COMPETENCY DEMONSTRATION REPORT - CDR

PETER MARC B. BITARA

CAREER EPISODE 3 – CE 3

A. INTRODUCTION
CE3.1 In this career episode, I will discuss my job from March 2010 to present. I am
currently employed at Zuhair Fayez Partnership Consultants for the King Khalid
University Projects, a Kingdom of Saudi Arabia government project by the Ministry
of Education to establish an educational institution in the Southern Province;

CE3.2 It consists of Engineering, Science and Administrative Buildings, a Medical City,

infrastructures, housing, road networks and service buildings. Assigned as a Senior
Quality Assurance/Quality Control Engineer in charge of the Project’s quality
systems, quality process, evaluation and compliance;

CE3.3 Main task is to ensure that all construction processes complies with the established
system as the organization is a certified ISO 9001:2008 company, and ensure that,
products are delivered to the client as per requirements and on – time.

B. BACKGROUND
CE3.4 Zuhair Fayez Partnership Consultants is one of the leading and most established
Architectural, Engineering, Project Management, Constructions Management and
Engineering Information System Consultancy firms in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;

CE3.5 The Organization Headquarters is located in Jeddah with Regional Headquarters in

the city of Riyadh and Branch Offices in Al – Khobar, Madinah, Makkah, Cairo
Egypt and Manila Philippines;

CE3.6 Zuhair Fayez Partnership Consultants current organizational structure comprises

the following Main Divisions: Technical Services, Building Design, Municipal
Projects, Transportation Design, Construction Management and Site Supervision;

CE3.7 I am currently part of Construction Management Department for the construction of

King Khalid University located in the Southern Province of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;

CE3.8 King Khalid University (KKU) Projects is a US$ 3.4 Billion project of the Governorate
of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Southern Province. Our Scope consists of 3 phases,
Phase – 1 as Male Academic Campus with 16 Buildings for Engineering, Sciences
and Administrative use, Phase – 2 as Medical City with 6 buildings for Medical
Sciences and a 800 beds Teaching Hospital, Phase – 3 are for KKU Administration
Buildings which comprise of 5 buildings for administrative use;

CE3.9 Included in our scope are the infrastructures, road networks and service buildings.

See site development plan below:

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CE3.10 Zuhair Fayez Partnership Consultants prepared the Master Plan, Architectural and
Engineering of the KKU Projects. The Construction Management Team for the KKU
Project which I belong, responsibility is to give Technical Advice to the Client - The
King Khalid University Directorate, and to perform construction management as well
as coordination with the Zuhair Fayez Partnership Consultants Building Design
Department.

C. PERSONAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITY

Tasks Delegated To Me
CE3.11 Employed as QA/QC Engineer and later promoted to Senior QA/QC Engineer level
with specific task to supervise the Quality of the Project, ensure that quality systems
are in place prior to the start of any activity thereby adhered during the construction
phase.
CE3.12 Worked under the Projects Coordination Manager supervising the whole operation
associated with the project;
CE3.13 The following are the list of duties (but not limited) to:
1. Develop a Jobsite program to ensure project team is familiar with Company
Quality Processes.
2. Evaluate and observe QA processes are followed thru annual audit program.
3. Raise and formulate solutions to QA processes that will not be applicable to a
site situation.
4. Develop or revise existing process to suit site applicability.
5. Assist in the development and review of Zuhair Fayez Partnership Consultants
Project Quality Program, Documentation Manuals, Work Instructions and Work
Processes.
6. Prepare a monthly report for Quality Records management of quality
documents.
7. Assist ZFP QA Auditors to implement the project Audit schedule for all multi-
disciplinary systems, products and/or processes on the project team.
8. Asses and recommend Contractors Project Quality Team.
9. Prepare and Issue Audit Reports noting system Non – Conformances and
verifying effective corrective/preventive actions.
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 10. Follow-up Audit findings including corrective/preventive actions.
11. Assure Contractor’s obligations for Testing and Record keeping adheres to the
Contract requirements.
12. Track and Monitor calibration of measuring and test equipments.
13. Ensure and monitor the maintenance of Project Quality Records during the
construction phase of the project.
14. Perform evaluation of Contractor’s facilities to determine the capabilities to
meet the project requirements.
15. Conduct plant visit to ensure that quality materials are delivered.
16. Conduct periodic quality program evaluation and training for the site
supervisory personnel.
17. Evaluate and prepare Non – Conformance Reports to the Contractors.
18. Review and asses Contractor’s Project Quality Plan, Method Statements,
Inspection and Test Plans ensuring the adherence to the Contract
requirements.
19. Ensure proper turn – over of complete Quality Control Package to the Client.

