PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY

ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION

COST ESTIMATION SECTION
The objective of this brochure is given below.

1) To explain necessity of the New Coding System for costing purpose based on CESMM3 divisions.
2) To explain how to use and take the advantages of the new system in the daily routine jobs of the
Cost Estimators.
3) To explain how this improves the quality of the Estimation Division.
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A structured coding system is the back bone of every database. In ESD Estimation Division, there are two
major tasks, namely, reviewing the cost estimates prepared by the executing departments/ consultants
and reviewing the variation costs submitted by the contractors/ consultants. The very first consideration
for the cost review is the historical database. Presently CATO is used for the data analysis. The present
item codes used in CATO are primarily based on the Divisions in the Department BOQ. Main drawbacks
of the present system are:

1) There is no uniformity in the item descriptions of various BOQs. All BOQ items are stored with
their own descriptions in the BOQs. This seriously effects the quality as well as the time of the
costing job.
2) Database is mainly divided into first level based on the bills of the BOQ. There after there is no
structured divisions.
3) Unique code doesn’t exists for all the items. Hence, for pricing a single item, a number of items
or group of items had to be considered.
4) Searching the code for the most of the items are very tedious processes.

To overcome this situation, it was decided to prepare a standardized database based on the CESMM3
divisions. Accordingly, this project was started about 8 months back. Now most of the codes required for
the infrastructure jobs are finished. Coding of more than 10 projects were also done on a trial basis.
Now there are technical issues to upload this data to CATO library. Causeway is sorting out the issue and
hopefully they will provide a solution soon. Until the solution is developed, this new database shall be
used in Excel.

Now it is the time to familiarize all the cost estimators with this new system. The features of the new
system is briefly explained below.

1) It is basically based on CESMM3 and best efforts are made to follow the CESMM3 divisions up to
Level 4 and thereafter further subdivided as per CESMM3 guidelines.
2) There are almost 240,000 activities, out of which 95% belongs to Sections I, J & K (Pipes &
fittings, Manholes & pipework ancillaries). Again, 78.5% belongs to division K. This is due to
different options regarding size, shape and materials of the manholes and chambers.
(See Table. 1)
3) Now each of the activity have a unique Activity ID. Although most of the codes are developed,
new ID shall be amended in due course as per the requirements.
4) The structured coding system with definite item descriptions make the searching algorithm fast
and simple.
5) Several methods are developed to search for the codes, which shall be discussed in detail in
below paragraphs. This shall save the time required for each review jobs.
6) Since there are unique codes for each item of activities, there is no need to consider multiple
number of activities to price a single item. This results in uniformity in estimated costs of the
project.
 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY
ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION
COST ESTIMATION SECTION

Abbreviation Description of Primary Divisions No. of Items Percentage

A General Items 06 0.0%

B Ground investigation 485 0.2%
C Geotechnical and other specialist processes
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D Demolition and site clearance 782 0.3%
E Earthworks 548 0.2%
F In situ concrete 211 0.1%
G Concrete ancillaries 315 0.1%
H Precast concrete
I Pipework - Pipes 29747 12.4%
J Pipework - fittings and valves 8405 3.5%
K Manholes and pipework ancillaries 188257 78.5%
Pipework -supports and protection, ancillaries to
L laying and excavation 2738 1.1%
M Structural metalwork
N Miscellaneous Metalwork 09 0.0%
O Timber
P Piles
Q Piling ancillaries
R Roads and Paving 4438 1.9%
S Rail track
T Tunnels
U Brickwork, blockwork and masonry 60 0.0%
V Painting 14 0.0%
W Waterproofing 28 0.0%
X Miscellaneous works 274 0.1%
Sewer and Water Main Renovation and Ancillary
Y System 34 0.0%
Simple Building Works Incidental to Civil
Z Engineering Works 3495 1.5%
Total 239,846 100.0%

Table (1)

Method for the preparation of cost estimate review based on the new coding system is explained below.
Normally, Department estimates are being received in standard formats as shown below in Fig.1.

Please follow the below steps in sequence.

