be obtained.
design team can progress the designs to the next
level. While this may be seen as time-saving, the
disadvantage is that if further information is
Work in this phase typically includes the following:
requested, if a third-party objects to the development,
Complete preliminary building floor plans, if the planning authority requires changes to the
sections, and elevations to determine space design, or if planning permission is not granted,
dimensions, areas, and volumes; additional costs may be incurred. It is a good idea
Complete room layout of all child-related to seek a pre-planning meeting with the planning
furniture, plumbing fixtures, etc.; authority which may provide clearer guidance at this
Preliminary material choices; stage.
Preliminary landscape concepts;
36
If the design team proceeds with this stage, it will aware of the budget from the beginning of the project,
detail the drawings and specifications so that the Fire this re-design work should not be considered an
Safety Application can be made under the Building extra and there should be no additional payments for
Regulations 1997-20086. A fire safety certificate is this work. This is further explained in Stage 8.
required for all public commercial buildings and
developments. (The only building which does not Prompts
require a Fire Safety Certificate is a single dwelling Has the Project Supervisor for the Design Process
unit.) (PSDP) been appointed?
Completing the design Has the Design Team been given sufficient
The approved schematic design needs to be information to prepare sketch designs?
developed to finalise the design of the new building
Do the sketch plans accurately reflect the
before proceeding to tender for the contractor.
committees requirements?
The design should be complete before tendering
for the contractor so as to enable the contractor to Have the proposed plans been discussed locally?
provide a fixed price for the job. Work in this phase Are there critical parts of the sketch plans that
typically includes the following: need to be changed or need special attention?
Finalise all engineering issues such as structural Can the Design Team proceed to develop the
system, heating and cooling systems, lighting sketch plan to a detailed scheme design?
system, etc.;
Has a meeting with the planning authority been
Finalise equipment requirements, sizes, furniture sought?
layout;
Is it better to proceed with working drawings
Finalise all design issues that affect the look of the before or after planning permission is obtained?
building and the feel of the rooms; Will the schedule be affected?
Choose finish materials; Is the scheme design satisfactory in order for the
Prepare a bill of quantities; design team to proceed with the production of
working drawings and tender documents?
Complete a pre-tender estimate for construction
costs. Is the pre-tender estimate within the project
budget?
Stage 8, Construction tendering & contract stage, will 5
For further information refer to the Office of the Minister for
detail the process for tendering for the construction Children and Youth Affairs (www.omcya.ie).
element of the project.
6
For further information refer to the relevant local authority and to
the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
Pre-tender estimate (www.environ.ie).
The design team should produce a pre-tender
estimate before issuing the tender documents. This
involves costing the completed design so that the
group can reasonably anticipate the costs which a
contractor will charge to construct the building.
If the pretender estimate exceeds the budget, the
Design Team can re-design the building to bring the
costs within budget. As the design team were made
37
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Planning permission
Contents
Introduction
Background information on planning permission
The planning process
Pre-planning meeting with planner
Types of planning permission
Timeframe and potential delays
An Bord Pleanla
Development contribution fees
Building Regulations 1997-2008
Fire Safety Certificate
Commencement notices
Prompts
38
Planning permission
Introduction The planning process

This stage looks at planning permission and factors Planning permission is required for any new
of which to be aware when making an application for building or for any changes to existing buildings,
STAGE 07 Planning permission

planning permission. such as building demolition or alteration. Planning
By now, a cost estimate has been prepared which permission is also required for any material changes
confirms that the project is within the allowable in the use of the land or premises, unless it is
budget. The site and/or premises have been agreed specifically exempt.
in principle. Sketch designs from the initial brief In some cases a proposed development may be
proposed by the Project Committee have been exempt from planning permission. This applies to
prepared by the Design Team. These will now be minor domestic changes of up to 40 square metres,
ready for submission for planning approval. The and for home-based childcare services. In some
committee is strongly advised to consult on the cases refurbishment and/or renovation to an existing
proposed development with any neighbouring building may be considered exempt from planning
dwellings, businesses, schools etc. in order to provide permission. The planning authority should be
them with information and secure their support, consulted on this issue.
minimising the risk of any potential objection. The planning process is time consuming, detailed
This stage will outline the following areas: and very specific. Applicants should consider
seeking the advice or assistance of an architect or
Background information on planning permission
engineer before making an application for planning
The different types of planning permission permission.
How to make a planning application The architect/engineer should be in a position to
advise as to what is likely to be acceptable to the
The planning time frame and potential delays planning authority. S/he should set out the limitations
Receiving planning permission on the type, design and size of the development to be
considered. Other childcare service providers who
Background information on planning have already been through the process may also be
permission willing to provide advice.
The Planning and Development Act was introduced Careful consideration must be given to the impact the
in 1963. The stated aim of the act was to provide a new development may have on the local environment,
more flexible and structured planning system to be neighbours and future traffic volumes.
operated by all local authorities. Arising from this It is not necessary for the group to own the site to get
act is the requirement to obtain planning permission planning permission, but it is necessary to have the
for any proposed development. This act enables local permission of the owner to do so.
authorities to facilitate all residential, commercial,
industrial, and community development in existing Pre-planning meeting with planner
and new development areas in accordance with local When the sketch plans have been agreed by all
need. The Act seeks to ensure that the amenities concerned, the next stage is, where possible, to
of both town and countryside are preserved and arrange a pre-planning meeting with the planning
improved and that any form of development does not officer for the area of the proposed development to
impede on the prevailing built, natural and social discuss the suitability of the site and plans.
environment.
This should be arranged at an early date to allow
The planning authority forms part of a government sufficient time to make any amendments or to seek
local authority, i.e. city, county or town council.
39
an alternative site where advised. The architect which will be set out in two schedules. The first
should be present at this meeting, and provide schedule sets conditions related to the policies,
location maps, site layout plans and sketches of the objectives and zoning of the local Development Plan.
proposed building. It may also refer to the scale of the design to be
At this meeting it would be advisable to inform the accommodated on site and the need for it to be in
planning officer of any consultation that took place accordance with proper planning and development of
with any neighbouring residents/businesses, and the area.
their reaction to the proposed development. The second schedule outlines conditions such as
fees to contribute to the cost of the local authority
Types of planning permission providing public water/sewerage services to the site.
There are four key types of planning permission: Other conditions may be linked to traffic safety, visual
amenity, public health, etc. Conditions may also be
a) Outline planning permission; included regarding the building materials used and
b) Full planning permission; the building finish.
c) Part 8 planning permission; c) Part 8 planning permission
d) Retention permission. This is an application made by a local authority

for development work that the local authority
a) Outline planning permission (OPP) is proposing to carry out on its own lands. The
An application for outline planning permission is application process is similar to standard planning
a simple procedure to determine whether the new applications; however, it is a requirement that all
development concept is appropriate to a particular the drawings are displayed for public view in the
site in a particular location. OPP is not a licence to local authority office for a period of four weeks.
start construction. It is only an approval in principle. Submissions or observations from the public and
(A full planning application must be made and full interest groups must be registered within two weeks
planning permission (FPP) obtained before any from the date the display is removed and the local
construction starts.) authority must consider the observations before
It is not a requirement to secure outline planning making a final decision.
permission before applying for FPP, but it may suit d) Retention permission
some community groups who wish to receive approval
An application for retention permission applies when
in principle for the proposed development prior to
a development has been carried out without planning
incurring architect fees, or if they are particularly
permission, with the applicant seeking to retain the
concerned about the likelihood of securing FPP.
development.
It should be noted that taking the route of securing
This form of application takes the same format as
OPP prior to FPP takes longer and this should be
an application for FPP with the exception that the
factored into the overall project plan.
application fee is considerably higher.
b) Full planning permission (FPP) This approach is not encouraged as there is no
The application process for FPP will require much guarantee that retention permission will be granted.
more work, involving the preparation of a full set of This could result in extreme difficulties for the
architects plans. applicant.
When there is a grant of planning permission, the
applicant is usually provided with conditions attached
to the development, and reasons for these conditions
40
Timeframe and potential delays Development contribution fees
When all the necessary documents have been lodged The Planning and Development Act (2000) provides
to the Planning Authority, a receipt of application for a development contribution scheme whereby local
STAGE 07 Planning permission

