1 Module KB7035 Module Title Procurement and Su

1
Module KB7035
Module Title Procurement and Supply Chain Management
Procurement and supply Chain Management Report
Name Dara Easwar Karthik
ID W19042969
Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering
Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE18ST, United
Kingdom
2
Executive summary

This report presents information necessary to ensure efficient
governance of the procurement
process in the $55 million construction of an autonomous but
state-funded school in York, which
is being undertaken by a York-based parent-led educational
group. In achieving this, the report
has developed a procurement plan that can be used in the
project based on the characteristics
of the project and the needs of the client. Consequently, the
report established Management
Procurement as the appropriate procurement arrangement
suitable in this project as per the
client requirements, including the need for early delivery of the
project and constant involvement
in the client in the project. Following this, the Management
Contract under JCT is found to be
the most suitable standard form of contract that should be used
in this project and the Two-
stage tendering strategy as most appropriate to achieve the most
economically advantageous
tender. Since Management Contract requires the client to
appoint a Management contractor, the
Prime cost plus management fee is found to be the most
applicable mechanism for pricing in

this project. However, the report establishes that contractors,
especially subcontractors and
suppliers could see financial challenges under COVID-19
situation under this form of contract
since the client cannot direct the contractors on what to do with
the money they pay them.
Owing to this, the reportrecommends that contractors, suppliers
and subcontractors be
encouraged to take advantage of the available funding
opportunities by the government and that
the main contractor is encouraged to pay their subcontractors
and suppliers on time to keep
them afloat.
3
Contents
1.0 Introduction
4

2.0 Detailed procurement plan
5
2.1 Client's organizational characteristics and the client needs
5
2.2 Project characteristics
6
2.3 Most suitable procurement arrangement
7
2.4 Most suitable main standard form of contract
9
2.5 Most suitable tendering strategy
9
2.6 Mechanism for pricing and agreeing on the price for
the project 10
3.0 Current situations
11
3.1 Impacts of COVID-19 on the client's procurement
strategy 11
3.2 How to manage the COVID-19 issues to enable
project success, business
benefits and overall ethical operations
13
Conclusion
13

References
15
Appendixes
18
Appendix 1: Selection of the most appropriate Management
Contracting option in
the Project
18
Appendix 2: Category groups planning in Procurement and
supply chain process 19
4
1.0 Introduction
The construction industry is one of the crucial industry for
many countries, often contributing
about 7-10% of the Gross Domestic Product (Eriksson and

Westerberg, 2009). However, many
projects tend to fail because of lack of proper procurement
procedures and practices (Mabveka,
2018), which makes the procurement process very crucial for
any given construction
project.Kafile (2018) and Tiwari et al. (2018) identified
increment of project complications, ever-
changing customer's needs and expectations, vulnerability,
absence of team integration and the
separation of outline plan from the construction as some of the
procurement issues that
construction industry face. To address some of these issues and
ensure efficient governance in
projects within the context of the construction industry, a
systemic and holistic approach to
procurement procedures is very important (Eriksson and
Westerberg, 2009).
Based on this background, this report seeks to present
information necessary to ensure efficient
governance of the procurement process in the $55 million
construction of an autonomous but
state-funded school in York, which is being undertaken by a
York-based parent-led educational
group. The project involves the construction of 14 Classrooms,

staff accommodation, laboratory
facilities, VR 3D printing and digital spaces, canteen and dining
facilities as well as outdoor
learning and play area. This report is very important in this
project because the leading
management team appointed by the parent-led educational
promoters as a caretaker board of
trustee do not have wide knowledge and experience in the
construction project despite being
involved in making a very important operational decision in the
proposed construction of the
above school facilities. As such, this report presents
information that will help the Board of
trustee in making appropriate decisions about the procurement
processes in the project,
including information relating to how the current situations in
the construction industry, such as
COVID-19 could be managed to ensure the project is delivered
in the most efficient way
possible.
5

