Coursework Overview
There are three elements to the coursework and all elements should be undertaken. The marks
awarded and maximum word count for each element is as follows:
Task 1. Procurement 40 marks 1200 words
Task 2. Ethics 30 marks 800 words
Task 3. Planning under uncertainty 30 marks
3.3 Coursework Tasks
Task 1. Procurement
The process of contractors being chosen using a ‘cheapest price wins’ competitive tendering
process on a single project basis has been increasingly challenged. In September 2022 HM
Government published ‘The Construction Playbook: Government Guidance on sourcing and
contracting public works projects and programmes’ [click here to see the document].
The Construction Playbook sets out key policies and guidance for how public works projects and
programmes are assessed, procured and delivered.
A key theme in this guidance document is the move towards more collaborative approaches to
public works projects and programmes. Such a shift, according to the guidance document, will
improve productivity and deliver better value for money. To achieve this aspiration, the
construction sector requires longer term agreements and more integrated and collaborative
approaches to procurement.
• Critically appraise the advantages and disadvantages of integrated and collaborative
approaches to project procurement. Include in your response some evidence from
available/published project cases or case studies (e.g. to illustrate some advantage(s) and
disadvantage(s)).
Task 2. Ethics
Ethics refers to a person’s beliefs about whether certain decisions, behaviours, or actions are
right or wrong. Each profession has its own professional code of conduct. For example, the code
of professional conduct for Civil Engineers is published by the ICE and is available here:
https://www.ice.org.uk/download-centre/code-of-conduct/
• Explain your role as an individual in maintaining ethical behaviour in the context of
construction projects and identify some potential challenges or situations (e.g. arising from
the organisation environment or the wider industry practices) that may challenge your
ethical behaviours or actions.
Task 3. Planning under uncertainty
Construction programmes are affected by several uncertainties. The planned duration of activities
making up a programme are estimates, made the planners, about activities that will happen in the
future. Further uncertainties related to logistics, ground conditions, weather, etc. also affect the
actual duration of activities. To address this issue, one approach is to model such uncertainties
by using scheduling/planning techniques that can consider these uncertainties. There are several
techniques in this area. One prominent technique is the Program Evaluation Review Technique
(PERT).
• Using the project data in the table below, develop the PERT network (activity on nodes),
show the calculation of the values (Early Start, Early Finnish, Late Start, Late Finish, Float)
on all nodes of the network, and identify the critical path.
• Calculate the probability of finishing this project in 16 weeks, 18 weeks, 20 weeks and 24
weeks and plot the results using the cumulative probability curve.
Activity
code
Predecessor(s) Optimistic
(weeks)
Most Likely
(weeks)
Pessimistic
(weeks)
A – 3 4 11
B A 5 8 11
C – 3 6 9
D A 4 8 12
E C 2 4 12
F C 1 3 5
G E, F 2 3 4
H – 7 10 13
I B, G 2 2 2
J D. H, I 1 2 3
Last Completed Projects
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