EPC vs EPCM

EPC / EPCM Definition & Comparison:

Many different terms are tossed around the construction industry loosely describing the different methodology used to design and construct new facilities and turnarounds. Unfortunately, there are no tried and true definitions for the different methods and numerous variations of each of the most popular methods.

Determining the correct form of construction contract to pursue can have a great effect on the cost and risk associated with the construction project. The cost of construction varies inversely with the amount of business risk the “owner / financers” are willing to accept. The less business risk the owner wishes to assume, the higher the cost of construction and management. This follows the “risk-reward” motto for business.

The two most common types of construction contacts are EPC “turn-key” and EPCM. Each of these methods have variations that can be adapted to each project as needed; example (EPCC Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning, EPCI Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation), etc.

EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction): means the company is contracted to provide engineering, procurement and construction services by the owner. Think Design & Construct style contracts, where the project is largely Contractor managed and the cost risk and control are weighted towards the Contractor and away from the Owner. The EPC contractor has direct contracts with the construction contractors.

EPCM (Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management): means the company is contracted to provide engineering, procurement and construction management services. Other companies are contracted by the Owner directly to provide construction services and they are usually managed by the EPCM contractor on the Owner's behalf. Think Professional Services contracts, where the project is largely Owner managed and the cost risk and control is weighted towards the Owner.

EPC and EPCM contracting are both very prevalent types of contracts within the construction industry. Dependent on the level of risk the Owner of a project is willing to accept, budget constraints, and the Owner’s organization core competencies, will determine which method is best for their project.

EPC contracting tends to be more expensive, to the Owner, due to the shift of project risk away from the Owner and to the EPC Contractor. On average, a project’s cost 10% - 20% more using EPC style of contracting than a project using the EPCM style of contracting. This is due in large part to the project’s risk being more evenly distributed between the Owner and contracts / suppliers.

Construction contracting trends have been leaning towards the EPCM style of contracting and away from EPC contracting for several reasons but both methods have their place in business today.

EPCM Advantages:

• Lower Overall Cost
• Staff’s Sense of Ownership
• More Control over Process
• Better for less defined projects with anticipated changes to scope of supply
• Less Legal Litigation (Identify issues early and remedy situation before larger problems arise)
• Owner’s Financing Flexibility

These are just a few of the advantages of EPCM style of construction contracting.

EPC contracting has it place in the construction industry as well. Under certain situations, it makes better sense to use this type of construction contracting than other methods.

EPC Advantages:

• One Stop Shopping "One point of Contact"
• "Hands off" approach to project
• Minimal Staffing Requirements
• Minimal Legal Risk
• Best for Well defined projects with Detailed Engineering Complete before EPC Contractor selected (Minimal Unknowns).

As stated before, these construction contract methods can be tailored to the individual projects / owner’s needs. Some companies can go as far as breaking up each portion of the EPC / EPCM (Engineering, Procurement, Construction / Construction Management) to separate companies. One company can do the engineering; another can do the procurement, while still another can do the construction / project management).

Each company must decide for themselves, with the advice of legal and financial counsels, as to which method of construction contracting is best for their particular project and situation.

souce: http://prodigyengr.com

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2011: A Year of Opportunity

Jan 19, 2011 - 2011 may go down in history as "The Year of Opportunity." Venture capitalist Saku Tuominen, founder of the Idealist Group, says in the Monocle Small Business Guide 2010/11, "The world is more connected than ever before and production costs, especially on the digital side, are falling dramatically. With a good idea, great implementation and the right timing, practically anybody can challenge anyone these days. Never in the history of mankind have there been so many opportunities for small companies."



Zoltan Acs, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Public Policy at George Mason University, echoes that sentiment: "The world is at a sort of 'ground zero' in its struggle to create hundreds of innovative products -- and in the process millions of jobs -- to deal with an ever-growing population and the demands of emerging economies such as Brazil and China. This struggle has captured the aspirations of thousand of entrepreneurs around the world. Despite the impact of the economic downturn, entrepreneurs are enjoying a renaissance. A global entrepreneurial revolution is spreading like wildfire."


The more you look around, the more you see evidence of this shift. A recent Nokia advertisement entitled "We're All Entrepreneurs Nowadays" reads: "What is your definition of success? Being happy? Solving a problem? Helping others? We all define it in our own way, but what's clear is that, in this new world, the important thing is to succeed on our own terms, and be participants in life, rather than spectators. For the vanguard of micro-entrepreneurs, success means empowerment and the ability to direct their own culture."


