Leads 2 Business Blog

24 May 2022

Difference between a Tender and a Project

by Debbie Wessels | posted in: Construction Chat | 0

Cambridge Dictionary definitions:-

Tender (verb)	A written or formal offer to supply goods or to do a job for an agreed price
Project (noun)	A piece of planned work or an activity that is finished over a period of time and intended to achieve a particular purpose

Google definition:-

It can potentially get a little confusing, but in short, a project is a development that is tracked from conception to completion e.g. The development of a hotel.

A tender is a specific tender for a specific requirement e.g. a tender might go out for the supply of bricks.

At Leads 2 Business we have several distinct differences between Tenders and Projects published on our database, for example, how they are captured, how you interact with them, and specific subscriptions tailored to your requirements.

Capturing a Tender:

All tender notices originate from an original Tender Advert that has been advertised publicly on various platforms that we monitor. All the information provided is captured in a user-friendly format paying particular attention to site inspection dates and times, closing dates and times, the contract number, any restrictions that might be applicable, contact names and details of relevant persons involved in the specific tender process and where the actual tender document is available. When the information has all been added and the document is saved, a unique reference number is allocated preceded by the prefix DTA (Daily Tender Advisory)

Capturing a Project:

The information collated for a Project Lead is gleaned from multiple resources and captured in a user-friendly format paying particular attention to the timing and status, GPS location, type of building or infrastructure, professionals involved, relevant documentation and the most current information on the progress of the project. When all the information has been added and the document saved, a unique reference number is allocated preceded by the prefix PPA (Private Project Advisory)

Interacting with a Tender:

Tender notices can be found on the site using the easy search function using either the unique reference number, contract number or keywords from the description. The contact details for the professionals listed on the tender advert will be available should you have any questions regarding the details of the tender. There could be links to relevant documents that are hyperlinked to download directly onto your PC. You can set reminders for the site inspection date so you don’t miss that all-important meeting. Set a reminder for the closing date so you are not late handing in your final tender document. Contact a friendly L2B researcher should there be any further information you desire. Monitor the tender notice so you are notified of any changes to the original tender notice published. The Tender Notice is updated when awarded.

Interacting with a Project:

Project Leads can be found on the site using the easy search function using either the unique reference number, name of the development or keywords from the description. Depending on the status of the project there will be a list of professionals that you are able to contact at each relevant stage of the project life cycle. There is the opportunity to build relationships with professionals to facilitate possible collaboration on future projects. There could be links to relevant documents that are hyperlinked to download directly onto your PC. Contact a friendly L2B researcher that is dedicated to researching that specific project should there be any further information you desire. Monitor the Project Lead so you are notified of any updates and/or progress as the Project evolves from Conceptual to Completion. The Project Lead is updated progressively as it moves through the Project Life Cycle

Tailor-made Subscriptions:

Your Leads 2 Business profile is designed to fit the needs and specifications suited to your trades and capabilities in the building industry. If you are only partial to tender notices your subscription won’t include Project Leads but if Project Leads is your bread and butter we understand the world you live in and you will also be able to access Tender notices.

Sources:
Cambridge Dictionary
Leads 2 Business
Google

If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.
To view more Featured Companies, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.

About Debbie Wessels

I started at Leads 2 Business in April 2008 in the tenders Department and transferred to the Projects Department during the same year. I was appointed Head of Department for Projects from February 2011 to March 2022. April 2022 I started a new adventure as Content Regulator.

20 May 2022

Featured Tender: Construction of the Namibia 2nd 400kv interconnector

by Zama Mzelemu | posted in: Featured Tender | 2

Northern Cape – DTA 915948

Contract Number:

MWP1362TX – ESKOM

Description:

Bids are invited for the construction of the Namibia 2nd 400kv interconnector at Oranjemond substation.

Category	Industry
Infrastructure, Electrical & Instrument	Institutional, Power Grid
Region	Site Inspection
Northern Cape	2022-05-23 10:00 AM
Closing Date	Contract Period
17 June 2022 at 10:00	No Details

Please visit Leads 2 Business for more information on this Tender Notice.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
For assistance on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.
To view more Featured Tenders, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.

About Zama Mzelemu

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18 May 2022

Pertinent Project Stages

by Stephanie Hull | posted in: Construction Chat | 0

Conceptual Stage

The project will still be an idea/concept. Pre-feasibility studies are undertaken to determine whether the project is viable during this stage. No construction consultants are appointed as yet, as it is the earliest stage of the project.

Procedural Stage

Environmental studies are undertaken in this phase, and various studies, possibly including heritage, geotechnical etc are undertaken on the project’s site location to determine if it would be safe to develop or if there are any issues. Once Environmental Authorisation is granted, Town Planning (TP) applications would be submitted to the Local Municipality by the Town Planning consultants on behalf of the client. A TP application is to rezone the property if required.

