Notes for Preparing Project Start Date and Project Completion Date

1.

Introduction

1.1

Target project start date (PSD) and project completion date (PCD) are required to be
prepared/reported/updated in RAE return, PWSC papers, PWPIS, progress reports and
various returns (e.g. CAPCOM, MIPMC). PSD and PCD are important parameters for
monitoring the progress of projects, and programme delay would need to be explained.

1.2

Target project start/completion dates should be realistic and achievable taking account
of all considerations in delivery of capital works projects including but not limited to
preparation of investigations and design, public consultation, legal procedures (e.g. EIA,
gazette under relevant enabling ordinances, planning applications), resolution of public
objections, land resumption and land matters, preparation of tender documents, tender
procedure, funding application and interface issues with other projects/contracts.
Since each project has its own specific nature and challenges/difficulties, project
officers should meticulously and critically work out the project programme.

1.3

The purpose of this Notes is to provide some general guidelines on preparing target PSD
and PCD in various returns and progress reports. Owing to the complicated nature of
project programming, the project officers should always make their own professional
assessment and judgment in determining the target start date and completion date of
projects.

2.

Project Start Date

2.1

Project start date generally refers to the date for commencement of the Works for a
contract or the first contract if there is more than one contract implemented under the
project.

2.2

Projects should be planned to tie in with the LegCo Panel/Public Works Sub-committee
(PWSC)/Finance Committee (FC) meetings which are normally held from November to
July in the following year. For contracts with parallel tendering before funding is
secured, project officers should take account of the schedule of FC meeting to determine
the project start dates. For contracts without parallel tendering, additional duration
should be allowed for tendering procedure after the target FC meeting.

2.3

For the purposes of preparing RAE return, progress reports, updating PWPIS etc, the
last day of a month should preferably be assumed for the anticipated project
commencement date where appropriate, e.g. 30/6/2013 for June 2013.
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3.

Project Completion Date

3.1

Project completion date generally refers to the substantial completion date of a contract
or the last contract if there is more than one contract implemented under the project.
The maintenance period should not be counted.

3.2

Target project completion date should factor in probable extensions of time (EOT) due
to inclement weather and other causes where appropriate.

3.3

For works order type capital works contracts, it is normally specified that the Engineer
may issue works orders even if the date for completion stated in any works orders is
after the expiry of the contract period, provided that the completion date is not beyond 6
months after the expiry of the contract period. An extra 6 months in addition to the
contract period should therefore be considered to be allowed for in estimating the target
project completion date.

3.4

For single contract projects, the target project completion date may be calculated by: PCD = PSD + contract period + ( 6 months for works order type contract )
+ allowance for probable EOT due to inclement weather and other causes
where appropriate

3.5

For multi-contract projects, the target project completion date should be taken as the
estimated completion date of the last works contracts (plus 6 months for works order
type contracts) with allowance for probable EOT due to inclement weather and other
causes where appropriate.

3.6

For the purposes of preparing RAE return, progress reports and PWPIS updating, the
last day of a month should preferably be assumed for the anticipated project completion
date where appropriate, e.g. 31/5/2016 for May 2016.

Prepared by
Headquarters Unit, DSD
January 2013