Governments and large institutions are getting savvy about the importance of ensuring the success of an entrepreneurial world. The World Economic Forum, The World Bank, and Heritage Foundation are great examples of organizations actively engaged in creating incentives and the right environments in which small businesses and startups can take root, grow and flourish.


In Asia, especially in China and Hong Kong, small businesses going into technology, medical and pharmaceutical sectors are finding government support. The government of the United Kingdom has recently announced a program to create a network of technology and innovation centers to spread knowledge from academic researchers to entrepreneurs.


Want more tips on having a successful 2011? Check these out:

• How to Achieve Your Financial Goals
• 2011: The Year of...
• How to Achieve Your Sales Goals

The GEDI (Global Entrepreneurship & Development Index) is helping by measuring how fast the global entrepreneurial society is spreading. By focusing on the "three As" of entrepreneurial development -- attitudes, activity and aspiration -- the GEDI can help determine what the right time and place is to launch a new business.


I for one have decided that this year is the year to launch and build a business that moves beyond the single-shingle, band-of-one, solo-adviser business model. Am I happy with what Seth Godin termed a shipping list for 2010? Sure, but I know that if I'm simply twice as bold, I can double my impact on the world. And to leave that potential on the table is, well, wrong. I know I can make a difference; it's now a matter of scale and scope. I have committed to bringing Shibumi Creative Works into the world, and help companies struggling with design-driven innovation find their way.


Risky, daunting, difficult? Yes, yes, and yes. Is it a mistake -- is failure possible, or even probable? It's not a question worth considering, much less spending energy on answering. Why? Because it may just be the best mistake I've ever made.


I'm taking a lesson from James Dyson, founder of Dyson, who explains in the same issue of Monocle: "I'm an engineer. And given that I've spent my career making mistakes, some would say I'm not a very good one. It's the best way to learn and we should encourage young people to make more mistakes. Don't be afraid to take risks -- or to swear like a trooper when things don't go your way. Just make sure you learn why for next time."


What would you do if you were twice as bold? Whatever your answer, make 2011 the year you do it!


source: American Express OPEN Forum

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10 Ways To Get A Job With Help Of Social Media

Everyone’s talking about using social media for job-hunting. But how, exactly, should you do that?

Here are 10 Ways To Get A Job With Help Of Social Media using three popular online tools: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Let people know you’re looking.

Whether on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter, let your friends and followers know that you’re looking for a job. Even better, tell them what type of job you’re looking for. They may not know of any openings right now, but if they know you’re available, they’ll think of you when a position opens up. That will help you hear about openings before they’re listed on popular job boards.


Don’t be afraid to network on Facebook.

Facebook may be for fun, but don’t make the mistake of overlooking your network there, especially if you already have hundreds of friends. Facebook can sometimes be more useful for job hunting than LinkedIn, because friends who know you personally have more of a stake in helping you. They want you to succeed—so use that to your advantage.


Make sure your Facebook profile is private.

Much of your Facebook profile is public by default, and you probably don’t want a potential employer browsing your personal updates. Under Account, then Privacy Settings, choose “Friends Only.” That way, an employer who Googles you won’t be able to see the details of your profile, your photos, or your personal status updates.


Find information about hiring managers.

Before you submit your resume, look up the hiring manager on LinkedIn and Twitter. (If he’s smart, he’ll make his Facebook profile private.) LinkedIn profiles and Twitter feeds are gold mines of information on individuals. Knowing more about the person who’s hiring can help you tailor your cover letter to their needs and desires.


Hyperlink your resume.

Add the URL for your Twitter handle and LinkedIn profile to your contact information on your resume. (But don’t add your Facebook profile, since that’s private.) Not only does this offer the employer another way of getting in touch with you and seeing how you interact online, it also shows that you’re social media-savvy, a skill valued by many employers.


Be strategic with Facebook lists.

Facebook’s list feature allows you to continue building your network without worrying about professional contacts seeing your personal updates. Under Account, then Friends, create a new list, and customize your privacy settings so professional friends can only see what you want them to see. That way your close friends can still keep up with your photos and personal updates.


Create the connections you need to get the job.

It’s all about who you know, right? Don’t just use the connections you already have. Figure out who you need to know to land a certain job—likely the hiring manager—and make that connection, whether by getting them to follow you on Twitter by retweeting their tweets, or growing your LinkedIn network until they become a third-degree connection. Twitter in particular offers opportunity to connect with professionals who might not otherwise give you the time of day.