During this phase, we could have only the Environmentalist, Town Planner and clients’ details listed on the project however their contact details will be hidden. The Environmentalist & Town Planners listed on the project will solely be involved in the environmental and TP process that is being conducted on the land and will not be of assistance nor will they be the correct person to forward your profile, as they have no input in the procurement or construction of the development. The client and developers’ details will only be made available once all necessary legal approvals have been granted.

Design Stage

A project on our database will only be changed to Design once an Architect has been appointed for a building component. An infrastructure component such as a road will be changed to design when a civil engineer is appointed. The Design Phase is where the Designs are developed. There are different stages within the design stage that Architects often follow before designs are approved and finalized by the clients. The rest of the professional team is also appointed during the design phase as they all collaborate to develop detailed designs. Details of the entire team are sourced during this stage as well. Architect drawings are not sourced or added as Project documents. Subscribers are advised to request drawings directly from the Architects.

Tender Stage

Tenders are advertised publicly (if the government department is the client) or are sent to preferred bidders (if private client) we update the projects accordingly depending on which sector it is in.

You will find that some Public Projects (CIDB 7, 8 or 9) are added from the Tender stage to our database. These projects are sourced from Government portals, gazettes or local newspapers.

During the Tender stage, the Bill of Quantities could be made available. A copy will be added to the PPA as a document and an email will be sent out notifying the monitors. If the project is a Private development a request will be made to the consultants for a copy of the BOQ. Should a copy be made available, it can be requested by the subscriber from the listed researcher from L2B. A private BOQ can only to be used for information purposes as it is a confidential document and may not be redistributed.

Awarded Stage

The project status is changed once the main contractor has been awarded the construction contract. The project in this stage will be updated with Contract Timing, Contract Value, Site Agent and Contracts Managers details from the awarded company. During this stage, the contractor awaits to receive site handover from the client and work permits from the Department of Labour should it be a public project. Private projects exceeding R65 million are also required to apply for work permits at the Department of Labour through their appointed Health & Safety officer.

Underway Stage

Once work permits are received and site handover takes place the contractor would then establish the site (moving equipment on-site and setting up office). Once construction has commenced, the status of the project changes to underway. The project is actively monitored with project updates being generated frequently to notify our subscribers of the entire progress of the works. Subcontractor’s details are requested and added to the awards.

Completion Stage

When works reach practical completion or project handover takes place or if the works will be completed within 6 – 8 weeks, we will then update the status to Complete and the Project will no longer be actively researched.

Postponed Stage

Projects are listed as postponed if we have been advised or sourced that construction will not be taking place for a period of time. If a project was in the tender phase and the tender was cancelled, the status is changed to postponed pending the publication of a new tender

Cancelled Stage

A Project is cancelled if we have sourced or been notified that the development is no longer going ahead

L2BShelved

In the event of the researcher not being able to source or confirm any viable construction information or contactable professionals details on a project over a period of time, the status could be updated to L2BShelved. This indicates that all avenues of research have been exhausted and the Project will no longer be actively researched by L2B.

About Stephanie Hull

17 May 2022

Staff Spotlight: Christine Smith

by Christine Brooks | posted in: Staff Spotlight | 0

Christine Smith STAFF SPOTLIGHT - doc

To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Christine Brooks

My journey started in 2015 with Leads 2 Business, as an Account Executive, and gradually grown to take the role of being the Client Liaison Officer (CLO) since 2018. Assisting in the delivery of our services and insuring our clients expectations and requirements are exceeded.

13 May 2022

Featured Project: Hebron Mall

by Minnie Zondi | posted in: Featured Project | 2

North West – PPA 7180

Description

Construction of the proposed new 23 000m² Hebron Plaza shopping centre situated at Second Street, Akasia, North West. This consists of about 80 shops including Shoprite, Boxer, Clicks, Roots and Cashbuild as well as a stand alone KFC drive thru and a Mc Donalds Drive thru. GPS Lat -25.556943, Long 28.043955

Status	Region
Underway	North West
Category	Value
Building	200 Million+
Industry	Timing
Retail	August 2021 to September 2022.
Sector	Class
Private	Invited / Negotiated

If you are a valued Projects subscriber, you can find more details about this Featured Project here.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit our website.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit our Wiki site.
To view more articles, please visit our blog.

About Minnie Zondi

I am an insanely optimistic ambivert that does everything from the heart instead of the mind. Deeply interested in people and matters that pertain to mankind.

12 May 2022

Infographic: Construction Health and Safety

by Sasha Anderson | posted in: Infographic | 0

About Sasha Anderson

Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Reach out if you want to talk: L2B, social media, construction, technology, marriage, parenting, popular culture and travel. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

11 May 2022

Featured Company: AfriSam (Pty) Ltd

by Candice Erasmus | posted in: Featured Company | 0

Read about who’s who in the Industry: AfriSam Pty (Ltd) is a leading supplier of superior quality construction materials and technical solutions such as cement, aggregate and Readymix concrete. Since establishing its first cement plant in 1934, the company has grown into a formidable group with operations in South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. AfriSam, stems from the word ‘Afri’, which refers to our proud African heritage and ‘Sam’ comes from the word samente or disamente, which means cement in six of South Africa’s official languages.