is issued to the applicant. The general time frame authorities may, when granting planning permission,
for processing the application is eight weeks, with include a condition for the payment of a contribution
an additional four weeks waiting period for appeals in respect of public infrastructure and amenities
to the decision. Any objections or observations by from which the proposed development may benefit.
any third parties must be lodged during the first five The calculation and rates of fees vary between local
weeks after the date of application. authorities.
Potential delays to this process can occur if: Community and voluntary organisations may
The authority seeks further information regarding negotiate with their local authority to seek a
the proposed development. reduction or an exemption from these fees.
Objections are lodged by neighbours, conservation Building Regulations 1997-2008

groups or other third parties.
The Building Regulations 1997-2008 are a set of legal
Once FPP has been approved and prior to requirements for the design and construction of new
commencement of works a notification of buildings, extensions and material alterations and for
commencement of building must be sent to the local certain changes of use of existing buildings.
authority. The Building Regulations 1997-2008 comprise a set
If FPP has been refused, an appeal can be lodged to of legal requirements expressed in simple functional
An Bord Pleanla. This could take a further three to statements.
four months (at minimum), and may take longer in These address the following matters:
particularly complicated projects.
Structure
If the appeal to An Bord Pleanla is unsuccessful,
Fire Safety
parties may take proceedings to the High Court. This,
however, can prove extremely time consuming and Site preparation and resistance to moisture
costly and is therefore uncommon. The decision of Materials/workmanship
the High Court is then final. Sound
Overall, the planning process may take from three Ventilation
months upwards, largely depending on the nature,
Hygiene
scale and location of the proposed development.
Drainage/waste disposal
An Bord Pleanla Heat producing appliances
If an appeal to a decision is lodged, An Bord Stairways, ladders, ramps and guards
Pleanla has jurisdiction to review all decisions of Conservation of fuel and energy
local authorities on planning matters. A planning
Access for people with disabilities
appeal must be made within a four week period of
notification of the decision, as prescribed. Technical guidance on how to comply with these
A request for an oral hearing, in which the parties can requirements is set out in separate technical
submit their case orally to the adjudicating officer, guidance documents, dealing with each of the above
can be granted at the discretion of An Bord Pleanla. areas.
There is an additional charge for this hearing.
41
The primary responsibility for compliance rests when an owner or occupier is notified of a proposal
with the designers, builders and building owners. to include a structure in the records of protected
The Building Regulations 1997-2008 and technical structures.
guidance documents can be downloaded from Any person who damages a protected structure or
www.environ.ie. proposed protected structure commits an offence.
It is also an offence to undertake any works to
Fire Safety Certificate a protected structure which requires planning
A Fire Safety Certificate is issued by the local permission without obtaining that permission.
authority to certify that the proposed design complies
with the requirements as specified in Part B of the Prompts
Building Regulations 1997-2008. The following are prompts to assist in preparing for
A Fire Safety Certificate is required when the planning permission process:
constructing or renovating a building that is not a
Has a suitable site been identified and the plans
family dwelling. It must be obtained before work
fully developed?
starts. Community groups are advised to consult with
the local authority for the appropriate fee. Is there a clear understanding of the planning
At practical completion of the building, the architect application process and the timeframe involved?
will issue a certificate stating that the building Has appropriate consultation taken place, with
complies with the Fire Safety Certificate. the development plan, local authority and/or
planner for the area, to determine the suitability
Commencement notices of the proposed development and the likelihood of
A commencement notice is a notification to the local planning permission approval?
authority that it is intended to carry out either works
Has the Design Team and committee decided to
or a material change of use to which the Building
apply for outline or full planning permission?
Regulations 1997-2008 apply. The commencement
notice must be given to the authority not more Has the Design Team confirmed all necessary
than 28 days and not less than 14 days prior to requirements in order to make a planning
commencement of works or a material change of application?
use.
The notice must be accompanied by a
commencement notice fee, based on the number of
buildings, and will include the planning reference and
Fire Safety Certificate reference numbers.
A protected structure is a structure or part of a
structure that a planning authority considers to be
of special interest from an architectural, historical,
archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or
technical point of view.
The owner and/or occupier of a protected structure
are legally obliged to ensure that no danger is caused
to the structure. The obligation applies from the time
42
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STAGE 08 Construction tendering & contract

7 St ag
Stage e6
Construction tendering
& contract
Contents
Introduction
Pre-tender estimate
Value engineering
Tendering for the contractor
Form of contract
Prime costs and provisional sums
Contingency sum
Completing the tender process and getting the contractor on board
Prompts
43
Construction tendering
& contract
Introduction Value engineering

This stage deals with the process of tendering for and Value engineering is a structured way of examining
hiring a contractor. As most NCIP funded projects unnecessary costs in design and construction and
are funded by more than 50% of the total project seeking alternative methods to reduce costs without
budget, it is assumed the Government Capital Works compromising on quality or performance.
Management Framework applies. The guidelines The process usually involves identifying high cost
state that a public works contract must be used. items and searching for creative ideas to identify a
As the public works contract requires the contractor more cost effective alternative.
to give a fixed price for the job, the client must give If the project is over budget, the specification of some
the contractor a fixed scope of work. This means items may be reviewed to bring the costs back in line
that the design must be complete in every detail with the budget. This may be done before the project
before issuing the tender documentation. In the past goes to tender or after the contract has been signed
architects would not have completed the design in agreement with the contractor.
until during the tendering stage or even during the
construction. Items like finishes (carpets, etc.) or Tendering for the contractor
individual room fit-outs would not be specified until
An Invitation to Tender (ITT) is a document which
later in the process.
provides details of the project and invites companies
Now all items that the contractor is quoting for must to submit proposals for the job. The purpose is to
be designed in full. The procedures for tendering for achieve value for money, achieved through an open
a contractor are the same as the procedure used for and transparent process.
hiring the architect, as described in Stage 5.
The size of the project will generally determine the
best type of tender procedure, but this is best decided
Pre-tender estimate in consultation with the architect and quantity
Prior to tenders being received, the Project surveyor.
Committee should be in possession of a pre-tender
All tenderers chosen must have the basic skills,
estimate from the Design Team (mainly through the
competency and experience of a similar type and size
appointed quantity surveyor), so that when tenders
of project, not only from the construction viewpoint
are obtained they can be assessed to be reasonable,
but also in terms of health and safety and compliance
within acceptable margins of accuracy, and represent
with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work
good value for money.
(Construction) Regulations 2006.
Under public works contracts, if tenders are above
In most cases the contractor will be asked to
the budgeted allowance the client is not permitted to
tender on the basis of being the Project Supervisor
negotiate the price with the winning contractor. They
Construction Stage (PSCS) and this should be built
must either accept the winning bid, or alternatively
into the tender documentation.
they can decide not to accept any bid. In this case the
Design Team is required to redesign the building to As with tendering for the Design Team, the open or
bring it within budget before running a new tender restricted procedure can be used. The Design Team
competition. can advise the appropriate procedure to use on its
project. The main difference between the two is that
The Design Team is not paid any extra for this work,
the open procedure is slightly faster, but if there are
but may have their fee deducted due to the delay in
many responses, it can be a major task to evaluate
the process.
them under the open procedure.
44
Form of contract There are two options when dealing with specialist
suppliers when sending out tenders:
The public works contract is to be used for projects
where over 50% of the total cost has been provided 1. Include all items such as kitchens, ironmongery
through public funding. etc. with the main tender. The contractor will price
for them using a specialist to supply that item.
Public works contracts The specialist should be named in the contractors
A suite of six public works contracts has been tender response. If the client is not satisfied with
developed for the appointment of construction this specialist, the client may reject the tender of
STAGE 08 Construction tendering & contract

