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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>acakqln.info</title> <atom:link href="http://acakqln.info/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://acakqln.info</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Thu, 05 Oct 2023 06:40:45 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3</generator> <item> <title>5 Keys Areas of Focus for Superior Construction Contract Administrators</title> <link>https://acakqln.info/74</link> <comments>https://acakqln.info/74#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 10 May 2023 07:25:32 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Construction Maintenance]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://acakqln.info/?p=74</guid> <description><![CDATA[Performing the role of a contracts administrator is a critical one in the construction process. A minor failure by a person in this role can result in substantial cost penalties for the head contractor… or worse. In this article we … <a href="https://acakqln.info/74">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> Performing the role of a contracts administrator is a critical one in the construction process. A minor failure by a person in this role can result in substantial cost penalties for the head contractor… or worse. In this article we look at five (5) key areas in which contracts administrators must be absolutely thorough to avoid costly mistakes.Key Area #1: Confirm the contract terms and contentsConstruction contract administration is all about precisely managing the rights and obligations of each party to a contract. This task is, of course, impossible if the contracts administrator does not have all the terms of the contract.Therefore, the very first step that a contracts administrator must take is to obtain a complete copy of the building contract (or preferably the executed hard copy original contract from which they will make their own working copy). This includes all the general conditions, any special conditions, the specifications (including technical and preliminaries), drawings, reports, construction programs, and more. It cannot be stressed enough – obtaining all of the documents to the contract is critical to ensure proper contract administration on all construction projects.Key Area #2: Create a “project commencement” checklistAll construction contracts detail the obligations of each of the owner and builder (or contractor and subcontractor) prior to the commencement of work on the site. These obligations are critical obligations that, if not complied with, will prevent the builder from obtaining access to the site.For example, these obligations may include:• provision of all necessary insurances• provision of all work methodology, safety and other work method statements/plans• requirement to induct all staff who will operate on site• submission of all security bonds as per the contract… and moreFailure to create a ‘project commencement’ checklist may result in an obligation under the construction contract being overlooked and the builder being prevented from accessing the site to commence work. This is problematic where there is no entitlement to an extension of time under the contract. In essence, a simple failure at the commencement of the project could put the builder well behind schedule before any physical construction has actually commenced.Key Area #3: Create a “critical notices” checklistIt is not uncommon for modern day construction contracts to be littered with time bar clauses that prevent builders from making claims against the owner (for any variations, delay claims or extensions of time) unless they provide contractually required notices within a set period of time.For example, if extra work (or a change in the scope of work) is requested by the owner, most construction contracts will require the builder to notify any claims it may have against the owner for extra money or time within say 7, 14 or 21 days of the event first occurring. If the builder fails to submit that notice within the agreed time frame, the builder will usually lose their entitlement to such claims.As you can well imagine, a builder losing a right to extra money or time is a significant event. Failure by a contracts administrator to properly track and manage such obligations of the builder can be extremely costly for a builder. A checklist of how to manage all such claims is, therefore, critical.Key Area #4: Always confirm all instructions in writingThe most common failure in contract administration comes from parties who fail to obtain or confirm all instructions in writing.Most contracts administrators will have numerous ‘war stories’ of when an owner gave them a verbal instruction, the builder completed the works related to that instruction and the owner then simply said, “I didn’t authorise that!” or “That’s not what I meant. I wanted…”.When you confirm verbal instructions in writing you get to control the detail of that instruction and can draft it more favourably to you. In this regard, I’m not suggesting you do anything unethical by writing something that wasn’t agreed but I am suggesting that you use that opportunity to be extra clear about what has been asked so that it will be easier for you to submit a claim for that extra work when it comes time.Key Area #5: Be clear on the definition of ‘Practical Completion’It is far more common in today’s more sophisticated construction contracts to see complex and detailed requirements to achieve practical completion (ie, ‘practical completion’ is a point in time in a construction project where the structure built has been sufficiently completed to allow its occupation and use, notwithstanding any minor defects). Therefore, as a contracts administrator working for a builder (or the owner), it is fundamentally important that the requirements for achieving practical completion be understood at the outset of the project.Some requirements for practical completion include the preparation of operations and maintenance manuals, certificates for various aspects of work (eg, waterproofing, fire rating, electrical, hydraulic, mechanical, lift installation, etc), warranties from suppliers and subcontractors, and more. A failure to be aware of these requirements at the beginning of the project will mean that critical steps are missed along the way and may not be recoverable at the end of the project.For example, failure to engage a subcontractor in such a way that requires them to provide a subcontractor warranty for their work directly to the owner will not be something that can be demanded from the subcontractor after the subcontractor has entered into the subcontract, and especially if they have already finished their subcontract work. There will be no reason for the subcontractor to do so and this will put the builder in grave danger of being unable to achieve practical completion.Final commentsThe role of a contracts administrator on a construction project is a crucial one. An experienced contracts administrator will address each of the above five areas thoroughly to ensure their project is a success. </p><div