Understanding the clients' organizational characteristics is a
very crucial aspect in the
procurement process since clients are not a homogenous
organized group of individuals or
organization and therefore different clients may have di fferent
needs and expectations that have
to be considered in the selection of procurement methods so that
these individual needs and
expectations can be met (Masterman and Gameson, 1994).
Mortledge et al. (2006) note that
this important because of the client's desired level of
involvement in project and culture as well
as experience and knowledge influence the choice of
procurement method. Thus, the client's
organizational characteristics are very paramount. In this
project, the client characteristics can
be summarized as follows, which is based on a framework
suggested by Ng et al. (2002);
Characteristics Description
Speed The client wants a speedy procurement process due to
the desire that the

project must be completed as soon as possible, not later than
May 2022
to enable the smooth opening of the school in September 2022.
Cost certainty The client has already secured a GBP55 million
funds for the project.
However, the amount is non-negotiable budget, hence cost
certainty is
very important for the client. The project has to be completed
within the
budget.
Time certainty The client wants a timely completion of the
project since any delay is not
acceptable because it will affect the reputation of the school and
delay the
smooth opening of the school in September 2022.
Flexibility Flexibility in the project requirements is not a
priority for the client since
new changes will result in additional funding, which is not
available for the
client due to a fixed budget. However, the contractor has to
ensure the
6

project meets client design specifications and requirements.
Responsibility The client wants to be involved in the project
and be informed about the
project over its lifecycle.
Complexity The design theme of the school has to be a natural-
looking building with
the outside environment linking with the interior, taking into
account the
several external access points and distinct outdoor learning and
play
areas. Most importantly, the client requires the school plan to
take into
account PV and other sustainable technologies, hence a bit more
complex.
Quality level The client demands first-class facilities that
reflect the ambition of the
school as a modern provider of digital and health technology
education.
Risk allocation The client wants to be aware of risks and
uncertainties in the project
during the procuring process and how this impact the project
success.

Price
competition
The client is concerned about value for money and therefore a
price
competition in the award of the contract is important as this will
allow the
client to compare different tenders and evaluate the one that is
most
economically advantageous.
According to Love et al. (2009), project characteristics in the
construction industry is paramount
in the selection of procurement methods and is concerned with
the size, complexity, location
and uniqueness of the project since these can have a significant
impact on the project across
key aspects such as the time, cost and risk involved in the
project. Most importantly, Love et al.
(2009) developed a framework upon which project
characteristics in the construction industry
can be formulated, which is used in this report to establish the

project characteristics as follows;
7
Project title UTC autonomous and
state-funded school.
Project start date January 2021
Project value GBP55 million Project completion date May
2022
Contractor Not yet specified Opening of the project to
the public
September 2022
Project location York, in the UK. Project duration 70 weeks
Key project objectives:
-class school facilities to offer Digital
technologies and Health sciences
skills to about 430 pupils.
2022 to allow smooth

opening of the school in September 2022 and avoid the
tarnishing reputation of the
school experienced by similar schools in the past where delays
were forcing them to
postpone opening by one academic year or temporary
accommodation.
lifecycle.
Project constraints:
-negotiable budget of GBP55 million
According to Love et al. (2009), three common procurement
arrangement methods can be
employed in the construction industry: Design and Manage,
Management Procurement, and the
Traditional Lump-sum procurement arrangement options.
Considering the needs of the client in
this project and the characteristics of the projects as discussed
above, the most appropriate
procurement arrangement will be Management Procurement.
According to Love et al. (2009),

8
this procurement is most appropriate to a company when there is
need for an early start and
early completion of the project, the client and his advisers have
insufficient management
resources, the project is organizationally complex thereby
demanding multiplicity of consultant
and contractor organizations, and when maximum price
competition is necessary for the work to
be carried out in the most economically advantageous way
possible, which to be captured in the
client and project characteristics mentioned above. Under the
Management Procurement
arrangement, there two options that will be available to the
client: Management Contracting, and
Construction Management form of contracts. In selecting the
most appropriate option among
these two, the client characteristics are considered using a scale
of 1 to 5, where 1 is the least
important criteria and 5 is the highest criteria. The results are as
summarized in Appendix 1 of
this report.