contractors on publicly funded construction projects. that contractor.
A contract titled Minor civil engineering and Or
building works designed by employer is to be used 2. The client may exclude the purchase of the item
on building projects with a total value less than from the main contract but may purchase the item
5,000,000 (including VAT) and greater than 500,000. themselves, having received three written quotes.
A contract titled Short public works contract must If the installation of the item is a construction
be used on building projects with a value of 500,000 project, the client can use a construction contract
or less (including VAT). to cover the work; otherwise a simple purchase
will suffice.
Prime cost sums and provisional sums The latter option can be more beneficial in allowing
Design teams have traditionally included provisional the client greater involvement in the selection of the
sums and prime costs in the bill of quantities to cover specialist supplier but may create difficulties if there
certain unknown items within the design. is a dispute about liability for damage, etc.
Prime cost (PC) sums and provisional sums, however, If the anticipated value of the item is greater than
are no longer permitted under the new government 50,000, a separate tender process must be run to
construction contracts. select the winning supplier.
Provisional sums make allowances for costs which
can not be entirely foreseen or have not been fully Contingency sum
defined. This may be due to incomplete design or A 5% to 10% contingency sum has often been added
part of the work is hidden. An example may be: the to contracts to allow for as yet unknown eventualities
play area may not be fully designed when going to which may arise. If the sum is not used it will be
tender so a provisional sum is set aside in the bill of returned to the client when the project is complete.
quantities. Again, within the new public works contracts,
PC sum items cover work by specialist sub- contingency sums are not permitted within the
contractors or suppliers. This is a useful facility contract. In this case the committee is advised to
where the client would like to choose the specialist include a 10% contingency within the overall budget.
supplier instead of allowing the contractor select the In this way, if additional expenditure is required, the
supplier. Kitchens may fall into this category. Again committee will have funds available to cover that
this would be listed in the bill of quantities with a cost.
specified value allocated to that item.
As provisional sums are not permitted as part of the
new public works contracts, the design must be fully
complete before going to tender.
45
Completing the tender process and Programme of works, start time, completion time;
getting the contractor on board Fixed costs.
Completing the tender process is a time consuming Has the tendering process been checked and
activity and requires some specialist knowledge of documented so that it will stand up to external
public procurement procedures. The client should inspection (e.g., for grant aid purposes)?
get the Design Team to do this task by including it
Are all contract matters in order to allow the
in its Scope of Services. Even if the Design Team is
contract to be signed and the contractor to start on
running the tender process, the client needs to satisfy
site?
itself that the process was run properly.
Having selected the winner of the tender Has the Design Team confirmed that all matters
competition, the winner is informed that it has won relating to legal issues, contract, planning
the competition and is asked to provide a bond and permission, Building Regulations 1997-2008 and
additional documentation (for example, insurance fire safety are complete?
certificates, and tax clearance certificates). The Has the contract been signed?
client should not enter into contract until all these
items have been received.
Sometimes there can be difficulties getting
everything in place so a decision is made to proceed
with the project and to sign the contract at a later
date. Avoid this circumstance, as this approach
will expose the client to new risks. There is also a
possibility that the contract will be forgotten about
and never signed. This will be very problematic in the
event of a dispute.
Note for NCIP applicants: Pobal will require the
tender report and selected tender as evidence for
release of monies from the approved grant.
Prompts
Does the budget include all costs, such as:
Site acquisition and services;
Legal costs;
Planning condition costs;
Design team fees;
Local authority fees;
Planning and fire certification fees.
Are tenders within the budget set for the
project and are all costs quantified?
Does the tender include all the information
required of the tenderer, such as:
Health and Safety requirements;
Insurances;
46
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Stage e6
On-site
STAGE 09 On-site
Contents
Introduction
Operation on site
Site instructions
Unavailability of materials
Certification payments
Snag lists
Practical completion
Safety file
Fit-out
Prompts
47
On-site
Introduction terms of the contract, unavailability of materials is

not an acceptable reason to use an alternative.
By now, the project, budget and contracts are agreed
and signed between the Project Committee and the
Certification payments
selected contractor. A start date to begin on site will
also have been agreed at this stage. Regular payments will be made to the contractor,
assessed by the architect/quantity surveyor and
This stage will provide information on the various
authorised by the lead designer. Only work
stages that take place once construction has been
satisfactorily completed will be certified.
given the go-ahead, from the time operations begin
on-site right through to final sign-off on completion. Note for NCIP applicants: NCIP funds are released
Integral to the success of working through these on receipt of these certificates. Further information
stages is clarity of roles and responsibilities of on NCIP drawdown procedures is available from
the main parties involved, including the Project Pobal.
Committee, Design Team and contractor.
Snag lists
Operation on site Prior to completion, the architect and Design Team
The appointed contractor will be given access to will prepare lists of snag items to be made good
the site and will be responsible for constructing or completed. The Project Committee will also be
the building. Even though the contractor will be consulted and have input at this stage.
responsible for the safe operation of the site and for
insuring the site, the client needs to pay particular Practical completion
attention to the contractors approach to site safety When the building is almost complete, the architect
and security. will certify the contract is practically complete, save
The Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP), the items on the snag list. This will include opinions
the architect and Design Team will now act as the on compliance with planning permission, Building
employers representatives for the contract on site Regulations 1997-2008, Child Care Regulations (Pre-
and will report back to the committee at regular school Services) 2006 and Fire Safety Regulations.
intervals during the construction phase. The lead If fit out has been included as part of the contract,
designer carries the responsibility as the named the building at this point is available to move into.
administrator of the contract. The project committee should now notify the HSE
Pre-school Inspectorate of its intention to operate a
Site instructions childcare service.
From time to time change instructions may be At practical completion responsibility for the building
required to alter or change any item or part of the and the site is transferred from the contractor to
contract. This is permissible under the terms of the the client. The client should have insurance in place
contract, but any such instructions must only be before practical completion. Both public liability and
authorised after the cost implications of the change building insurance are required.
have been fully considered.
Safety file
Unavailability of materials The Safety file is like the operations manual for the
The contractor may claim that the specified material building. It includes all the engineering drawings
are unavailable and suggest an alternative. Treat this and manuals, on details such as the kitchen. This
situation with caution as the contractor may be using document will be used by subsequent contractors
a ploy in order to use cheaper materials. Under the working on the building and it will form part of the
48
legal title documents for future sale. It is a very
important legal file document, but also a very useful
document. If a door handle is damaged, the owner
can go to the Safety file, find out who supplied the
original handle and order an identical replacement.
The Project Supervisor for the Design Process is
responsible for compiling the Safety file.
Fit-out
Fit-out of the building can be included within the
contract or outside the contract after practical
completion. Again programming and budgeting of
this item is important.
Fit-out could include specialist items not directly
STAGE 09 On-site
involving the main contractors such as, fittings,
presses, wardrobes, play areas internal/external,
kitchens and utility fittings, toys, educational matters,
requisites, down to such small items as paper, pens,
pencils, etc.
Prompts
Has the PSDP confirmed all matters of health &
safety are in order with the Design Team and the
contractors?
Are all costs within budget?
Is fit-out included in the contract?
Has the Design Team reported regularly on
progress programme and cost updates?
Is insurance in place before practical completion?
49
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Stage e6
Project risks
Contents
Introduction
Risk analysis
50
Project risks
Introduction Risk Analysis

