Plexxis Software launches the beta version of Electronic Price Agreement (EPA) for construction estimators

Plexxis Software introduces the Electronic Price Agreement (EPA) intended for the Drywall ERP estimating, digital takeoff, construction management software, and mobile app solution. It is still in beta stage. The estimator can apply it for getting the most updated material pricing for bids efficiently and precisely.

The application comes up with some intuitive features like filtering, sorting, automatic quantity conversion and material code matching standard. Another exclusive feature is the EPA Unit Of Measure Intelligence (UOMi) that aids estimators to forward a request concerning material pricing in the units of measure they prefer. As for instance lineal feet or number of screws. The supplier will also able to provide pricing in their favorite units of measure like sheets or box of screws. The UOMi will provide huge benefits to both estimators and suppliers by converting as well as updating pricing easily and smoothly.

Plexxis is also planning to include some exclusive features like Bid Protection, Search & Suggest, Code Match etc.

Bid Protection will allow estimators to alter quantities a little or merge quantities from several bids with the intension of avoiding third parties from finding out projects that are being bid on.

Search & Suggest feature helps suppliers to go with the same database search features like estimators and acquire the rapid item searches and the calculation of special offers outside of the estimators requests.

With Code Match the estimators can automatically matches their material codes with the codes utilized by the supplier. As a result both can immediately analysis items as required by them.

EPA beta testing is planned for 4 months. After that all Plexxis customers can utilize it for their work. To avail the demonstration of the product, wall and ceiling contractors can make contact with Plexxis. For getting more updates about the product visit the Plexxis website.

  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Published By

Arka Roy

www.qunatity-takeoff.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why Professionals keep away from Cost Estimating Software Technologies

Lots of manufacturers utilize the professional software platforms to a great extent across the globe and reap huge benefits. But lots of people refuse to include this profit-making tool to their estimating resources due to the following reasons:-

Short-range, and short-sighted, thinking relating to profit making - Traditional manufacturers favor to include new machines to the production floor in place of new software. This may help in executing more work but not become effective to deal with omissions in competitive estimates and quoting.
 

A conviction that manual quotes on the basis of experience and ‘feel’ are rapid – It seems to be proper thinking in the preliminary phases of basic projects but jobs that gradually develop into considerably multifaceted or vary in scope and sequence midstream are managed by software technologies, where information is gathered from a database, in a superior way.

Lack of proper training to become expert with any new computer skill – It is not possible for many companies or they are reluctant to maintain the time, effort, and resources necessary to be trained with new software technology. But this primary sacrifice may result in understanding the vision and advantages of an up-to-date quoting process.

Since it is hard to measure what your existing process is providing any value to you – It may be avoided. As for instance, if one can easily find out that a significant amount of money is getting loss due because of overestimating – immediate measures should be undertaken to get rid of the issue.

   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Published By

Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Hard Cost Estimating of Labor Worksheet

In order to make exact estimate for your work as well as profitability, it is essential to determine your labor costs.

Hard cost of labor worksheet comes up with your predictable labor costs for any project that may consist of everything necessary to pay off and support field employees. This labor rate is known as the burdened cost of labor or your burdened labor rate. Here, the total projected cost is then highlighted with a prearranged factor hence the selling price also includes your overhead and planned profit.

This Labor Worksheet generates the burdened cost of labor and it is calculated with variation among the the hourly pay provided to an employee and the actual hours of the employees for making income. This worksheet includes all of the hours for paid vacations, holidays, participating in training programs or trade events and company meetings in the anticipated labor costs.

 
The worksheet facilitates to figure out the exact labor by segregating the total annual cost to pay off and support each employee with the number of working hours for making income.

The Hard cost of labor worksheet takes into consideration non-productive time and other labor allied expenses into a burdened labor rate. The labor worksheet also highlights other related expenses compensated by the business like payroll taxes, liability insurance and and workers compensation insurance etc.

  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Published By

Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GSA Proposes Building Swap for Federal Triangle South Project

The General Services Administration (GSA) has proposed plans to redevelop a deteriorating federal office complex by L'Enfant Plaza. GSA informed that developers have been showing great interest for more than a year ago. The agency has issued a request for qualifications seeking developers to offer construction and development services in exchange for two federally owned properties at Federal Triangle South.

The selected developer would be responsible for offering the space planning, construction service and other aspects of shifting about 1,500 workers from the GSA's regional headquarters to the GSA's national headquarters at 1800 F St. NW. Besides, the developer will also renovate three historic buildings at the St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast D.C. for the Department of Homeland Security.