The results show that the most appropriate Management
Procurement option that fits with client
requirements is the Management Contract (MC) option, with a
score of 185 points compared to
Construction Management (CM) option, which has a score of
152 points. According to Love et
al. (2009), under the Management Contracting, the client will be
required to appoint both an
independent professional team and management contractor who
will be involved in the pre-
construction stages to provide the client with professional
advice on the pre-construction
activities since the client has insufficient knowledge in
construction project procurements and
management activities. During the construction period, they wil l
take responsibility in ensuring
the project activities are executed as per the direct work
contracts. As a result, it is possible to
make an early start on-site and attain early completion.
However, for this type of contract to be a
success, there must be a collaboration and trust between the
client, contractor and the design
consultants, hence this contract will ensure the client is fully
involved over the project lifecycle to

make the project a success. According to Love et al. (2009), it
is preferred that the contractor is
selected no later than the design stage. This is crucial since it
will ensure that the contractor is
9
involved in providing professional advice on design programme
and participate in making
decisions on the other project activities such as the delivery of
project materials and the
construction programmes. The role of the management
contractor is to carry out the project
activities according to project specifications, project design and
drawings, and as per the
contract cost plan prepared by the quantity survey (Love et al.,
2009).
The two most common standard form of a contract in the
construction industry across the globe
and especially in the UK is the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT)
standard and the NEC standard.
Since the proposed procurement arrangement is the Management

Procurement and the most
suitable option under this is the Management Contract, the most
suitable main standard form of
contract is JCT, particularly the Management Contract (MC11)
according to Jctltd.co.uk
(2020).The MC11 has the same benefits as the Management
Contract discussed above,
including the factor that the client will be required to appoint a
management contractor to
oversee the entire work in the project and in doing so, the
management contractor has to
collaborate and work together with the other contractors and the
client to ensure the project is a
success, hence leading to a high to the very high involvement of
the client in the project as
expected by the client (The Joint Contracts Tribunal Limited,
2011).
According to Martens and Smith (2018), from the point of the
contracting authority, the most
economically advantageous tender is established based on the
cost, using a cost-effective
approach such as life-cycle costing plus other criteria, such
social and environmental aspects,

work environment, innovation, and best price-quality ratio. For
this to be achieved in a given
project, they argue that there is need to ensure the possibility of
effective competition and clear
criteria providing details of how the tenderers were evaluated
against the criteria that the results
from the tendering process can be verified and ensure only the
most economically
10
advantageous tenderer is awarded contracts. There are three
main types of tendering strategies
available in the construction industry: single-stage tendering,
two-stage tendering, and
negotiated tendering strategy (Cicmil and Marshall, 2005).
Among these tendering strategies
available, the most appropriate one that will ensure the most
economically advantageous tender
in line with the requirement of the client and the procurement
arrangement mentioned above is
the Two-stage tendering strategy. According to RICS (2017),
this strategy is more appropriate in

situations in which there is a time-constrained since it enables
design and tendering to overlap.
Since the "Concept design" of the proposed school project has
already been completed but the
detail design of the project is yet to be started, using the Two-
stage tendering strategy will
ensure that tendering and design can overlap to minimize
potential delays in the const ruction
activities of the school owing to the time constraints required in
the project. A key benefit of this
tendering strategy is that the design process of the project will
benefit from the technical input of
a contractor in the later design stages. Instead of bidding for the
entire project work, the
preferred contractor is selected in a competitive process and
then joins the design team on a
consultancy basis using a pre-construction services agreement
(PCSA). This ensures
collaboration between the design team and the execution
contractors, which could address
technical design issues before the preferred contractor presents
a bid for the execution of the
project (RICS, 2017). It is the competitive selection of the
contractors in this tendering strategy

