4.1 Bid assistance
4.2 Construction services
4.3 Technical assistance
A third phase of the planning process occurs after the completion of the two principal phases. It is mentioned here for the sake of completeness if the facility is now to be constructed, but it is not dealt with in any depth.
This phase includes a number of services which may be implemented either during construction of the facility, during commissioning, or for start-up and management operations. These services are optional but can be very useful for large projects, particularly as aquaculture practices are new to many individuals and familiarization and training are often required. For example, separate options may include the following elements:
4.1 - Bid assistance,
4.2 - Construction services,
4.3 - Technical assistance.
Bid assistance is associated with construction of the facility. The last stage in project design (Phase II) is the preparation of construction documents and bid specifications. After these have been prepared the work of the designers is complete. However, the first step in project implementation is to obtain bids from contractors and to select a contractor. It is therefore useful to contract the services of an engineer to assist in:
(i) advertising of the work to obtain suitable contractors,
(ii) evaluating the bids from the contractors,
(iii) selecting the contractor, and
(iv) conducting negotiations with the contractor.
Professional assistance for all these separate and important activities is often repaid in a well-constructed facility and well-managed contract.
These requirements do not differ from those of bid services on any construction job, with the exception that the professional assistance should be focused upon procuring construction services suitable for the specialized needs of an aquaculture facility.
At the same time, it is important to determine any professional requirements for continued assistance during the construction phase itself. Again, these can ensure a successful project. These will in part be determined by the experience of the contractor, the local conditions, and the complexity of the design.
Services during construction can range from construction management, where the service is limited to ensuring proper construction and timeliness, to construction supervision, where direct daily supervision of the work staff is provided.
The recommended levels of construction services and professional assistance are determined again by a variety of factors, including any accelerated construction scheduling, use of complex sophisticated equipment on design features, experience of the contractor, and site conditions, etc. In instances where the design is incomplete and field engineering is required to provide design decisions during actual construction, the use of construction supervision services is advised.
Other construction services which may be of value include procurement of equipment and materials, system testing, and preparation of as-built drawings.
Because of the highly specialized nature of many components of aquaculture projects, participation in the construction and procurement process by experienced individuals is usually often a worthwhile investment. Their involvement provides greater assurance that the system will perform correctly, and can reduce delays which may have critical impact to projects which rely on seasonal conditions for fish spawning and growth.
The use of outside specialists to assist in the management and technical operations of the project is helpful. Technical assistance may in fact be a condition of financial backers and equity partners to minimize their risk.
Outside specialists and/or technical trainers are often contracted before the completion of construction. There are a number of activities which merit their early participation in a project, among which are:
- Preparation of an operation manual
The operation manual describes in detail all the physical and operational aspects of all the process systems. There may be more than one manual for a facility.
The engineering section (or manual) includes the several hydraulic systems, and other electrical and mechanical systems. It provides information on the use of emergency systems and procedures, and maintenance schedules and procedures for all the mechanical equipment.
The biotechnical section (or manual) includes the biological programme for the facility. It provides technical information on aquaculture techniques specific to the project. Typically, it includes feeding schedules and nutritional information, spawning techniques, instructions on fish handling, basic disease control practices, and pond management procedures.
- Provisioning and supplies
Outside assistance is often useful to procure specialized equipment and supplies critical to the satisfactory operation of the facility. These may include the importation of such items as special diets, laboratory supplies, and even eggs or larvae which may require permits.
- Staffing and training
Instruction and training are the most common uses of technical assistance. Many individuals, private companies, and quasi-government organizations provide these services to aquaculture at the present time. Technical training provides a high level of assurance to investors and lenders that the project will be managed and operated satisfactorily.