By their nature, all projects entail risks. These risks Any risk which has a high likelihood of occurring and
carry the potential to cause major disruption to the has a high impact on the project is categorised as a
project or even make the project fail. By managing major risk. These risks must be managed.
the risks, their impact can be significantly reduced. Typically there are four ways of dealing with risk,
The first task in risk management is to list all risks Avoidance, Reduction, Transfer, and Acceptance.
associated with the project. Once the risks have been
A list of risks should be developed as part of the
identified, they can be ranked by rating them under
project plan and reviewed periodically throughout the
two headings:
project as the risks change over time; for example,
Likelihood of the risk occurring; failure to get planning permission may be a major
Impact if the risk occurs. risk initially but after planning permission has been
received, this is no longer a risk. At this stage, new
An example may be:
risks may be emerging; for example, site security
may now be considered a major risk.
Risk Likelihood Impact if Example Risk avoidance Decide not to purchase

of the risk the risk Actions a site on a flood plain to
occurring occurs avoid the potential risk
High/ High/ of flooding.
STAGE 10 Project risks

Medium/ Medium/ Risk reduction Minimise the risk of
Low) Low) not getting planning
Planning High High Ensure permission by meeting
Permission design with the planning
refused complies authority.
with the Transfer the risk Take out insurance
local area (outsource or insure) against flood damage.
Find a Retention (accept and Accept the risk; hope it

more budget) does not happen.
suitable
site;
Meet with
planners
to get an
opinion on
planning
Hire a
planning
consultant.
51
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7 St ag
Stage e6
Design ideas
Contents
Introduction
Accommodation schedule
Flow through the building
Sustainable design and the environment
Building Energy Rating (BER)
Physical environment
Materials
Car parking
Safety measures
Facilities for rest and play
Prompts
52
Design ideas
Introduction layout of the different rooms to ensure a good natural

flow through the building. The relative location of play
Even though most childcare committees will most
areas, sleep areas, dining areas etc all need to be
probably engage an architect to develop the designs
considered.
for the new facility, they do need to have their own
views on what they require. It is also essential Sustainability and ideas for the design of the building
that the Project Committee liaise with the City/ need to be addressed. In this stage sustainability
County Childcare Committee and HSE Pre-school and design best practice as per the Child Care (Pre-
Inspectorate regarding the type of design that meets School Services) Regulations 2006 should be covered.
the Child Care Regulations (Pre-school Services)
2006, and also meets best practice in relation to Sustainable design and the
childrens play, learning and development. environment
Groups should visit other childcare facilities to learn Apart from good aesthetic and layout design,
from the experiences of others. While visiting these consideration should be given to sustainable
facilities, take photographs if possible. Magazines environmental design.
may also be a source for good ideas. The final section The concept of sustainability is much more than
of Stage 11 includes samples designs (not to scale) environmental protection. The goal of sustainable
of specific areas incorporated into the design of a design is to achieve a childcare facility that meets the
typical childcare facility. These design areas are also need of the present but will not cause harm in the
detailed in the Standard Planning Flowchart. future. This includes building design, construction
and operating practices. The following areas are
Accommodation schedule considered under sustainable design:
A schedule of accommodation is a list of rooms Energy efficiency/CO2;
that is required, the size of the room with a brief
Water efficiency;
description of the activity that will occur within that
room. If possible specify the size of the room. Surface water management;
STAGE 11 Design ideas
Site waste management;

Room Description No of Description
Household waste management;
No Occupants
Use of materials.
1 Reception 1 adult Office Area
office The following are options that community groups
should consider when designing their building:
2 Play room for 10 Childrens play
three to four children, and learning Optimise site orientation to maximise sunlight.
year olds 1 adult area. Rooms with a high level of usage should be south
facing with larger windows. This will facilitate
The schedule of accommodation will be based on natural light into the rooms as well as assisting
the number of children utilising the facility and the in heating them naturally. The reverse applies
nature of the service to be provided. Any assumptions to north facing rooms. It is advisable to position
on usage of the facility should become fixed at this rooms with less use north facing, and have smaller
point as it is much more difficult to change the design windows. It is also advisable to have foliage
from this point forward. screening to the north of the building to assist in
reducing the impact of the facing temperatures;
Flow through the building
Having developed a schedule of accommodation,
working with the architect the group can develop the
53
Consider the building materials and how they can Building Energy Rating (BER)
improve the energy performance of the building.
A Building Energy Rating (BER) is required on all
This could include increasing the amount of
new non domestic buildings for which planning
insulation in the building as much as possible,
permission is applied after 1 July 2008. The BER is
i.e. above the Building Regulations 1997-2008
an indicator of energy performance of a building,
minimum requirements. Endeavour where
covering energy use for space heating and cooling,
possible for complete insulation, i.e. in walls, roof
water heating, ventilation and lighting, calculated
and floors. Double or triple glazed windows should
on the basis of standard operating patterns. It is
also be considered;
accompanied by a CO2 emissions indicator.
Explore renewable energy technology options, BERs are carried out by specially trained BER
such as solar, geothermal or biomass assessors, registered by Sustainable Energy Ireland
technologies to provide space and water heating. (SEI). The BER is carried out of the basis of the plans
While the initial outlay may be higher than and specifications for a new building.
installing conventional oil or gas systems, the
A BER of an existing dwelling being offered for sale
operational costs and annual cost of heating is
or letting on or after 1 January 2009 must be carried
significantly lower, as well as the reduction in
out by a BER assessor, at the expense of the vendor
carbon dioxide emissions;
or landlord. The BER assessor will normally survey
Appropriate ventilation is very important in any the dwelling to record, for example, the size of the
building. It is important to avoid any potential dwelling, the construction, the insulation levels, the
indoor air pollution by ensuring that sufficient types of windows, the ventilation features, details
ventilation is used and fresh air is allowed to of the heating and hot water systems, etc. This
circulate. There are different types of ventilation information will then be used to calculate the energy
systems, but these need to be considered within performance of the dwelling and to give it an energy
the context of the design and materials of the rating.
building. Natural ventilation systems are the
simplest, with some ventilation systems, such as a Physical environment
Heat Recovery ventilation system, allowing rooms The design and physical environment of childcare
to be heated naturally by the transfer of hot and premises have a big role on the quality of childcare
cold air from rooms; services provided. The environment should be warm
Heating controls such as thermostats should and welcoming for children, their families and staff.
be placed in each room to allow for appropriate Good design leads to good use of space, ease of
heating of each space. maintenance and a well laid out and comfortable
childcare facility.
The above options can be applied to both a new build
and to renovating or refurbishing an existing building. The childcare facility should be safe and secure with
It is important to consult with suppliers of these well organised space, used appropriately to promote
technologies and owners of buildings that have these childrens learning and development.
technologies in places in making decisions regarding Heating
their cost and effectiveness.
Heating should be provided in the childcare facility.
At the time of writing, grants are available for the It should be heated to within a comfortable range
installation of renewable energy technologies. depending on the age, mobility of the children and
Further information is available from Sustainable weather conditions.
Energy Ireland (www.sei.ie).
54
Ventilation The space requirements set out above relate to clear
Suitable and adequate ventilation is required. floor space per child. Clear floor space means that
The architect should ensure compliance with part F area available for childrens work, play and movement
of the second schedule to the Building Regulations and should not include furniture, surplus to the
1997-2002. requirements of the child, or permanent fixtures.
The facility should meet the needs of the children
Lighting
they are catering to, ensure safety from the drop
Natural lighting should be well utilised in the off and pick up of children to the flow of children
design and building of the childcare facility also and adults in the building. An area that needs to
supplemented by safe suitable artificial lighting be examined is access to areas. Access can impact
where necessary. To avoid accidents shatter proof on the service provided by the facility in terms of
diffusers or safe means of lighting protection should disruption and may lead health and safety incidents/
be used. accidents.
Space ratios7 Storage, meeting and break facilities
The space ratios recommended by the Child Care A childcare facility should have safe storage space
Regulations (Pre-school Services) 2006 and planning for staff personal belongings that is not accessible
authorities and should be adhered to. to children. There should also be adequate space
Full-day care service for confidential information and records where they
can be securely stored. There must also be space
Age of child Floor area per child available where staff can talk to parents confidentially
0-1 year 3.5m2 and take breaks.
1-2 years 2.8m2 Food and food safety
2-3 years 2.35m2 Where food is consumed on the premises by children
3-6 years 2.3m2 suitable storage, preparation, cooking and serving
facilities should be in place. Hand washing, wash-up