that will ensure the most economically advantageous tender is
achieved as the criteria designed
by the client with help of independent professional consultant is
followed in choosing the best
contractor.
2.6 Mechanism for pricing and agreeing on the price for the
project
Several pricing mechanisms are commonly used in the
construction industry, including cost
reimbursement, measurement contracts, and lump sum contracts
among others (Love et al.,
2009). Normally, the pricing mechanism employed has to be
consistent with the standard form
11
of contract that is used and to ensure the pricing the contract
specifications are compatible.
Since this project uses JCT Management Contact (CM11) form
of contract, the pricing used
therefore has to be aligned with the requirement of this contract
form. Since the contract
involves a Management contractor responsible for overseeing
the overall works in the project,

there pricing has to take into account the fee due to the
management contractor for the work
being done. As such, JCT recommends that the pricing
mechanism used in this case be the
Prime cost of the Project plus a Management Fee for the
management contractor (The Joint
Contracts Tribunal Limited, 2017). To successfully use this
mechanism to pricing, the client will
need to have appointed the Management contractor, a Quantity
Surveyor and Architect/Contract
Administrator. The Management contractor will be involved in
ensuring teamwork between the
Quantity Surveyor, Architect/Contract Administrator and teams
involved in the project, including
agreeing constructions methods, the work packages, and
contract cost plan. Once this agreed,
the client should be notified by Architect/Contract
Administrator that it is practical to undertake
the project and the client can choose whether the project should
continue to the next stage or
not.
3.0 Current situations
3.1 Impacts of COVID-19 on the client's procurement strategy

COVID-19 has had unprecedented impacts in many industries
across the globe and the
construction industry was not spared either. The industry is
expected to see fall of about 20.6%
in output due to COVID-19 impacts on the industry, particularly
due to lockdown and travel
restrictions as well as social distancing measures, which were
some of the stringent measures
taken by the UK government to mitigate the spread of the virus
(MacFarlane, 2020). The
implication of the COVID-19 is more apparent in the supply
chain, especially because many of
the construction companies in the UK are small companies and
may not have the capacity to
absorb some of the shocks in the industry, including the
potential of financial stress due to lack
12
of adequate financial reserves. For instance, Statista (2020)
argues that about 93% of the
construction companies in the UK are small companies, with 7
or less number of employees.

With the COVID-19, these companies are more likely to face
financial challenges due to
declined construction economic construction activities since
they may not have adequate
financial reserves. Furthermore, the large companies, which
often subcontract these small
companies are also facing financial constraints during this
COVID-19 situation. A survey by
ONS BICS (as quoted by Falconer, 2020) shown that about 53%
of the companies in the UK
construction industry argued that their cash reserves would only
last up to six months. What this
means is that there is the possibility that the main contractors
will benefit from the proposed
contract more than the subcontractors since the client does not
have any capacity to dictate
how the subcontractors should be paid under the JCT
Management Contract form standard
contract suggested in this report. As such, the subcontractors
are at the risk of failing to paid on
time by the main contractors, hence they may delay the project
due to lack of adequate
financing, affecting the client. Moreover, if a subcontractor
becomes bankrupt, there would be a

need for the contractor to look for alternative subcontractors,
which would further delay the
project if no immediate alternative. Things will be worse if the
suppliers of the key products and
materials required in the project become insolvency, which will
focus the contractor to also look
for an alternative.Furthermore, COVID-19 could also have a
significant impact on the way the
project is delivered due to new stringent measures, such as
social distancing measures which
may reduce the number of people required in the construction
industry. This will have an effect
of increasing the number of hours required to complete a task at
a given period, hence may
delay the project delivery.
13
3.2 How to manage the COVID-19 issues to enable project
success, business benefits and
overall ethical operations
The biggest issues that arise from COVID-19 is the possibility
of contractor, subcontractors, and