class="mads-block"></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://acakqln.info/74/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Legislating Preventative Health Care Is a Fantasy</title> <link>https://acakqln.info/72</link> <comments>https://acakqln.info/72#comments</comments> <pubDate>Tue, 09 May 2023 15:22:25 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[health care]]></category> <category><![CDATA[good health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gut health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gut health diet]]></category> <category><![CDATA[healt usa]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health care costs]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health choice]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health cyberpunk]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health insurance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health journey]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health podcasts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health promotion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health reform]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health science]]></category> <category><![CDATA[health tips]]></category> <category><![CDATA[healthy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[healthy aging]]></category> <category><![CDATA[healthy eating]]></category> <category><![CDATA[healthy habits]]></category> <category><![CDATA[healthy hacks]]></category> <category><![CDATA[hormone health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[metabolic health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[physical health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[private health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[public health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[rural health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[stomach health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[us health]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://acakqln.info/?p=72</guid> <description><![CDATA[Ever since President Obama first started talking about health care reform, politicians have been talking about preventative medicine by legislation, but it’s all bogus.Our President said “Simply put, in the absence of a radical shift towards prevention and public health, … <a href="https://acakqln.info/72">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> Ever since President Obama first started talking about health care reform, politicians have been talking about preventative medicine by legislation, but it’s all bogus.Our President said “Simply put, in the absence of a radical shift towards prevention and public health, we will not be successful in containing medical costs or improving the health of the American people.” In my opinion, he’s right on. John McCain agreed with him, and said that by emphasizing prevention we can cut health care costs.The problem is that this idea of legislating preventative medicine in order to reduce health care costs and improve the health of Americans is a complete fantasy. First of all, you need to understand that what they were talking about was national health care reform, and what we got when it was all said and done is now called the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” also known as the PPACA.People should understand that the PPACA is not about health care at all. It’s about health insurance. There’s a difference. Furthermore, there is no health care model currently run by any insurance company that has anything to do with preventative medicine. Preventative medicine does not currently exist in any form that can be provided by an insurance company, hospital or government.Kaiser is currently trying to be the insurance company that is associated with prevention, but what do they actually do? They saturate the airwaves with commercials where Peggy Bundy talks about blueberries and yoga, but when was the last time Kaiser made you eat a blueberry, or forced you to do yoga? It makes for a great, feel-good PR campaign, but how will these commercials for something that can’t be provided by an insurance company improve the health of Americans or cut health care costs like the politicians described when designing health care reform?Disease prevention has nothing to do with medicine or hospitals, and therefore nothing to do with health insurance, which is a misnomer in the first place, since insurance only pays when you are sick or injured, and really should be called sick insurance.By the way, mammograms, prostate exams and other screening tests, although a good idea, are not preventative medicine. Mammograms do not prevent breast cancer any more than x-rays prevent broken ankles. Diagnosing a disease in its early stages will improve your treatment outcomes, but is not prevention, so why are we calling it that?Prevention is about not having a disease or condition in the first place. Disease is prevented by a person’s lifestyle, and lifestyle is a choice. Don’t take my word for it. Almost every medical doctor agrees that more than 90% of Medicare costs are caused by just a handful of conditions that are preventable, and in some cases even reversible with proper choices in regards to nutrition and fitness. The government is not capable of legislating our choices, and therefore unable to legislate prevention.I’m not trying to be a downer with this post. I just hope that people will take all this marketing by insurance companies and speech making by politicians, and see it for what it is. They are telling you the nice things that you want to hear because it makes them look good and you feel good, but they can’t deliver. If you are waiting for some change to health care that is going to make you wake up every morning feeling well rested, healthy and energetic, you are living in a fantasy world.Health and fitness is like a college degree. Nobody can give it to you, and you can’t buy it. You have to earn it, and the payoff is huge. Disease prevention is just one of the many benefits.If you are actually interested in prevention, and therefore health and fitness, here are some great resources. You can start here, at the Linus Pauling Institute, which is run by Oregon State University. Start by learning the “Rx for Health.” The website will provide you with all of the general rules, and is not designed to sell you anything.There are plenty of good blogs out there that give actual recipes using the rules from the Rx for health, and I can give you some specific links if you send me an email. Also, gyms like Fitness 19, right here in Sacramento, have gym memberships for $15.00 per month, and sometimes less. If you’re looking for a personal trainer to get you started on a realistic and helpful workout plan, I’d be happy to recommend a good one in your area.So give us a call and get started. It’ll change your life. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://acakqln.info/72/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel></rss> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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