CAMP Questions and Answers - Part 3

 

This article complements the previous articles “What are good practices for Commissioning Acceptance and Maintenance Plan (CAMP)?” and Questions and Answers to CAMP – Parts 1 and 2.  Here are Questions and Answers to CAMP – Part 3.   

Are the CAMP requirements different for design bid build (DBB) and design build (DB) project delivery?

No.    Since the CAMP process spans the design and construction phases of a project, the requirements are the same.   However, the execution of the CAMP process is different.  In DBB, there are separate contracts for Designer/Engineering of Record to create the construction contract, and for a Contractor to furnish/construct the product.   In DB, there is a single contract where the EOR and Contractor are part of the same team with the design and construction phases proceeding in parallel.   

If there is no CAMP in Div 1, where are the requirements found?

Commissioning, Acceptance and Maintenance Plan requirements may be spread throughout the general provisions and the technical specifications in the contract.   As a result, the Buyer and Seller will need to work together to extract and consolidate the activities and documentation into a cohesive set of deliverables.   In some cases, Buyers may label CAMP differently such as Integrated System Test Plan (ISTP) or System Test Plan, which may include Factory Acceptance Testing and Site Acceptance Testing.   

On a project, is CAMP one package at the end of the project?

There can be one CAMP Package if the project consists of a single construction contract and there is no incremental acceptance of construction by the Buyer for operational use ahead of the substantial completion or construction completion as defined in the performance.   Larger projects may include multiple contracts/subcontracts with scope that can be constructed and put into use independent of other contracts/subcontracts on the project.   As a result, multiple CAMP packages will be required for each contract or subcontract.   This may require the Project Management Plan incorporate a CAMP [Management] Plan  to management the processes and deliverables.  

What happens when the Buyer accepts the Sellers CAMP Package?

Based on typical contract requirements, the Buyer’s acceptance of the CAMP Package constitutes construction completion and the start of the Warranty period management by the Seller.   During this period, the Buyer is responsible for periodic inspection and maintenance of the product, including consumable items.  However failures and breakdowns of the constructed product is covered by the Sellers management of the established Warranty Plan.   This normally includes Sellers labor and materials to repair the product to operational use. 

What actions can the Buyer take to focus the Seller on completing punchlist work?

Creating an agreed upon punchlist is a co-predecessor to the contract milestone for  Substantial Completion (SC ) and for issuance of certificates for occupancy.   Finishing punchlist work is a predecessor to achieving the contract milestone for Construction Completion (CC).   In order to focus the Seller on completing all  work, the Buyer must carefully evaluate the Seller’s payment applications and assure the value of the remaining work is estimated and used by the Buyer to reduce the total earned value of verified work completed by the Seller.    Under the General Provisions of the standard contract form, the Buyer can  withhold the estimated value of remaining work from the invoice amount presented in the Seller’s payment application.     In some contracts, the Buyer can reduce the Seller’s payment application amount by 2 times the estimated cost of remaining work. 

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