suppliers becoming bankrupt, especially small companies which
do not have sufficient financial
reserves. To address this, these stakeholders must take
advantage of the financial assistance
that the government of the UK is providing to small and
medium-sized business, such as the
Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), which targets SMEs, giving
them loans of between 2,000
to 50,000 pounds in an attempt to cushion and enable them to
transition to normal in the future
(Gov.uk, 2020). However, there are concerns that the
government may run out of money if the
pandemic persists in future (Price, 2020), hence the need for
SMEs to innovate and find ways to
generate more money. Unfortunate, there is no possibility that
the client in the current project
could dictate how independent contractors should do with their
money. However, the client with
help of the management contractors may work together with the
main contractor to innovate and
find a way in which the subcontractors and the suppliers can be
paid on time to sustain them
over the project life cycle. For instance, a project bank account
can be developed where

suppliers and the contractors can be paid directly by the client
on request and as per the
directions of the main contractor. This will ensure the main
contractor does not exploit the
suppliers and subcontractors as well. Lastly, yet importantly,
the contractors and subcontractors
must be encouraged to embrace a culture of working remotely
and ensure they comply with
social distancing and other requirements to reduce exposure of
workers to the virus, which
could delay the project further.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this report has presented a procurement plan that
can be used to ensure the
construction of the state-funded school in York is made possible
and delivered on time, and
budget. The report established Management Contract under JCT
is the most suitablestandard
14
form of contract that should be used in this project and
identified the Two-stage tendering

strategy as most appropriate to achieve the most economically
advantageous tender while
Prime cost plus management fee as the most applicable
mechanism for pricing in this project in
line with the suggested standard for the contract. However, the
report establishes that
contractors, especially subcontractors and suppliers could see
financial challenges under
COVID-19 situation under this contract since the client cannot
direct the contractors on what to
do with the money they pay them. It is recommended that
contractors, suppliers and
subcontractors take advantage of the available funding
recommendation by the government and
that the main contractor be encouraged to pay their
subcontractors and suppliers on time to
keep them afloat.
15
References

Eriksson, P. E., & Westerberg, M. (2009). Effects of
procurement on construction project
performance. In International Conference on Management of
Technology: 05/04/2009-
09/04/2009.
Price, D. (2020) 'We will run out of money' – why the COVID-
19 rescue packages aren't
working. Retrieved from:
https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/agenda/we-will-run-out-of-
money-
why-the-covid-19-rescue-packages-arent-working-16-04-2020/
Gov.uk (2020) Apply for a coronavirus Bounce Bank Loan.
Retrieved from:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-coronavirus-bounce-
back-loan
Falconer, T. (2020) Shaky foundations: COVID-19 and the UK
Construction Sector. Retrieved
from: https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-insider/coronavirus-
insights/shaky-foundations-covid-
19-and-the-uk-construction-sector/
Statista (2020) Total number of construction firms in Engl and
as of the third quarter of 2018, by
employment size. Retrieved from:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/564797/construction-firms-

size-region-england/
MacFarlane, I. (2020) Full impact of COVID-19 spells
uncertainty for the construction sector.
Retrieved from: https://www.showhouse.co.uk/news/full-
impact-of-covid-19-spells-uncertainty-
for-construction-sector/
Tiwari, S. T. S., Chan, S. W., & Mubarak, M. F. (2018, April).
Critical analysis of procurement
techniques in construction manageme nt sectors. In IOP
Conference Series: Materials Science
and Engineering (Vol. 342, No. 1, p. 012100).
money-why-the-covid-19-rescue-packages-arent-working-16-04-
2020/
money-why-the-covid-19-rescue-packages-arent-working-16-04-
2020/
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-coronavirus-bounce-
back-loan
https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-insider/coronavirus-
insights/shaky-foundations-covid-19-and-the-uk-construction-
sector/
https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-insider/coronavirus-
insights/shaky-foundations-covid-19-and-the-uk-construction-
sector/