Get Google on your side.

If don’t like what pops up when you Google yourself (because you know an employer will Google you), create a LinkedIn profile. Fill out your profile completely and become active on the network. That will help push your profile to the top of Google’s search results, which means a potential employer will see what you want them to see.


Join industry chats on Twitter.

Look for chats that revolve around your industry, or better yet, the industry you want to work in. Joining online conversations helps you keep up-to-date on the industry, meet helpful contacts, and showcase your expertise in your field. You may also want to network with other job seekers through weekly conversations like #jobhuntchat or #careerchat.


Seek out job-search advice.

All three of these networks are great places to find advice on job-hunting and mingle with other job seekers. Join LinkedIn groups that focus on job search. Follow career experts on Twitter, and “like” their pages on Facebook. That way you’ll get tips for your search even when you’re not looking for them.


Posted on January 11, 2011 by Jaspal - gilygily.com

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Using social networking to drive innovation in engineering

The Enterprise Channel

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Gadgets Are Hot and More Are at Hand

The iPhone “is almost contagious,” says Todd Sutton, project controls manager at Zachry Construction Corp. “One person gets it on the jobsite, and then everyone has them.”

A new MoGo Talk XD case (top), which comes with a built-in headset keeper, makes them even sweeter. Infectious adoption also applies to the iPad, Sutton says. Employees see how much work colleagues get done with them and buy their own. Developers at Motion Computing, whose tablet options include bar-code and RFID readers, say the Apple device popularity is good for tablet computing, because it introduces more people to the form, and many will go on to more powerful machines. In the wings is Golden-i, a heads-up-display and voice-activated, remote-access computer controller from Kopin Corp., is expected to hit the market soon.

source: enr.com

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AutoCAD WS now available for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch

View, edit, and share your DWG™ files from anywhere, with anyone.

AutoCAD® WS mobile app enables you to view and work with AutoCAD drawings directly on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Using the touch and gesture interface of your iPad or iPhone you can accurately view, annotate, and revise drawings on the spot. Change the way you work in the field or on the road by reducing the need to carry around over-sized paper drawings.



AutoCAD WS Mobile is a perfect solution for taking your drawings out on the job site.

Access from Anywhere, Anytime.
The AutoCAD WS mobile app for Apple® iPhone™, iPod™, and iPad™ lets you view, edit, and share your AutoCAD drawings on the go using a mobile or tablet device. Take your designs with you wherever you go - on the way to a meeting, on the factory floor or the job site without being tied to a
desktop application.

Edit and Interact
The AutoCAD WS mobile app delivers smart vector DWG data to your device, enabling you to accurately select, annotate and interact with AutoCAD drawings. An intuitive touch and gesture interface makes it easy for both AutoCAD and non AutoCAD professionals to work on and stay connected to their designs from anywhere.

Sharing made easy
Share drawings with others for viewing or editing in a Web browser or mobile device. If other people are editing a drawing simultaneously with you, you'll see their edits in real time. Upload and download AutoCAD drawings from your mobile device to a PC or Mac using the AutoCAD WS web application.

Get AutoCAD WS in iTunes FREE

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FAAE Technical Workshop

NEW YORK - To all Engineers in the tri-state area. The Filipino American Association of Engineers (FAAE), will be conducting a Technical Workshop on November 8, 2008 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Philippine Consulate Building, 556 Fifth Ave. New York, NY 10036, (Between 45th & 46th Street) FREE BREAKFAST and LUNCH “FILIPINO DISH” will be served. Seminar Fee is $10.00. Seminar is subsidized by FAAE, and Certificate of Attendance will be distributed after the seminar. Certificate of PDH credits will be provided by accredited vendors. A “MUST” FOR ENGINEERS AND YOU ARE ALL WELCOME!!! Please bring your business cards and we will appreciate very much if you come in business attire.
For seminar details and reservation, please call:
Fred Taruc - 917 365 7007
Tante Palad - 201 773 6009
Arnel Suarez - 212 404 5822
Pete Bonus - 212 613 8842

http:://www.filam-engineers.org

source: filipinoreporter.com

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FAAE Induction Ball

Watch the video here which was shown during the FAAE Induction Ball before they presented Engr. Rudy Quiambao a recognition award.



This slideshow presentation was created by Marco.

Don't forget to check out our photos here...

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