Findings and Recommendations of a Survey of CII Member Company Data Needs

To the extent that information can be used to reduce the level of risk and uncertainty, it is valuable to companies. The greatest data needs tend to arise when a company is preparing for an upcoming project for which it has few past experiences, either by type of project or geographic area. (SD-7, p. 1)

Company information needs are the greatest at the front end of a project when local area information is collected and analyzed for the purpose of assisting in the preparation of a project estimate or bid. (SD-7, p. 6)

Recurring themes that were expressed and which are behind the findings and recommendations include some remaining apprehension, especially among contractors, in providing data to CII because of concerns about confidentiality. However, there was a general agreement to the need for data topics areas including: (SD-7, p. 7)

• Craft labor rates
• Labor availability
• Cost indexes
• Productivity
• Non-traditional work schedules
• Database of contractor experience
• Measurement of contract changes
   

Short-term emphasis would be on placing existing data bases on the system and improving the quality and quantity of non-union wage information. A concurrent longer-range effort would be made to develop short and long-term labor availability data. (SD-7, p. 17)

Separate indexes will be constructed to measure changes in material, labor, and design/engineering costs. There will also be individual indexes for the various component parts of a project, similar to the cost segments identified by CICE. The system will be the framework for CII member companies to forecast future price movement. (SD-7, p. 19)

The finding of the Construction Industry Cost Effectiveness Project of the Business Roundtable was that there is a lack of credible information available to define and monitor the construction industry has been confirmed and reinforced by the Data Task Force’s survey of CII member companies’ data needs. Member companies are most concerned by the lack of information available to assist them in planning and estimating upcoming projects. Therefore, it has been concluded that: (SD-7, p. 27)

• There is a demand for any data which can reduce risk and uncertainty before beginning a project
• There is widespread support for CII to meet this demand for data
   

Highest priority in developing databases should be given to these three types of information most requested and needed by member companies.

• Local craft wage rates, especially non-union
• Local craft labor availability, especially short-term
• Cost indexes for large projects of all types