https://www.showhouse.co.uk/news/full-impact-of-covid-19-
spells-uncertainty-for-construction-sector/
https://www.showhouse.co.uk/news/full-impact-of-covid-19-
spells-uncertainty-for-construction-sector/
16
Cicmil, S., & Marshall, D. (2005). Insights into collaboration at
the project level: complexity,
social interaction and procurement mechanisms. Building
Research & Information, 33(6), 523-
535.
The Joint Contracts Tribunal Limited (2017) Deciding on the
appropriate JCT contract 2016.
Retrieved from: https://www.jctltd.co.uk/docs/Deciding-on-the-
appropriate-JCT-contract-
2016.pdf
RICS (2017) RICS Professional Guidance, UK. Tendering
strategies 1st edition. Retrieved from:
http://www.trentglobal.edu.sg/wp-
content/uploads/2017/01/Tendering_strategies_1st_edition_PGg
uidance_2014.pdf
Martens, B. and Smith, R. (2018) Evaluation methodologies.
Retrieved from:

http://www.ippa.org/images/JOPP/vol17/issue-
1/Article_4_Stilger-et-al.pdf
The Joint Contracts Tribunal Limited (2011) Deciding on the
appropriate JCT contract 2011.
Retrieved from: https://www.jctltd.co.uk/docs/Deciding-on-the-
appropriate-JCT-contract-2011-
Sept-11-version-2.pdf
Jctltd.co.uk (2020) Contract families: Management Building
Contract. Retrieved from:
https://www.jctltd.co.uk/category/management-building-
contract
Kafile, M. (2018). Effects of procurement processes on project
execution in a project
management company in Cape Town, South Africa (Doctoral
dissertation, Cape Peninsula
University of Technology).
Mabveka, G. (2013) Project implementation failure:
Procurement procedures a scapegoat.
Retrieved from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237062917_PROJECT
_IMPLEMENTATION_FAILUR
E_PROCUREMENT_PROCEDURES_A_SCAPEGOAT

https://www.jctltd.co.uk/docs/Deciding-on-the-appropriate-JCT-
contract-2016.pdf
contract-2016.pdf
uidance_2014.pdf
uidance_2014.pdf
http://www.ippa.org/images/JOPP/vol17/issue-
1/Article_4_Stilger-et-al.pdf
contract-2011-Sept-11-version-2.pdf
contract-2011-Sept-11-version-2.pdf
https://www.jctltd.co.uk/category/management-building-
contract
_IMPLEMENTATION_FAILURE_PROCUREMENT_PROCED
URES_A_SCAPEGOAT
_IMPLEMENTATION_FAILURE_PROCUREMENT_PROCED
URES_A_SCAPEGOAT
17
Love, R. P., Davis, P., Baccarini, D., Wilson, G., & Lopez, R.
(2009) Capital Works
Procurement: The Selection of a Building Procurement Method.
Research Project No: 2006-
034-C-01.

Masterman, J. W. E., &Gameson, R. N. (1994). Client
characteristics and needs in relation to
their selection of building procurement systems. East meets
West, 221-228.
Mortledge, R., Smith, A., Kashiwagi, D.T. (2006). Building
Procurement. Blackwell, Oxford, UK.
Ng, T., Luu, D., & Chen, S. (2002). Decision criteria and their
subjectivity in construction
procurement selection. Construction Economics and Building,
2(1), 70-80.
18
Appendixes
Appendix 1: Selection of the most appropriate Management
Contracting option in the
project
Selection criteria Client needs and
characteristics
Management Contracting
(MC)
Construction

Management (CM)
How important it is
to the client (1 to 5)
How important it is
to the MC (1 to 5)
Total
Score
How important it is
to the CM (1 to 5)
Total
Score
A B =A*B C =A*C
Speed 5 4 20 3 15
Cost certainty 5 4 20 3 15
Time certainty 5 4 20 3 15
Flexibility 3 5 25 5 15
Responsibility 4 5 20 4 16
Complexity 4 5 20 5 20

