Notes by:         William Gooder

When:              Tuesday 19 February 2013, from 5.00 pm

Where:                        Whangarei District Council, Walton Plaza Building

Presenter:       Simon Weston, Group Manager Infrastructure & Services, WDC

Topic:              Procurement of the Lower Hatea bridge and roading

Attendance:     Largest turnout for at least 12 months.  About 15 attended, including some new faces to these meetings.

Sub branch meeting matters were:

1. Meetings are to be on the 3^rdTuesday of every second month, thus the next meeting is on the 16 April.
2. There was some discussion about a study group for the PMP/CAPM exams.  Presently about 7 people have expressed an interest for a study group, which is insufficient.  Perhaps one will be run in Semester 2, studying PMBOK5, should there be sufficient numbers.
3. Attempts are underway for the Northland sub- branch to form links with the local branches of IPENZ and the Building Institute, which often have common areas of interest.
    

Simon says:
The procurement is for a bridge with bascule bridge component, some new road over marine mud or landfill, 3 roundabouts, a control room and other components.

The procurement was based on a modified NZS 3910: 2003.  The major point of difference being the share the pain or gain provisions of “cost” above or below the $29M, target. 

The share the pain or the gain provisions are additional to the provision for the principal to pay all of the costs of the contractor and the predetermined percentage profit margin on costs, up to a point.  It is more profitable for the contractor to deliver at a price lower than the target price, keeping a share of the amount less than the target price.  However such an arrangement is administratively hungry and only worthwhile for the larger contracts.

The evaluation of the tender was on the “Quality Based Method” a method provided for in the NZTA procurement manual.

The contract is between the WDC and a joint venture between McConnell Dowell and Transfield Services, as the other party.  NZTA (New Zealand Transport Agency) makes a significant subsidy to WDC for the cost of this project.

Some of the risks that are shared between Principal and Contractor include:

• Escalation
• Soft ground
• Refuse exposure
• Complexity

Some of the approach road on the southern side of the bridge is built on timber piles.

The bascule bridge is to be lifted by a pair of rams, made in Holland.  The rams are coated in nickel-chrome, are double acting and can lift 80 tonnes.  They are 10.0 m long when collapsed and 18.5 m when fully extended.  The bascule element can be lifted by one ram, if necessary, so that maintenance can be performed on the other ram.

For the first 2 years of operation, there will be a control room in operation for the lifting of the bascule bridge.  However some craft using the town basin, will be able to pass under the bridge without the bascule being raised.  The underside of the bridge is 7.5 m above high tide.

It will take 90 seconds to open and to close the bascule.  It is expected that the bascule will be open 6 to 9 times per day, and will be open on call of the craft, but not opened during peak traffic.

After the presentation, Simon Weston answered all the questions.