In brief
- A low bid in Borama can mean a crew read the bill of quantities in a language it does not work in, so whole items were left out rather than priced tight.
- Clients spot the gap by asking the bidder to describe the method and materials for one item in his own words, not by comparing totals.
- Close the gap by attaching a written method statement and a priced schedule of items to the tender, then checking comprehension at the site meeting.
Contents
A low bid in Borama often wins because the crew did not understand the work instructions, not because it found a cheaper way to build. When the bill of quantities is read in a second language, whole items go missing from the total. The bidder priced what he understood, and the rest never entered the sheet.
How does a language gap turn into a low bid?
An estimator who reads the specification in a second language prices the words he recognises and passes over the rest. A drainage run described only as "soakaway with graded surround" may be read as a hole. A note on curing may be read as decoration. The item disappears from the total while the bidder still believes he has covered the job. Meanwhile material prices move with the exchange rate and the fuel market, and a bidder working from an old mental price list undercuts one who called suppliers that week. The two effects compound: fewer items and stale rates produce a number that looks competitive. Ask the bidder to read one specification line aloud and explain what he will build. If he cannot restate it in his own words, the price rests on a guess.
What does the omission do once work starts?
Once the crew is on site, the missing item has to be built or the job fails inspection. Someone then pays for it in one of three ways: the work stops while the client and contractor argue about scope, the crew substitutes a weaker detail such as thinner cover or fewer joints, or the client adds money through a variation. All three cost more than the gap in the original bid. Concrete cover and pipe bedding are the usual casualties, because they are specified in text rather than shown on a drawing. Compare the bid, the specification and the work on site to see where the price and the built item part company.
How do you check a bid before you accept it?
Check comprehension before price. Ask each bidder to submit a one-page method statement for two items taken from the bill, written in the language the crew actually works in. Ask him to list the materials and the sequence, then compare that list against the specification clause by clause. Missing materials or steps show where the price is short. Ask two suppliers for written quotes on the main materials and compare them with the rates in the bid. Many contracts attach the priced bill, the specification and the drawings as one set, so confirm against the project's own tender documents which papers form the contract in Borama and what the bidder must sign. Where a language gap shows up, hold a short briefing on the two or three items the crew will build first, with the specification read line by line in the working language before concrete or bedding is placed.
What to do next
Before you open the next tender in Borama, write a one-page method statement for the two riskiest items and send it to every bidder with the bill. Ask each one to return it signed, in the language his crew uses, with the materials listed. Compare the returned pages against the specification, and hold the pre-start meeting on site with the crew present.
Frequently asked questions
Should I reject a low bid in Borama?
No. Check it first. Ask the bidder to explain two items from the bill in his own language and list the materials. If the list matches the specification, the price may simply be lean. If items are missing, ask for a revised price before you sign.
Who confirms which documents form the tender in Borama?
Ask the municipal engineer's office which drawings, specification and priced bill make up the contract set, and what the bidder must sign. Ask before you issue the documents, not after you open the bids.
Local reporting: this article is written for building work in Borama and Somaliland. Ground conditions, prices and rules differ between places; confirm the details for your own site.