 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY
ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION
COST ESTIMATION SECTION

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Fig (1) Specimen Department BOQ

Page
 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY
ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION
COST ESTIMATION SECTION
STEP 1: TRIMMING:

Using a Trimming tool, the department estimate can

be modified to delete unnecessary formats, names
and blank rows. For trimming the BOQ page,
activate the BOQ page and click Trim BOQ button in
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ESD Tool menu See Fig (2)

Fig (2) BOQ Trimming Tool

After trimming the file looks like this. [See Fig (3)]. Unecessary scrolling through numerous rows saves
the time and deleting the uncecessary rows and formats reduces the file sizes considerably.

STATE OF QATAR ANNEX 2: PRICING DOCUMENTS

ASHGHAL SECTION 3: BILLS OF QUANTITIES
BILL 3 - DEMOLITION, SITE CLEARANCE AND SITE PREPARATION
ITEM / RATE AMOUNT
ITEM DESCRIPTION QTY UNIT
CESMM3 REF QAR QAR
DEMOLITION, SITE CLEARANCE AND SITE PREPARATION
(EARTHWORKS) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALLTHE CONTRACT
DOCUMENTATION
3.1 DEMOLITION AND SITE CLEARANCE
General clearance; including demolition and removal of all
articles, objects, and obstructions which are expressly
required to be cleared other than separate items identified
and set out in this Class, and disposal of materials from site
to the nearest approved tips up to 50km from work site
3.1.1 Site area D100 47 Ha 7,443.44 349,841.68
Other structures; excluding any works below the original
surface
Take up and carefully relocate existing trees as directed by
the Engineer (including palm trees) and coordinate with
Municipality garden section
3.1.2 Various girths D2*0 1,130 nr 337.50 381,375.00
Removal and disposal offsite of Flood Prevention Schemes
(FPS) in accordance with the Drawings and Specifications
3.1.3 Pipelines, nominal bore: 300-500mm D620 327 m 69.17 22,618.59
TOTAL: 753,835.27

Fig (3) BOQ Page after Trimming

STEP 2: ALLOCATING CODES

This is the step where most time is consumed and requires most attention. Once this step is done
correctly by the Cost Estimators during their review, then no additional coding is required during the
import of the rates to the CATO. This increase speed of the data update process considerably and result
in timely update of database, which in turn increase the quality of our Division. There are several tools
made to search and allocate the codes to the items.

Method 1: Type simple essential keywords of the item. For convenience, Column next to the
Department Amount column in the department BOQ can be used for typing the search keywords. (Eg. If
Amount is in column G, Column H can be used as the keyword-typing column.). Item Code, Unit &
Description will be appearing in the subsequent columns and rows after clicking the appropriate menu
buttons. Select the most suitable code and delete the remaining. Keep this code, unit & item in the same
 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY
ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION
COST ESTIMATION SECTION
Row of the BOQ item, starting from the column next to the Amount column. Please see Fig (4) (5) & (6).
(Eg. Type the keyword “site clearance” in the cell. Click Opti-Search in ESD menu under CATO. Activity
Id, Unit & Description appears in adjacent cells)

Amount
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Keywords
d

Fig (4) Type Keywords in Left side of Amount column

Fig (5) Opti-Search Button in

ESD Tools

Fig (6) Activity code, Unit & Item Description in adjacent columns
 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY
ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION
COST ESTIMATION SECTION
Please note the following guideline points:

1. Start searching from first item to last item, otherwise there are chance to over write the
existing data. If it is required search an item in between, use a column away to type the
search words. After getting the code copy the code to the exact cell.
2. Type the keywords such as “precast bollard”, “Ductile iron bend 11.25 250mm” , “site
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clearance” etc. as minimum as possible to identify the item.
3. Don’t use a space in between a measurement and its unit (Eg. Use “250mm” instead of
“250 mm”).
4. Don’t use unnecessary zeros. (Eg. Use “5m” instead of “5.0m” or “5.0 m”).
5. Words can be typed in any order, leave a space in between each words.
6. If there is a doubt whether a word is single or two words, write always as two words keeping a
space in between. (Eg. Use “micro tunnel” instead of “microtunnel” or “micro-tunnel”.
7. Words can be used either in CAPITAL or small or mixed letters.
8. When it is required to limit the search within a particular trade, type the trade letter in the
search cell and then type the search word in the next cell. (See Table (1) for the list of all
trades). For example type “L” in the search cell and then type “concrete bed surround SL1” in
the adjacent cell, to limit the search for beds and surrounds for SL1 duct in “Pipework –
Supports and protection sections.
9. Always try to use singular words instead of plurals
10. Typing “ordinary soil” instead of “exception of top soil, rock and/or artificial hard material”
saves time
11. For searching traffic signs and markings use the pattern “reference 123” either for old or new
reference code. The result will be in equivalent new codes.