Part-time day care service
and sterilising facilities should be provided.
Age of child Floor area per child For further information please see environmental
0-1 year 3.5m2 health department of the Health Service Executive
website (www.fsai.ie).
1-2 years 2.8m2
2-3 years 2.35m2 Laundry facilities
3-6 years 2.3m2 For childcare facilities, adequate arrangements must

be made to launder bedding and towels, etc. Laundry
Sessional pre-school service facilities should be provided or have it dealt with
externally. Where the facilities are on site children
Age of child Floor area per child
are not allowed access. In a childcare facility no
0-6 years 2m2 laundry work should be carried in the kitchen when
Pre-school drop-in service food is being prepared or served.
There should be storage for clean bedding towels and
Age of Child Floor Area per Child spare clothes on site.
0-6 years 2m2 7
Source: Child Care Regulations (Pre-school Services) 2006 and
Childcare facilities, guidelines for planning authorities (June 2001).
55
Rodent proofing Materials

Rodent proofing that involves poisons and the setting The childcare facility should ensure there is enough
of traps must be done in a manner that does not furniture, play and work equipment, the materials
compromise the safety of the children. used are fit for there purpose and help to create an
Sanitary accommodation accessible challenging and stimulating environment.
There is enough child-sized furniture and tables for
It is recommended that the following facilities should
be provided-: children to play and eat together and encourage inter
personal skill development.
Suitable and hygienic nappy changing facilities;
All materials both external and internal should be
Separate toilet facilities for adults; chosen to reduce maintenance both short and long
term. Maintenance can be an important issue in the
An adequate number of wash-hand basins with
capital running of any building. A situation where the
running cold and thermostatically controlled hot
building looks tired and worn after only five years
water, soap and means of hand drying at or near
should be avoided. At that time funds may not be
the sanitary accommodation;
available to replace the worn items.
The sanitary accommodation should only adjoin
a room by means of a hall, corridor or ventilated Car parking
lobby; Adequate safe car parking should be provided for
Adequate and suitable facilities for the safe and the numbers anticipated for the particular service.
hygienic storage and disposal of nappies; Dedicated parking should be provided for staff and
parents of children with special needs near the
A shower/bath/facility for washing, with entrance. Parking spaces for people with disabilities
thermostatically controlled hot water and a should be provided close to the entrance.
designated area for sluicing soiled garments
Guidelines on the local authoritys policy on car
should be provided in the daycare Facility;
parking and set down areas and traffic management
Ratios for water closets; in general can be accessed from the local authority.
No. of Persons Water closets Wash hand Way finding/signage

(Toilets) basins The concept of way finding is defined as the process
Every 10 toilet 1 1 of reaching a destination. It is important for both
using children children and adults to be able to successfully navigate
the childcare facility and not just rely on signs. A
Every 8 adults 1 1
sign or map that is visual and three dimensional
(tactile) located at reception will help people orient
Waste storage and disposal themselves and give important information regarding
All waste and refuse must be stored and disposed of exit locations.
in a hygienic and environmentally friendly manner on It is especially helpful for children with intellectual
a regular basis. disabilities that way finding be carefully planned.
Waste should be stored in an area that is not Coloured coded spaces, changed textures and the
accessible to children. colour of the floor and walls can greatly assist
children in navigating the childcare facility.
Signage is a valuable part of a good way finding
system. Universal signage should be provided in
56
Planning authorities pay particular attention to car
parking and set down areas.
all areas from the car park to the individual rooms. Children in the childcare facility should have access
The inclusion of simple pictures on signs can help to the outdoors on a daily basis, weather permitting.
children who are not yet reading, children who are
just learning English and children who have cognitive Prompts
conditions. Has sustainability been incorporated into the
Universal signage should be provided in all areas design of the childcare facility?
from the car park to the individual rooms. Lighted
Does the physical environment of the facility
signage of escape exits is essential.
support a warm and welcoming feel to children
their families and staff?
Safety measures
Children are physical very active and may be unaware Have the materials that have been chosen for use
of potential dangers that surround them. Infants and in the facility, are they fit for their purpose and
toddlers in a childcare setting can be quite vulnerable easy to maintain?
and great care must be taken to ensure their health Is there sufficient parking and set down areas as
and safety by minimising their exposure to illness the planning authority are quit stringent on it?
and injury. This all links back to good design, for
example, all heating appliances and hot surfaces Are there adequate measures in place to deal with
should be protected by a guard or be thermostatically laundry issues?
controlled and shatter proof diffusers should be Is there sufficient space for confidential meetings,
used where ever necessary. With sufficient safety safe storage and staff breaks?
measures in place the childcare facility becomes a
Have the number of people using the toilet
more comfortable and welcoming place for children
facilities been taken into account?
their families and staff.
To ensure child and toddler safety childcare facilities Have sufficient safety measures been designed
should have clear and consistent boundaries into the childcare facility?
and challenging safe limits. The childcare facility Is there enough space for rest and play for the
should keep both internal and external hazards to a children?
minimum.
Facilities for rest and play

If the sleep area for children and babies is
accommodated in the play area then the space
measurement will be 4.2m2 per child. The area
for sleep should be in a section away from other
activities. The space should promote a restful
environment for children to sleep and have facilities
to dim lights and to block window light. This guideline
is only considered if the group size is 6 babies or
less other wise a separate sleep area is required.
The ideal would be to have a cot per child this is
not always the case, therefore there should be an
adequate supply of bed linen so as each child has
there own bed linen.
57
SECURE
COVERED, FOOD BAGS SECURE
SERVING RESEARCH OUTDOOR
OPEN AREA
AREA AREA OFFICE AREA
SPECIAL NEEDS
WORKSHOP
STUDIO
BAGS FOOD TOILET SLEEP DINNING
AREA AREA AREA AREA ROOM
SCHOOL
AGE
SENIOR SERVICE
TODDLERS
NAPPY SLEEP 2-3 YEARS TOILET PLAY
AREA, AREA,
AREA AREA CLOAKS, EXERCISE
BAG
AREA,
STORE ART
JUNIOR PRE SCHOOL

TODDLERS 2- 4
1-2 YEARS YEARS
TOILET OUTDOOR
AREA, TOILET
ENTRANCE CLOAKS, SECURE
BAG OUTDOOR
STAFF HALL STORE AREA
W.C
STAFF REST -
OFFICE ROOM WITH
BABY AREA STORE/ COVERED AREA
FILING
0-1 YEARS
RECEPTION,
MANAGER
OFFICE &
INTERVIEW WC/
ROOM SHOWER/
BAGS FLOOR CLOAKS
AREA AREA
VISITORS
WC KITCHEN, FOOD
DISABILITY PREP, COOKING
WC SERVING,
NAPPY SLEEP CONTROLLED STORAGE
AREA AREA ENTRANCE
WORK- LAUNDRY
SECURE SHOP ROOM,
COVERED, STORES CLEANERS
OPEN STORE
AREA
PARKING FOR PARENTS DROP BUGGY AREA

