Case studies for the planning and monitoring of unit- and fixed-price contracts using project scheduling software

Scheduling software used for construction projects is generally designed to plan and monitor activities and resources. These types of software allocate resources to the different activities and allow for resource levelling, costing and cash flow calculations. These features are well-adapted to subcontractors who manage their own human and material resource, and allocate them to the activities of one or a multitude of projects. General contractors and consultants do not generally have full control over project resources and, therefore, most software does not directly address their needs for monitoring unit- or fixed-price contracts. In addition, subcontractors' schedule structures do not necessarily follow the logic of the Bill of Quantities which makes it more difficult to monitor financial progress and cash flow. This paper exposes the problems and limitations associated with the existing scheduling software and presents three scheduling solutions using MS-Project and Excel individually or in combination. These methods have been applied to several case studies in irrigation and fisheries mega-infrastructure projects in Morocco and Burkina Faso. The methodology and proposed solutions are validated through their applications on these mega-projects.