- Clarification of the requirements (operating conditions)
- Cost-benefit analysis of the possible properties (relevance)
- Optimisation discussion with possible suppliers
- Links to structural conditions
- Specification of the scope of supply
- Power supply and temperature (climatic conditions in the building)
- Specific questions such as
- Diagnosis before renovation
- Maintenance
- Service life
- Operational safety
- Accident prevention
- Wear
- Replacement
- Servicing
- Interruption of operations (stoppages)
- Consequences of stoppages
- Countermeasures
- Price negotiations
- Accounting basis
- Payment terms
- Discount
- Price reduction
- Co-ordination of implementation
- Deadlines
- Preliminary services
- Permits
- Monitoring of installation
- Warranty
- Internal tests within plant
- Acceptance (tests)
- Risk transfer
- Deadline negotiations
- Contractual penalties
- Network diagram
- Discussion of the most important specifications
- General technical specifications
- General purchasing terms
- Business procedures
- Suppliers' terms of sale
- Purchasing terms
- Mutual agreement
- Establishment of possible exceptions
Remarks about the checklist:
The aim of these discussion points is to determine the optimum design of the units being purchased or their component parts; the supplier's specialist engineers with their specialised experience and knowledge can make a valuable contribution to this process. Deliberations ought not to be limited merely to functional aspects, but should be extended to include cost-effective purchase and economical operation. Negotiations will on some occasions end with the realisation that the specifications must be modified and formulated more appropriately, or that the supplier must add to or revise their tender (Items 1, 2, 3 and 7).
Particular attention should be paid to the economic angle with these negotiation points since many an unwelcome surprise can occur in this field - such as complicated cleaning procedures, costly wear, colour change, maintenance etc. (Items 5, 6, 7 and 8).
With these discussion points that relate to work organisation, every effort should be made to ensure a comprehensive and efficient division of tasks and sharing of responsibility, an appropriate length of time assigned for contingencies, and arrangements made to enable checks to be carried out (Items 10 and 11).
All the important questions relating to technical and business matters as well as deadlines must be clarified before the contract is placed, particularly in respect of the scope of supply, price, deadline and terms of warranty. Significant influence on the eventual cost of a project is generally only possible at the initial stage.
After the contract has been placed, changes can seldom be implemented retrospectively without increasing the price or delaying the delivery date.
The likely suppliers should be treated as if they are still in open competition with other interested parties right until the order is placed.
Based on B. Aggteleky, "Fabrikplanung", München 1970, 358 pages ["Factory Planning", Munich 1970]