Quality level 4 5 20 4 16
Risk allocation 4 5 20 5 20
Price competition 4 5 20 5 20
Overall score 185 152
Ranking 1 2
19
Appendix 2: Category groups planning in Procurement and
supply chain process
Source : Futurepurchasing
Executive summaryContents1.0 Introduction
92.6 Mechanism for pricing and agreeing on the price for the

project 103.0 Current situations
113.1 Impacts of COVID-19 on the client's procurement
strategy 113.2 How to manage the
COVID-19 issues to enable project success, businessbenefits
and overall ethical operations
13Conclusion
13References
15Appendixes
18Appendix 1: Selection of the most appropriate Management
Contracting option inthe Project
18Appendix 2: Category groups planning in Procurement and
supply chain process 191.0 Introduction2.0 Detailed
procurement plan2.1 Client's organizational characteristics and
the client needs2.2 Project characteristics2.3 Most suitable
procurement arrangement2.4 Most suitable main standard form
of contract2.5 Most suitable tendering strategy2.6 Mechanism
for pricing and agreeing on the price for the project3.0 Current
situations3.1 Impacts of COVID-19 on the client's procurement
strategy3.2 How to manage the COVID-19 issues to enable
project success, business benefits and overall ethical
operationsConclusionReferencesAppendixesAppendix 1:
Selection of the most appropriate Management Contracting
option in the projectAppendix 2: Category groups planning in
Procurement and supply chain process
1
SYLLABUS: ENGLISH 120 / Spring 2021 / Instructor: Richard
Gold
Course Syllabus
ENG 120-20322 – Critical Writing
Adjunct Associate Professor Richard Gold
[email protected]

Required Text: Hacker, Diana, and Nancy Sommers. Rules for
Writers. New York:
Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. 9th ed.
For a digital rental of this textbook, click on this link:
https://www.vitalsource.com/student-etextbooks
Required Text: Miller, Henry. Tropic of Cancer. New York:
Grove Press, 1961.
For a digital rental of this book, click on this link:
Required Text: Baldwin, James. The Fire Next Time. New York:
Vintage, 1963.
Required Text: Toole, John Kennedy. A Confederacy of Dunces.
New York: Grove Press, 1980.
Required Text: Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. New York:
Anchor Books, 1997.
(no digital version available from Vitalsource)
Supplemental Required Texts: Texts for the three short writing
assignments on Song of Myself, Howl, and Chapter One of
Walden can be found on the Internet. Links are provided in the
respective Assignments.
(BARNES & NOBLE COLLEGE TEXTBOOK PRICE MATCH
PROGRAM: Click this link for more information on the B&N
textbook Price Match Program available through our online
campus bookstore: http://facultyenlight.com/price-match )
COURSE OVERVIEW: In this writing course we will explore

various approaches to interpreting and analyzing fiction and
non-fiction texts. The course will be organized around the
general theme of the relationship between the
outsider/rebel/nonconformist antihero and society at large i n
20th century American literature. Within this broad framework
the selected texts will enable us to explore a wide range of
topics including but not limited to: Censorship and what is
permissible in art; the concept of physical and spiritual self-
exile; male chauvinism in literature and its feminist critique;
the question of race and racism in America; the intellectual and
artistic individualist as social critic and observer; the role of
human sexuality and its repression as an instrument of artistic
expression; the role of language in subverting the status quo;
comedy as a vehicle for social criticism; the power of art to
shock and challenge its audience; and the relationship between
the individual and nature in the modern world. You will also be
strongly encouraged to develop and express in writing your own
original thematic insights inspired by reading the assigned
materials; this could include how the texts under discussion
relate to current issues of interest to you and your fellow
students.
ASSIGNMENTS OVERVIEW: All students will write at least
two of three assigned short essays (Whitman, Ginsberg, with
Thoreau optional). All students will write a final research paper
(see below). All students will write the first assigned main
essay (Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer).
Students will then have the option of writing two of the
remaining three assigned main essays based on the required
texts. However, students may write all three of the remaining
assigned main essays (four total) for extra credit. This means
that your lowest-graded of four main essays will be eliminated
in calculating your final grade. If there is no difference between
any of those grades, you will still receive positive consideration
for effort.

