Contractor competence in cidb grades 2 to 4: A pilot study

Abstract

As part of its local economic development initiative the government continues to support the creation of women owned construction companies, especially in the provision of low-income housing. These small contractors are however plagued by issues of quality of production and sustainability of their enterprises, which impact on the overall delivery of housing. The cidb has developed a tool for assessing the competence of contractors registered in the cidb Grades 2 to 6. The cidb Competence Standard for Contractors establishes the minimum acceptable competences necessary for running a contracting enterprise and for supervising building and construction. The standard, based on nationally recognised contractor training programmes assesses the contractors competence in the areas of business management, building and constructions works management (operational and supervision) and legislation related to construction works. A pilot was undertaken to assess the competence of contractors who were enrolled in contractor development programmes across the country. Briefly, the contractors were subjected to a three-hour interview with a panel of industry experts to assess their knowledge, skills and application of different construction principles in their businesses. The results of the assessments indicate that many contractors have a good understanding of the skills and competencies required to manage sustainable construction companies. Significant gaps were identified in areas such as tendering, production and business management inclusive of cash flow projections. This pilot highlights some of the critical areas of construction that need to be emphasised in contractor development programmes to create profitable and sustainable contractors that deliver quality infrastructure.