STAFF & & COLLECTION OPEN, COVERED
VISITORS AREA. AREA
BABY JUNIOR SENIOR AFTER OFFICES SERVICES

UNIT AREA TODDLERS SCHOOL
STANDARD PLANNING FLOWCHART
58
1. CORRIDOR
2. BEAN BAG AREA
3. TABLE -CHAIRS
2 4. ACTIVITIES AREA
5. OPEN AREA
1
6. EXTERNAL AREA
(COVERED AREA)
3 7. EXIT / ENTRANCE
8. ART - WET AREA
5 4
12 9. TOILETS
10.VENTED LOBBY
11.STORES
6
12.CLOAK ROOM
7
11 1
12
8
11
10
9 5 2
10
4 3
9 8 7
1. MAIN ENTRANCE TO
FULLY COMPLY WITH BOTH
TGD PART M & CURRENT
BEST PRACTICE
2. BUGGY AREA
3. OVER HEAD CANOPY
4. HATCH, OFFICE
5. TACTILE COLOUR PAVING
6. INTERCOM SYSTEM
3 & PIN CODE

4
5
LOBBY AREA
4 1
2
6
ENTRANCE
3
59
1. WORKSTATION
2. HIGH LEVEL SHELVING
3. STORAGE
1
1
RECEPTION RECEPTION
3 3
1. HIGH LEVEL SHELVING

2. FLEXIBLE SHELVING
3. PVC FLOORING
4. SHARED ENTRANCE
1
1
2 1
2
4
3 3
60
1. DINNING AREA
2. VIEWING PLATFORM
3. KITCHEN
A. FRIDGE
B. WORKTOP
7 C. DISHWASHER
D. STORAGE
E. CERAMIC FLOORING
(NON SLIP)
5 6 F. SERVICE TRIANGLE
4
4. CORRIDOR
5 EXIT
B
6. CLOAKS TOILET
A
F C A
A 7. DRY/COLD STORAGE
2
3 5
E
7
1 2 F
A
4
C
E 3
1 6
D
1. PVC FLOORING
2 2. HIGH LEVEL SHELVING

3. WORKTOP
4. SINK UNIT
3
5 W.MACHINE
1 4 6. DRYER
7. STORAGE
5
LAUNDRY 8. BASKET AREA

8 6 2
2
2
3 4 3
5 6
1
LAUNDRY
8 7
61
1. PVC AREA
2. CLOAKS - BAGS
3. WC
4. WHB
4
4
3 2 1
2 1 2
DISABLED WC
62
1. VENTED LOBBY
2. CHANGE UNIT
3. BIN
4. WHB
2 3
3
4
4 2
2
3
4
1 1
3
4 2
63
e 12 Stage
1
S t ag
Getting
iew & Star
Rev ted
St
11
k
dbac a
Fee g
e
as M Proj
e
e
a
Id an e
2
St
ag
ct
n
Pl
sig
a
em
De
en
n
t
10
St ag
isks
The
Stage
e3
Project R
Appoin teSi
Design
e9
Stage
S it e
tmen
Team
St ag
O n-
t of
4
Ar ontr
t c
ct g &
ra
ra
nt
ng a
C
rin
Co e
n
e
m
io
n d en
Te tru t ct
8
St
ua
ns
ge
a
Co
g
a A rc h
e
St Permis
sion it e c t Wo
rk
5
ng ing w
Plan i
n it h t h e
7 St ag
Stage e6
Review and feedback

Contents
Introduction
The completed project
Final review and feedback
Checklist
64
Review and feedback
Introduction Should the contractor or client fail to honour the

contract (in the opinion of the architect) the contract
The importance of constant reviews and feedback
provides for legal action to be taken by either side.
to the Design Team, the Project Committee and the
This generally takes the form of arbitration, where
overarching community group at all stages of the
an independent appointed arbitrator is agreed by the
project cannot be over-emphasised. A proper and
parties. Failing such agreement, an arbitrator will be
effective recording system should be in place for
nominated by the appropriate authority named in the
taking minutes of meetings and progress updates,
contract.
as well as logging any outstanding issues to be dealt
with and the appropriate person responsible for In the absence of agreement to go to arbitration,
dealing with these. the other course open is through the courts system.
Legal advice should be obtained in all cases of
This stage looks at what should be considered once
serious dispute.
the building has been complete.
The completed project Final review and feedback

At this stage it is recommended that the Project
Once the building works have been completed,
Committee meet again to:
provided all the stages were carried out satisfactorily,
the building should be working smoothly. A review (a) Prepare a final review and feedback of the whole
and feedback process should be carried out to project.
ascertain any faults or items that require repair or And
alterations and that are the responsibility of the (b) Complete the required report for inclusion in the
contractor. health and Safety file under the approval of the
The contract with the builder should allow for a Project Supervisor for the Design Process (PSDP).
Defects Liability Period of twelve months, in which
This is the final document to be included in the Safety
any matter referring to the completion of the building
file, which can be referenced by future users of the
should be rectified by the contractor as per the
building if and when the occasion might arise.
terms of the contract. The architect should record
all such items and instruct the contractor to carry
Checklist
out such works. A sum of money is held back from
the contractor (known as a retention sum) for the A typical checklist for review and feedback should
duration of the Defect Liability Period (as per the include the following items:
STAGE 12 Review & feedback
terms of the contract) so that these matters can be Structure

dealt with.
Any noted defects, cracks, movements, damp
When a contractor is making good on defects, this penetration, etc.
will need to be carried out outside of the childcare
Building elements
facility working hours.
Any noted defects, windows, doors, roofs, gutters,
In the event such matters are not remedied, the
leaks, etc.
architect may issue a warning to the contractor
to carry out the works. If the contractor fails to do Finishes
so, the architect can authorise for the works to be Any noted defects, shrinkage, warping, cracking,
carried out by another contractor and the monies etc.
held on retention used to cover the cost. This amount
will then be taken from the final account due to the
contractor.
65
Mechanical services Health & Safety

Any noted defects, water supply, heating, Is there a Safety file?
ventilation, drainage, sewage, etc.
Is all relevant information available on the file for
Are all services clearly marked and annotated? future use?
Are emergency contact details readily available? Has a final assessment been carried in terms of
Health and Safety?
Electrical services
Any noted defects, lighting, security alarms, fire Have fire drills been put in operation and logged?
alarms, emergency lighting, sockets, etc. Are fire alarms being checked and recorded in log?
Are all services clearly marked and annotated?
Has a maintenance manual been provided for the
Are emergency contact details readily available? building to record all events? Has an appropriate
Landscaping person been appointed to keep it up to date?
Any noted defects, car park, finishes and surfaces, Budget
new shrubs, water pooling, fencing, gates, etc. Has the project been carried out within budget?
The Building in operation Has the final account been agreed?
Any noted defects?
Have all fees and financial obligations been met
Are room sizes adequate within budget?
Is the relationship of the rooms working? If there has been an overrun on budget, has this
been assessed?
Is light sufficient?
Scheduling
Is the orientation of particular areas working?
Has the project been completed in the agreed time
Is ventilation sufficient? period?
Is security working? If there has been an over-run on the project
Has the client been given full instructions schedule has it been assessed?
regarding the workings and maintenance of all Planning and development
mechanical and electrical installations?
Have all conditions of the planning permission,
Does the building require a part time or full time Fire Safety Certificate and Building Regulations
maintenance manager? 1997-2008 been adhered to?
Design Team Is the building fully compliant with the Child Care
Does the Design Team need to advise on any Regulations (Pre-school Services) 2006?
aspect of the building? Has the Design Team issued final documentation
Are there any cost implications? relating to compliance with planning and Building
Regulations 1997-2008?
Do budgets allow for any charges required?
Are all legal matters finalised?
66
Appendix 1
Useful contacts
Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs County/City Childcare Committees
(OMCYA)
Carlow
Address: Department of Health and Children,
Tel: 059 91 40244
Hawkins House, Dublin 2.
Fax: 059 91 4 0651
Tel: 01 635 4000 or Lo-call: 1890 20 03 11 Email: info@carlowccc.ie
Fax: 01 674 3223 Web: www.carlowccc.com
Email: omc@health.gov.ie
Web: www.omcya.ie Cavan
Tel: 049 95 29882
Pobal
Fax: 049 95 29881
Address: Holbrook House, Holies Street, Dublin 2. Email: admin@cavanccc.ie
Tel: 01 2400 700 Web: www.cavanccc.ie
Fax: 01 6610 411
Email: enquiries@pobal.ie Clare
Web: www.pobal.ie
Tel: 065 68 64862
Fax: 065 68 65515
Email: info@clarechildcare.ie
Pobal Regional Offices1
Web: www.clarechildcare.ie
Dublin Regional Office
Address: Pobal, Grants Row, Dublin 2 Cork City
Tel: 01 5117 162 Tel: 021 45 07942
Fax: 01 2400 706 Fax: 021 45 07914
Email: corkcitychildcare1@eircom.net
Cork Office Web: www.corkcitychildcare.ie
Address: Pobal, Building 1000, Unit 1102, City Gate
Cork County
Business Park, Mahon, Cork.
Tel: 022 23880
Tel: 01 5117 810/5117 812
Fax: 022 41657
Fax: 021 43 50873
Email: info@corkchildcare.ie
Monaghan Office
Donegal
Address: Pobal, M:TEK II Building, Armagh Road,
Monaghan Tel: 074 91 32416
Tel: 047 71340 Fax: 074 91 30314
Fax: 047 71341 Email: info@donegalchildcare.com
Web: www.donegalchildcare.com
Sligo Office
Dublin City
Address: Pobal, Harbour View House, 16 Holborn
Street, Sligo. Tel: 01 542 4100
Tel: 071 91 45373 Fax: 01 542 4107
Fax: 071 91 45316 Email: info@dccc.ie
Web: www.childcareonline.ie
1
Pobals Childcare Regional Team are based in regional offices, located in
Dublin, Cork, Monaghan and Sligo.
67
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown Leitrim