The winning bidder would take title to the GSA regional headquarters, 301 Seventh St. SW, and the adjacent Cotton Annex, which is currently an empty building near the regional building. Both are expected to present great redevelopment potential.

Dan Tangherlini, GSA Administrator, informed that the idea of a building exchange for services could play a larger role in how the agency does business if the current proposal is successful. The GSA regional headquarters and Cotton Annex are test cases to that end. He also added that doing these exchanges is relatively new to GSA.

It is expected that request for qualifications will be due by May 22, and the GSA will be able to issue a more formal request for proposals to qualified bidders over the summer, putting the agency in position to make an award by next spring or summer.

The GSA has obtained funding for both projects after great efforts and the building exchange proposal offers the agency a way around the congressional appropriations process. The project would also set the stage for the possible demolition and redevelopment of the old federal buildings.

Federal Triangle South is bounded by Independence Avenue, Sixth Street, Maryland Avenue and parts of D and 12th streets. The Department of Energy and Federal Aviation Administration are also based there, and their buildings could also be considered for a exchange in the future.

Tangherlini informed that this is an opportunity for them to re-examine how to use these buildings and reassess how this space fits within the surrounding community, making sure they are maximizing the utilization of the assets, getting underutilized or vacant properties off their rolls and back into contributing to the economies of the communities of which they are hosted. He said that the GSA requires considering a range of ideas given the tight budgets with which it has had to work over the past few years.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Published By

Arka Roy

www.washington.quantity-takeoff.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robot Structural Analysis 2014 tutorial part 1

he new improved Robot Structural Analysis 2014 is advanced structural analysis software that offers structural engineers with advanced building simulation and structural element analysis capabilities for large, complex structures. The software provides a smooth workflow, helping engineers to perform simulation and analysis of a variety of structures quickly and easily. Some of its various features are as follows:

1. Flexible solving options
2. Wind load simulation
3. Direct Analysis Method
4. Bidirectional link with Revit
5. Advanced auto-meshing and structural modeling
6. Localized for global markets
7. Materials and design codes support
8. Integrated solution for concrete and steel
9. Open and flexible API
10.Structural loads and load combinations
11.Wide range of analysis capabilities
12.Engineering analysis solvers
13.Reporting analysis results support

  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Published By
Arka Roy
www.quantity-takeoff.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GSA Proposes Building Swap for Federal Triangle South Project

The General Services Administration (GSA) has proposed plans to redevelop a deteriorating federal office complex by L'Enfant Plaza. GSA informed that developers have been showing great interest for more than a year ago. The agency has issued a request for qualifications seeking developers to offer construction and development services in exchange for two federally owned properties at Federal Triangle South.

The selected developer would be responsible for offering the space planning, construction service and other aspects of shifting about 1,500 workers from the GSA's regional headquarters to the GSA's national headquarters at 1800 F St. NW. Besides, the developer will also renovate three historic buildings at the St. Elizabeths campus in Southeast D.C. for the Department of Homeland Security.

The winning bidder would take title to the GSA regional headquarters, 301 Seventh St. SW, and the adjacent Cotton Annex, which is currently an empty building near the regional building. Both are expected to present great redevelopment potential.

Dan Tangherlini, GSA Administrator, informed that the idea of a building exchange for services could play a larger role in how the agency does business if the current proposal is successful. The GSA regional headquarters and Cotton Annex are test cases to that end. He also added that doing these exchanges is relatively new to GSA.

It is expected that request for qualifications will be due by May 22, and the GSA will be able to issue a more formal request for proposals to qualified bidders over the summer, putting the agency in position to make an award by next spring or summer.

The GSA has obtained funding for both projects after great efforts and the building exchange proposal offers the agency a way around the congressional appropriations process. The project would also set the stage for the possible demolition and redevelopment of the old federal buildings.

Federal Triangle South is bounded by Independence Avenue, Sixth Street, Maryland Avenue and parts of D and 12th streets. The Department of Energy and Federal Aviation Administration are also based there, and their buildings could also be considered for a exchange in the future.

Tangherlini informed that this is an opportunity for them to re-examine how to use these buildings and reassess how this space fits within the surrounding community, making sure they are maximizing the utilization of the assets, getting underutilized or vacant properties off their rolls and back into contributing to the economies of the communities of which they are hosted. He said that the GSA requires considering a range of ideas given the tight budgets with which it has had to work over the past few years.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Published By

Arka Roy

www.washington.quantity-takeoff.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~