Chapter 3- Construction Projects and Players

Supplier (Vendor)

A company that manufactures, distributes, or supplies products and service.

Second-Tier Subcontractor

A contractor hired by a subcontractor to perform speciality work on a project. Second-tier subcontractors may hire their own speciality specialized contractors (third-tier subcontractors).

Prime Contractor

A contractor who has a direct contract with an owner

Speciality Contractor (Speciality Trade Contractor)

A contractor who performs specialized activities.

Commissioning Agent

A person hired to ensure the proper instillation and operation of a building's technical systems.

Subcontractor

A person who has a contract with another contractor. In construction, subcontractors are speciality trade contractors.

Public Owner

A public entity such as local, state, or federal government, or a certain institution, whose projects is paid for with public funding.

First-Tier Subcontractor

A speciality contractor hired by the general contractor to perform speciality work on a project. First-tier subcontractors may hire their own speciality contractors

Bonds

A three-party agreement between a contractor, an owner, and a surety, that guarantees that surety will cover the obligations of the contractor.

Project

A unique activity that has a beginning and an end use, uses resources, is not routinely done, and requires managing.

Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)

An agency with designated authority to provide compliance inspection and approval for a project. Local building departments are often this.

Designer

An architect or an engineer (A/E) who is licensed professional providing planning, design, and construction administration services for a project. Architects are typically the designers of buildings, engineers typically design infrastructure and complex commercial and industrial projects.

Manufactorer

An entity that produces finished goods sold to distributors, retailers, or consumers.

General Contractor (GC)

An individual or firm hired by and responsible to an owner/client for coordinating the completion of a construction project. Hires the subcontractors and suppliers.

Private Owner

An individual, organization, corporation, or business that pays for a project (typically through short-term construction loans) without using public dollars.

Field Inspector

An official who performs in-progress construction inspection to determine if the complies with the approved drawings and specifications.

Deliverable

An outcome, something specific that needs to be accomplished.

Construction Manager

An owner's agent who is hired by the owner early in the planning/design phase to assist in cost and constructibility reviews, who coordinates hiring contractors and administering construction contracts. At the start of construction, a CM may convert to the GC or may hire a separate general contractor.

Self-performing

Contractors who do work using their own crews.

Means and Methods

How the contractor intends to complete the work.

Estimator

One who calculates the probable cost of something.

Constructibility Review

Review of materials, systems, and installation methodologies by experienced contractors to ensure that a project can be built efficiently.

Project Manager (PM)

The member of a construction team who is responsible for the business end of a project, in contrast to the superintendent who is responsible for production.

Superintendent

The person on the contractors team who is responsible for the production of the project.

Foreman

The person responsible for direct supervision of a contractors work

Chief Building Official

The person responsible for enforcement of local building codes.

Scope of Work

The work as detailed by the drawings and the technical specifications