Afrisam

About Candice Erasmus

I have been working at Leads 2 Business for 10 years of which 8 have been as the Sales Manager. I enjoy every aspect of my job and strive to hold the L2B flag high in all I do.

10 May 2022

A Day in the Life of the IT Department

by Sasha Anderson | posted in: General | 18

IT is the backbone of most offices and day-to-day operations. IT individuals often have an obsession with all things tech-related but that works to everyone’s advantage as keeping up with the latest tech keeps things relevant.

Ever wondered what we get up to in IT?
Let’s dive into A Typical Day in the Life of a Company IT (Admin) Person:

7:20 – Arrive at the office
7:25 – Coffee & Water is the first priority
7:30 – Start Morning checks – confirm daily email generation, notifications, errors, backups, emails and prioritizing and responses and tasks.

Some emails may include the following: “My computer is frozen. Please can you help? Do you have a spare laptop I can use in the meantime?” “The internet isn’t working.” “My computer won’t turn on.” “I can’t print.” “My signature is missing.” “My email to x recipient keeps failing.” “I keep getting this error and I don’t know what it means.” “I locked myself out of my computer/account.” “I did an update and now isn’t working?”

8:30 – Update tickets, go through daily scheduled tasks and send necessary reminders to staff
9:05 – Remote to a PC out-of-office to assist with some technical queries off-site. Check back-ups and software updates.
9:25 – Investigate the dead PC, and set up a spare until the drive can be wiped and restored.
9:50 – Order some IT inventory, schedule deliveries/pickups for purchases or returns
10:00 – Check the internet connection in another department – replaces a faulty cable.
10: 15 – In-between most tasks telephonic queries are also handled according to priority
10:30 – Check a PC that “won’t turn on.” Pushes start on the tower which works as required.
10:35 – Restarts a PC after some updates, clears cache, cookies and history and the PC checks out.
10: 45 – Liaise with Dev Team on priority projects and current daily issues, testing and reviewing new developments
11:30 – Respond to more email queries such as, “I clicked on a suspicious link. I think it was a virus. Oops.”
12:00 – Source, edit, create and schedule content for social and blogs. Respond to any queries on social.
1:00 – Solve hunger problems with lunch and a much needed mental refresh. Catch up on news, socials and possibly a podcast.
2:00 – Set up and test equipment for scheduled demo in the conference room. Give a run-down on how to handle the equipment.
2:30 – Compile requested reports for Meetings.
2:50 – Assist with PABX and user mail setting queries.
3:00 – Bob, asks “So what exactly have you been doing all day? I was looking for you at lunchtime and you weren’t at your desk.”
3:10 – Virtual Meeting with a client to explain website functionality and answer any additional queries
3:30 – Time for the new employee on-boarding; computer station, phone extension setup, new profiles on various systems.
4:15 – Failed emails are checked and sent to relevant departments
4:20 – Mail server settings are checked, requested logs are pulled, whitelisting and liaising with external IT.
4:25 – Scheduling Meetings for developers where there are API queries
4:30 – Colleague calls to say the company website is down. Check and determines an outage due to ISP issues and report to the ISP. Issue a company-wide notification advising of the outage.
4:40 – Eskom announces load shedding for the week. Pull some hair out while preparing to leave the office.

Although the above paints a picture of what happens in IT there is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes and we could be here for a month if I had to list each task each member of the IT team does throughout the day. While it’s difficult to pin down, there are some very clear skills that individuals in this field possess. Some of these include but are not limited to the ability to work independently and unsupervised but collaborative when required, logical, methodical, direct, strong-willed, responsible, flexible, practical, dependable, stable and often introverted.

Although we may not always have all the answers to your questions on the spot, in IT we make it our mission to find the answers (in detail). Our biggest wins are usually centred around any sort of automation as it’s directly linked to efficiency and progress and one of our biggest challenges is the ‘Because I’ve always done it that way, and, ‘It’s not my job,’ mentality.

The importance of IT in general increases as information technology becomes a more integral part of today’s business landscape. IT can have a direct impact on growth, continuity and success. IT Admins specifically have arguably the most diverse job in a company plus throw in the need to regularly communicate with clients and staff in a variety of departments while dealing with unenviable challenges. Specific tasks may vary on a day to day basis and adaptability is the name of the game. At the end of the day, a solid IT team goes the distance and together contributes to the consistent, progressive and high standard of culture and excellence already existing in a company like Leads 2 Business.

About Sasha Anderson

6 May 2022