D. PROJECT OVERVIEW and TECHNICAL DETAILS

CE3.14 As QA/QC Engineer, immediately made a thorough study of the Project Contracts
taking notes of the project and contract requirements and also conducted review of
ZFP Company Quality Manual, Project Technical Specifications especially on the
Divisions and sections of Quality Control requirements and Materials and
Equipment Control taking notes of every important requirement. After completing
the review of the project requirements, immediately initiated the following action:

1. Prepared list of all Quality Documents that Contractors had to submit such as the
following:
 Project Quality Control Manual;
 Project Quality Systems;
 List of Testing Equipment and Machineries;
 List of Method Statements for all site activities;
 List of Inspection and Test Plan;
 Recommended List of Materials and Suppliers;
 List of nominated Sub-Contractors including Testing Company;
 Concrete Damage Prevention and Repair Methods;
2. Required Contractors to prepare and submit Materials Delivery Schedule which
paralleled to the Construction Master Schedule
3. Conducted site survey with the Contractors QA/QC Team to identify materials lay
down yard and locations for the materials warehouse.

CE3.15 Immediate superior tasked me to analyze and study the applicability of current
Quality Processes the company has in regards to the processes at site and current
organizational structure. Part of this task was to find loophole in the procedures, and
ensure that all procedures once issued should produce an efficient process for the
project team.

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 CE3.16 As QA/QC Engineer our main objective is to ensure that all QA Processes from the
Contractors and Zuhair Fayez Project Team will be in parallel to achieve a product
that will satisfy the Contract requirements.

CE3.17 Using Engineering skills and knowledge in quality system based on previous
experience and review the Contractors Project Quality Plans, ZFP Quality Manual
and Project Contract, taking notes of QA procedures that require revisions to suit
the project requirements.

E. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED

CE3.18 During review with the current ZFP Quality Manual, the QA processes has been
noticed on; works instructions, work procedures and Quality Control Forms are
incomplete and some are ambiguous, which are not applicable to the current project
site and might lead to confusion between the ZFP Management Team and
Contractors and will impede the achievement of total quality control on the site.

CE3.19 Also, noticed that several Quality Assurance Forms are missing, forms that are
basic requirements for QA/QC processes.

CE3.20 At the start of the construction stage, the Contractors suggested to include in their
interim payments the materials that will be delivered on the site, ZFP Management
team have opposed this suggestion since the materials that will be delivered are not
inspected or tested.

F. STRATEGIES USED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM

CE3.21 After completing the review of the current ZFP Quality Manual, a report was
submitted to the Projects Coordination Manager containing the findings, suggestion
and proposal for the changes.

CE3.22 The Projects Coordination Manager which is the 2nd in – charge from the Project
Director assigned me to author a Site Quality Manual that would be suitable for the
implementation of Quality Control at site and ensure the efficient implementation of
QA/QC Processes.

CE3.23 Based on the project and construction requirements in regards to the Technical and
Engineering activities, a Site Quality Manual was prepared to include Work
Procedures and Work Instructions, ZFP Company Quality Manual and ISO
9001:2008 Quality Management System are used as reference.

CE3.24 Also revised the Quality Control Forms and add the missing forms and includes the
Quality Manual flow charts to ensure processes will be understood.

CE3.25 Completed the Manual within six (6) months period including revisions and attached
are indexes and few of the processes contained in the Quality Manual including the
forms (refer to attachment on pages 6 – 18).

CE3.26 To solve the Quality issue of ensuring the materials delivered on the site will be as
per approved and specified requirements, procedure has to be prepared titled
Materials/Equipment Delivery Inspection and also prepared the

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 Materials/Equipment Delivery Inspection Request Form and Checklist to be utilized
at the site (refer to attachment on pages 8 – 9), this process relieved contractor’s
burden of paying for their materials by claiming a portion from the bill of quantity
upon approval of the above stated request form. It also ensured that materials
delivered are as per requirements.

CE3.27 One of the main problems of QA/QC process is keeping its applicability at the site.
Resolve this problem by proposing a program to the management to make a yearly
audit and orientation program to the project team.

CE3.28 Every process is reviewed and prepares any changes and submits it to the QA
Department in the ZFP headquarters for approval.

G. SUMMARY

CE3.29 Working on a prestigious and multi –billion cost project is a challenging one,
especially for a QA/QC Engineer. Once completed, King Khalid University will be
the biggest university in the Southern Province and one of the biggest in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with three (3) million square meters developed area.

CE3.30 During the preparation of Site Quality Manual, It has given me more experienced
and knowledge in the field of Quality Management System, showing knowledge and
dedication to my work, the company promoted me to Senior QA/QC Engineer level
after two (2) years and six (6) months working with the company. The promotion
gave me additional challenge when the management made me in – charge for
QA/QC Department of the entire KKU Project. Knowledge in engineering processes
was enhanced more and was exposed to troubleshooting repairs and problem
solving and anticipating problems during the construction stage.

CE3.31 Also, in charge in the Handover and Testing and Commissioning stage which raised
my knowledge in the turn – over of mega projects including different engineering
field such as supervising the handover of medical facilities and equipments.

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