Tel: 01 236 8030 Tel: 071 96 40870
Fax: 01 236 8012 Fax: 071 96 40871
Email: info@dlrcountychildcare.ie Email: leitrimcountychildcare@eircom.net
Web: www.dlrcountychildcare.ie
Limerick City
Fingal Tel: 061 40 7527
Tel: 01 807 7660 Fax: 061-407522
Fax: 01 807 7669 Email: childcare@limerickcity.ie
Email: info@fingalcountychildcare.ie Web: www.limerickcitydb.ie/childcare
Web: www.fingalcountychildcare.ie
Limerick County
Galway Tel: 061 60 0918
Tel: 091 752039 Fax: 061 60 0898
Fax: 091 735701 Email: clcc@eircom.net
Email: mail@galwaychildcare.com Web: www.clcc.ie
Web: www.galwaychildcare.com
Longford
Kerry Tel: 043 42505
Tel: 066 71 81582 Fax: 043 42504
Fax: 066 71 02945 Email: marie@longfordchildcare.ie
Email: info@kerrycountychildcare.com Web: www.longfordchildcare.ie
Web: www.kerrycountychildcare.com
Louth
Kildare Tel: 041 68 59912
Tel: 045 86 1307 Fax: 041 68 59913
Fax: 045 98 2411 Email: info@louthchildcare.ie
Email: info@kildarechildcare.ie Web: www.louthchildcare.ie
Web: www.kildarechildcare.ie
Mayo
Kilkenny
Tel: 094 90 47010
Tel: 056 77 52865 Fax: 094 90 21777
Fax: 056 77 86903 Email: mayochildcare@mayococo.ie
Email: kkccc@eircom.net Web: www.mayocdb.ie
Web: www.kkccc.ie
Meath
Laois
Tel: 046 90 73010
Tel: 057 86 61029 Fax: 046 90 67221
Fax: 057 86 81970 Email: meathchildcare@eircom.net
Email: info@laoischildcare.ie Web: www.mccc.ie
Web: www.laoischildcare.ie
68
Monaghan Waterford City.
Tel: 047 72896 Tel: 051 86 0444
Fax: 047 72881 Fax: 051 86 0445
Email: monaghanccc@eircom.net Email: Helen@waterfordcitychildcare.com
Web: www.monaghanchildcare.ie Web: www.waterfordcitychildcare.com
Offaly Waterford County

Tel: 057 91 35878 Tel: 058 43601
Fax: 057 91 35879 Fax: 058 43602
Email: info@offalychildcare.com Email: waterfordcochildcare@eircom.net
Web: www.offalychildcare.com Web: www.waterfordcoco.ie
Roscommon Westmeath
Tel: 094 96 22540 Tel: 044 93 35454
Fax: 094 96 20878 Fax: 044 93 47962
Email: info@roscommonchildcare.ie Email: info@westmeathchildcare.ie
Web: www.roscommonchildcare.ie Web: www.westmeathchildcare.ie
Sligo Wexford
Tel: 071 91 48860 Tel: 053 92 37156/053 92 39763
Fax: 071 91 48849 Fax: 053 92 39540
Email: sligochildcare@gmail.com Email: infowxccc@eircom.net
Web: www.sligochildcare.ie Web: www.wexfordchildcare.ie
South Dublin Wicklow

Tel: 01 457 0122 Tel: 0404 64455
Fax: 01 457 0322 Fax: 0404 64444
Email: info@southdublinchildcare.ie Email: info@wccc.ie
Web: www.southdublinchildcare.ie Web: www.wicklowcountychildcare.ie
Tipperary North
Tel: 067 44888
Fax: 067 31478
Email: childcare@northtippcoco.ie
Web: www.northtipperarychildcare.ie
Tipperary South
Tel: 052 82274
Fax: 052 28776
Email: info@southtippchildcare.ie
Web: www.southtippchildcare.ie
69
Professional Bodies/Institutes Society of Chartered Surveyors

Address: 5 Wilton Place, Dublin 2.
Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland
Tel: 01 676 5500
Address: 46 Merrion Square, Dublin 2. Fax: 01 676 1412
Tel: 01 642 5588 Email: info@scs.ie
Fax: 01 642 5590 Web: www.scs.ie
Email: info@acei.ie
Web: www.acei.ie Voluntary Childcare Organisations
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Irish Branch) Barnardos
Address: Merchants House, 27 - 30 Merchants Quay, Address: Christchurch Square, Dublin 8.
Dublin 8. Tel: 01 453 0355
Tel: 01 707 9739 Fax: 01 453 0300
Fax: 01 707 9751 Email: info@barnardos.ie
Email: ciarb@arbitration.ie Web: www.barnardos.ie
Web: www.arbitration.ie
Border Counties Childcare Network
Chartered Institute of Building in Ireland Address: Unit 10d, M:TEK Building, Knockaconny,
Address: 62 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2. Monaghan.
Tel: 01 676 3188 Tel: 047 72469
Web: www.ciob.org.uk Fax: 047 72491
Email: bccn@eircom.net
Institute of Designers in Ireland Web: www.bccn.ie
Address: The Digital Hub, Roe Lane, Thomas Street,
Dublin 8 Forbairt Naonra Teoranta
Tel: 01 489 3650 Address: Teach Regus, Bthar Fhearchair, Baile tha
Fax: 01 488 5801 Cliath 2.
Email: idi@indigo.ie Tel: 01 477 3151
Web: www.idi-design.ie Fax: 01 477 3350
Email: eolas@naionrai.ie
National Disability Authority Web: www.naionrai.ie
Address: 25 Clyde Road, Dublin 4.
Tel: 01 608 0400 IPPA, the Early Childhood Organisation
Fax: 01 660 9935 Address: Unit 4, Broomhill Business Complex,
Email: nda@nda.ie Broomhill Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24.
Web: www.nda.ie Tel: 01 463 0010
Fax: 01 463 0045
Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland Email: info@ippa.ie
Address: 8 Merrion Square, Dublin 2. Web: www.ippa.ie
Tel: 01 676 1703
Fax: 01 661 0948
Email: info@riai.ie
Web: www.riai.ie
70
Irish Steiner Kindergarten (ISKA)
Address: Cappaduff, Mountshannon, Co. Clare.
Tel: 061 92 7944
Fax: 061 92 7944
Email: info@steinerireland.org
Web: www.steinerireland.org
National Childminding Association of Ireland

