1. Evaluate the useful procurement assessment criteria to be used as a tool to select the procurement system.

Introduction There is various procurement routes can be selected for projects. Current KPI for measure the project performance in terms of cost and time is low. Every project is unique and has its own needs and characteristics. The selection of procurement method is crucial for successful delivery of a project as procurement methods play a major role in defining and shaping contractual and work relationships between parties involved in the construction process. Therefore, a better understanding of those methods and criteria that practitioners use in their selection is a very important step in enhancing the project performance and clients satisfaction. In old days there is fewer procurement methods were available compare to today, however today there are still quite a few projects run over the time and cost. Therefore the appropriate procurement methods selection provide the opportunities to fill the gap, which enable the project deliver on time within budget while still achieving the goals. One of the key concerns of procurement selection is how to enhance objectivity. Procurement criteria is these criteria relate to the contractor and aim to ensure that the tenderers put forward will be able to deliver the contract properly, such as time, cost, quality and so on. Some of them are decided by the project itself and some of them are depended on the clients nature, attitude towards to the risks and so on. The advantage of using procurement assessment criteria is to provide a guidance to the client especially for the inexperience clients, which prompts them to consider more careful in the areas they are interested when making the decision for the procurement route selection. By careful weight all these criteria clients are able to make more intelligent and realistic selection which results in the successful of delivery of the projects. By correctly evaluating the procurement criteria clients can set up more realistic goals and objectives which enable to complete a project on time, within the budget while still achieve the goals. The procurement assessment criteria setting up based on the widely research and help clients to clarify the objectives and ensure what their actual requirements are. With the procurement assessment criteria clients will be able to measure the project performance and success such as how well procurement route performed? Is there any other area can be improved? Will be better if other route was selected? By following the guidance it will reduce the risk of making wrong decision, which may lead to a wrong procurement route selected, results in failure of delivery of the projects. It also help client to learn the lesson from the mistakes. The disadvantage of using procurement assessment criteria as a standard of procurement route selection is that there are national variances and it is difficult to apply the same criteria to the different countries as they have different assessment standards.

Bias is possible to be occurred due to the difference between the interpretations of procurement assessment criteria. Therefore it may lead to inappropriate procurement route selected, which causes unexpected results. When making decision for procurement route selection if clients is inexperience and have no knowledge of them then they still need to seek professional advice. Conclusion Procurement route selection is a complex process and there are many factors are needed to be considered careful. All these assessment criteria are useful but there is no single solution for the procurement system choosing. Thus it is important for client to do very wide research, seek the necessary professional advice in order to make the right decision, chose the appropriate routes to deliver the projects successfully. 2. Discuss the importance of having a clear understanding of client when suggest the procurement system. Introduction Clients who initiate and finance construction projects are at the heart of procurement systems selection at the early stage due to all projects being utterly driven by their requirements. In Egans report he pointed out that there was not enough customer focus in the construction industry, which caused the failure of delivery of the projects. Thus focusing on clients and understanding their nature of business, characteristics will help to clarify their overall requirements for the projects, which is crucial for selection of procurement systems as they are the tools to define the projects goals and objectives to be achieved. Furthermore the selection of procurement system should be ensured to be consistent with the clients requirements, which drives the projects to success. Main Body Every project exists to satisfy clients needs. Clients have diversity and come in many shapes and size, which determine their distinctive characteristics and nature. The objectives of clients vary according to their nature, culture of their organisation and business needs, all these objectives will have strongly influences on the procurement systems selection. By understanding the nature of clients and their characteristics, which heavily reflect their projects objectives and requirements, will assist on the appropriate procurement systems selection. It is important to identify the type of clients for suggesting the procurement system. The advice on the procurement system selection may be different between the clients who have experience and knowledge of procurement and inexperienced clients. For instance experienced clients will be able to select a procurement approach that has worked for them before or which they know to be suitable, taking account their prioritised objectivise and their attitude to risk. Therefore they may only seek for the advice on the appropriate

procurement route consideration rather than on the whole process. On the contrary, inexperienced clients will need to seek a full advice from experienced professionals to help them to get through the process. Having a clear of understanding clients includes know how they will use budget, budget limits and constraints and so on, whey their financial requirement for the project, such as they may more focus on the value for money and would be willing to spend more on the project. Clients distinctive nature, characteristics and requirements determine the project objectives and characteristics the unique and bespoke nature of construction projects increases the inherent risk such as a completed project could fail to meet the client functional requirements. Thus it is crucial to recognise what client actual needs and their attitude to risk, which enable to suggest on the appropriate route selection. Conclusion Procurement system selection is a long and complex process, therefore it is critical to understand nature of client and their business needs at a very early stage, which determines the project requirements, characteristics. These characteristics and requirement dominate the project objectives and priorities which determine the procurement system selection. Construction projects generally are complex, having a long duration and involving many participants, therefore, associated with risks and uncertainties. Thus clients willingness to take risks is needed to be taken account when chose appropriate procurement routes for them. 3. In current economic climate, partnering is seemed less attractive. Discuss this statement from the both point view of client and contractor. Introduction

Partnering is a management collaborative approach used by two or more organisations to achieve specific business objectives by maximising the effectiveness of each participants resources. It requires that the parties work together in an open and trusting relationship based on mutual objectives, an agreed method of problem resolution and an active search for continuous measurable improvements. Partnering promotes improved performance through collaborative business relationships based on best value rather than lowest cost. Letham and Egan are all very enthusiastic in this approach and prompted it in construction industry. The global financial and economic crisis has left an enormous burden of debt and spread quickly from the financial markets to impact on every corner of the economy. The current gloomy economy and deep recession have a huge impact on construction industry. According to the statistics construction industry output declines at around 3%. Under this credit crunch economy environment, the competition among construction industry is even more strong and tough. Therefore clients try to seek most suitable procurement

systems which will get the most out of them and contractors intend to have a most appropriate procurement system which will make most the profits. Main body Partnering procurement system may offer work certainties to contractors as they will be grantee to have works for a long period. Moreover the partnering procurement system provide the opportunities for clients and contractors work together for a long term, which

Partnering is about moving away from open competition. It is about moving towards a more co-operative strategy.

The potential barriers to partnering success can be classified under the headings of cultural and economic factors.

With partnering client may be able to maximise efficiencies in the construction process and achieve Best Value. If the principles of Partnering, as advocated by Egan, are properly applied, it has been clearly established that there are significant improvements in the delivery of construction projects. The measurable improvements include savings in cost and time, greater predictability of cost and time, less defects, better quality, greater customer satisfaction, reduced health and safety problems and the opportunity to reduce whole life costs. Maximising Value for Money (VFM) and achieving Best Value (BV) are critical success factors for Council projects and are achieved, if Partnering principles are properly applied.