Method 2: For searching codes of Manholes, Pipes, Ducts & Micro tunnels, type these words in search
cell. Click Opti-Search in ESD Tools Menu. Fill the pop up Form with the details and click OK button.
For the adjacent codes, change the parameters in the form and again click OK . See Fig (7)

Fig (7) Entering Keywords for Manholes using Form

 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY
ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION
COST ESTIMATION SECTION
Method 3: For getting the codes of the adjacent items, Select a cell in the search column below the
existing code with only blank cells in between and click Search Next or Search Previous buttons. See
Fig (8) & Fig (9)

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Fig (8) Searching for adjacent codes using Next & Previous Buttons

Fig (9) Search Next & Search Previous Buttons

Method 4: For items with keyword in adjacent rows, select a blank search cell. Click Opti-Search in
Menu bar. Type the Column Heading (Eg. “H”) of the description column or select a cell in description
column and click the + button near the input box. Column heading letter shall appear in the input box.
Then select the search cell and click the + button on the right side. Text from the corresponding
description column shall be automatically added to the main input box. Each additional click shall amend
the input box text with text from the previous rows of the description column. Finally click the OK
button.
 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY
ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION
COST ESTIMATION SECTION

Fig (10) Adding and

merging Keywords from
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without typing.

STEP 3: GENERATING ESD REVIEW ESTIMATE

After allocating the Activity codes to all of the items in the department BOQ, click Make ESD BOQ
button in ESD Tools under COST ESTIMATE. Then the sheet is automatically converted to new ESD BOQ
format. The advantage of this format is that the standard description equivalent to the department BOQ
description of each bill item is displayed. No other document or reference is required to check the items.
Now this bill can be used for both making csv file for uploading to CATO and finalizing the CE review file.

Fig (11) BOQ After Allocating Codes

 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY
ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION
COST ESTIMATION SECTION

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Fig (12) Make ESD Button

Fig (13) Department/ ESD BOQ side by side for easy comparison

STEP 4: FINILIZING REVIEW ESTIMATE

To get the final ESD review estimate, click Finish ESD BOQ button
in ESD Tools under COST ESTIMATE. Select the years from which
the data should be considered from the appearing form and click
OK.

Fig (14) Selection of Years

 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY
ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION
COST ESTIMATION SECTION

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Fig (15) ESD Final BOQ

 All non-priced items will be marked with yellow shades and “ITEM NOT PRICED” text in Remark
column of the ESD estimate.
 Any change or missing of the UNIT will be marked with Red fonts. Also, Comments will be
inserted in the cells of these units.

After generating the final ESD Estimate, the rates can be checked both with CATO and with Excel.

For viewing the details of an items, using ESD Tool, select the Activity Code cell and click Code Search
button under CATO. Click OK button in the appearing Form. See (Fig 16).
 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY
ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION
COST ESTIMATION SECTION

Clicking OK button
fetches the complete data
for the activity in the
input box
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Fig (16)

Fig (17) Detailed Data Analysis of Individual Item

Data can analysis for individual items in different ways by sorting, removing or retaining particular
values, generating graph and modifying graph by deleting extreme high and low values (based on
Standard Deviation).

During Data import to CATO or during Tender rate review, click Rate Review button under CATO
Developer tab.

A detailed report of the rates of each item is produced against each items in the Remarks column. See
Fig(18)
 PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY
ENGINEERING SERVICES DIVISION
COST ESTIMATION SECTION

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Fig (18) Rate Analysis during Post Tender Review/ CATO import Import

PREPARATION OF CSV FILES FOR CATO IMPORT:

After preparing the ESD format BOQ, copy all the bills to a single worksheet, name the sheet tab to the
Contract No. (eg, C2020-016) and Click Make CSV button under CATO Developer. Option window will
appear either to convert all the sheets with name in C2020-123 format or to convert the active sheet
only. Choose the correct option and click OK button. All the items are automatically arranged in CATO
import format. Copy this sheet to a new workbook and save as a csv file.