(NCMAI)
Address: 9 Bulford Business Campus, Kilcoole, Co.
Wicklow.
Tel: 01 287 8466
Fax: 01 287 8465
Email: info@childminding.ie
Web: www.childminding.ie
National Childrens Nurseries Assocation (NCNA)

Address: Unit 12c, Bluebell Business Park, Old Naas
Road, Bluebell, Dublin 12.
Tel: 01 460 1138
Fax: 01 460 1185
Email: info@ncna.ie
Web: www.ncna.net
St. Nicholas Montessori Society of Ireland (SNMSI)

Address: Ground Floor, 29 Patrick Street, Dun
Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.
Tel: 01 280 5705
Fax: 01 280 5705
Email: snmta@eircom.net
Web: www.montessoriireland.ie
71
Appendix 2
Project plan
Contents
Section 1. Project Team
Section 2. Project description
Section 3. Project budget
Section 4. Site
Section 5. Working with the architect
Section 6. Working with the contractor
Section 7. Project schedule & milestones
Section 8. Project risks
72
Section 1. Project Team
Give a brief description of the Project Team including the team members, and their role within the team.
Name Role/responsibility Contact details

Project manager
Finance
Legal
Childcare advisor

The Project Team contact name and phone number is ______________________________________
The Pobal contact name and phone number is ______________________________________
The CCC contact name and phone number is ______________________________________
Other contact names and phone numbers ______________________________________
Provide details of
how often the committee will meet:
how the committee will make decisions:
73
Section 2. Project description

Current & future service provision
Currently provided (if applicable) After project completed

Sessional Part-time Full-time Sessional Part-time Full-time
Number of childcare places
available per day
Operating hours per day (incl.
times for each session)
Age range catered for
Number of days per week
Number of weeks per year
Service type Full-day care Full-day care
Pre-school sessional (am) Pre-school sessional (am)
Pre-school sessional (pm) Pre-school sessional (pm)
Drop-in service Drop-in service
Childminding Childminding
School-age children (term-time School-age children (term-time
only) only)
School-age children (Term-time School-age children (Term-time =
= full-time out of term) full-time out of term)
Description of service to be provided: Provide a brief description of the type of service which will be provided.
Description of proposed new facility: Provide a brief description of the building which will be provided.
New Build Renovation Extension Purchase Other

No of stories:
Sq ft finished:
74
Section 3 Project budget
Provide a summary of the planned expenditure and sources of funding for the project.
Details of cost control and cash flow projections should also be provided.
Example heading Description Budget amount

Site purchase costs List all the costs associated with
the purchase of a site or building;
for example:
Acquisition price of the land or
building;
Site or Building Inspections;
Legal costs.
Construction/renovation costs To build a new facility or renovate

existing premises.
Fixtures and fittings To fit out a new building or
renovated premises (e.g., flooring
/ kitchen etc.)
Equipment Childcare equipment, toys, indoor
and outdoor play equipment etc.
Professional fees For example architects fees etc.
Project contingency Allowance for unexpected costs.
Other specified costs
Total

75
Section 4. Site
The site location Site has been identified Site not yet identified
Description of Proposed Site:

Provide a brief description of the site where the new facility will be located.
If a site has not been identified, provide a specification for a site including how a site will be identified.
Provide details of procedure to obtain planning permission, stating whether planning permission should be
easy/difficult to obtain. Include zoning of area in the county plan:
Location of utilities, (comment on availability of water, gas, electricity, sewers):
Agreement on a lien (legal charge):
Other comments:
76
Section 5. Working with the architect
Provide details/descriptions of:
Services to be procured:
Form of contract that will be used:
Procurement process:
Managing the Design Team:
Person responsible for procuring the architect:
Other comments:
77
Section 6. Working with the contractor
Provide details/descriptions of:
What contracts will be required, main contractor, specialists, etc:
Form of contract that will be used:
Procurement process:
Managing the contractor:
Person responsible for procuring the contractor:
Other comments:
78
Section 7. Project schedule & milestones
List key project milestones such as
Milestone Date
Site obtained
Agreed contract with architect
Apply for planning permission
Planning permission secured
Design completed, tender for contractor
Contract award
Construction start
Building handover
Facility in operation
Comments
79
Section 8. Project risks

Identify the critical project risks; give brief description on why they are critical and how they are going to
be managed. Consider risks under each of the sections of this plan, that is Project Team, Service provision,
Budget, Site, Architect, Contractor and Schedule.
Following headings, an example might be:
Description of risk: Flooding
Likelihood of risk happening: Medium, the area has been flooded in the past.
Severity if risk happens: High, if there is a flood, it will have a severe impact.
Overall risk rating: High. This is considered a major risk requiring action.
Action (options): Avoid the risk: - find another site
Minimise the risk: - design the facility to minimize the impact
Transfer the risk: - flood insurance
Description of risk Likelihood of risk Severity if risk Overall risk rating Action
happening happens (High/medium/low)
(High/medium/low) (High/medium/low)
Planning
permission
Site ownership
Unfavourable
ground conditions
Committee
member withdraws
from group

Continue onto additional pages as required.
80
Funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2007-2013
Building Resource Manual

Project Management Guidelines for the Construction,
design nathansomersdesign.ie
Refurbishment or Extension of Childcare Facilities
To request this document in an alternative format, contact:
Pobal
Holbrook House
Holles Street
Dublin 2
Tel: 01-2400700
Fax: 01-6610411
Email: enquiries@pobal.ie
Web: www.pobal.ie

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Design nathansomersdesign.

To request this document in an alternative format, contact:

Building to your design gives you the opportunity to

Why project management is important

Taking on a major capital project of this nature may

it does provide a great opportunity to create the ideal PROJECT

facility, the right size in the right place and to design

like this, they may be daunted by all the different

(architects, contractors etc.) deliver the required PROJECT

facility on time and within budget.

Stage 01 Getting started 04

Stage 02 Project management plan 11

Stage 03 The site 18

Stage 04 Appointment of design team 22

Stage 05 Contractual arrangements 27

Stage 06 Working with the architect 34

Stage 07 Planning permission 38

Stage 08 Construction tendering & contract 43

Stage 10 Project risks 50

Stage 11 Design ideas 52

Stage 12 Review & feedback 64

Appendices 1 - Useful contacts 67

ISBN No. 978-1-904262-34-3

Identifying the need for childcare

Forming the Project Committee

The importance and role of a Project Committee

Key personnel/professionals and their role

Meetings & decisions of the Project Committee

Contents of sample project plan

Useful prompts when forming the Project Committee

It is important to know the type of building required

is important to the overall success of the project. It

successful project to a realistic timetable.

Contents of a Sample Project Plan

Section 2 Project There are three headings in this section:

It is tempting to get stuck into the project before

Useful prompts when forming the

Project management plan

Working with the architect

Working with the contractor

Developing a project schedule

Developing a project budget

List the names and roles/responsibilities of each

The Committee will already have carried out an Project risks

Activity Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Apply for planning

B: Professional fees Insurance

depend on the nature of the survey required.

Legal fees Other furnishings

Total project budget Notes Total cost

Total Development Cost 1,000,000

Introduction Brownfield site

Archaeological sites Recommendation

overall budget cost prepared by a quantity surveyor.

Appointment of design team

Why appoint a Design Team?

Design Team members

Project Team structures

Introduction can ensure that the project remains within budget.

between the committee and the other designers and

is required to co-ordinate the services of the other

familiar with this arrangement.