The three (or four) main essays should be three to four double-
spaced pages long. Students will have the opportunity to revise
and edit two of their main essays for the possibility of a higher
grade (see below), and they are encouraged to do so. In addition
to our reading and discussion of the four main required texts,
we will also be reading and discussing selections from
supplemental texts that influenced or are related to the required
texts. These supplemental texts will be the basis of three short
writing exercises of about two pages each. We will also have
open book participatory grammar and style exercises.
FINAL RESEARCH PAPER: As noted above, instead of a final
exam you will be required to submit a research paper between
1250-2000 words (five to eight pages) long. The course is
designed so that you will be able to use one or more of your
previous essays as a solid foundation for development into a
research paper. A good research paper should cite and
synthesize the findings and opinions of three to five outside
sources with your own critical arguments. Students will have
the opportunity to submit preliminary drafts of their end-term
research papers, but they will not be permitted to revise their
research paper final submissions. Students are advised to start
thinking about their research papers as soon as possible.
Research papers are expected to conform to MLA format as
outlined in Rules for Writers.
Research papers may focus on one topic, or might be structured
as a compare-and-contrast essay. Topics might include: The
influence of Walt Whitman on Henry Miller; the feminist
critique of Miller’s writing, and its defense; Miller and Ignatius
J. Reilly (A Confederacy of Dunces) as literary antiheros;
Whitman, Henry David Thoreau, Into the Wild and the literary
celebration of escapes into nature; Allen Ginsberg and James
Baldwin as postwar protest writers; James Baldwin, Richard

Wright, and African-American literary identity; Baldwin and
Miller as literary exiles; a comparison of The Fire Next Time
and Ta-Nehesi Coates’s recent bestseller, Between the World
and Me, which was directly influenced by it. Into the Wild and
the genre of literary journalism; A Confederacy of Dunces as
social satire; Tropic of Cancer, Howl, and literary censorship in
the United States. These are just a few of the many research
topic possibilities offered by our required texts. Class time will
be devoted to discussion and development of these and other
ideas – including your own.
ATTENDANCE and LATENESS POLICIES: Students are
permitted two absences during the semester. If you are going to
be absent, I would appreciate notification via e-mail. Students
who exceed two absences risk the penalty of reduction in their
final grades.
All students are expected to arrive on time. If you are going to
be late, I would appreciate notification via e-mail. Students who
are habitually late risk the penalty of reduction in their final
grades.
PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism is a serious academic violation,
which occurs when you take ideas or words from another source
and present them as your own. Penalties for plagiarism are
severe, up to and including expulsion from the University. The
English Department’s official statement on plagiarism is posted
on our CLASSES website in the Course Documents section, and
will be discussed in class.
GRADING STANDARDS: English Department grading
standards are posted on our CLASSES website in the Course
Documents section, and will be discussed in class.
STUDENT EVALUATION CRITERIA: Because this is a writing
course, your final grade will largely be based upon your

performance on your writing assignments. Your research paper
will count for 25 percent of your final grade. The four main
essays will count for 50 percent of your final grade. The three
short writing exercises will count for 25 percent of your final
grade. Attendance, punctuality and classroom participation will
also figure in the calculation of your final grade. Clear evidence
of progress over the course of the semester will also be a factor
in determining your final grade. These evaluation criteria wil l
also be discussed in class.
HOW TO SUBMIT ESSAYS: All essays must be uploaded to
the appropriate Assignments slot on our CLASSES website. To
do this, click on “Assignments” in the “Activities” menu; then
click on the hyperlinked title of the appropriate Assignment,
and then click on “Add a File” to upload and attach your essay.
Then click “Submit.” If there is a problem with CLASSES, you
may e-mail me your essay, but you must still post it on
CLASSES once the problem is resolved. Hardcopy essays will
not be accepted. Essays will be returned to students via e-mail
as soon as they are graded. Please make sure that your Pace e-
mail account is set up to “push” your messages to your personal
e-mail accounts. If you have not done so already, simply log-on
to adam.pace.edu and follow the instructions for e-mail
forwarding. Please consult University tech support if you need
additional assistance.
All essays must be submitted in MICROSOFT WORD .doc
or.docx format.
OPTIONAL ESSAY REVISIONS: Students who submit their
essays on time will be given the opportunity to revise two of
their papers for the possibility of a higher grade. Please note
that revised papers must be clearly improved from the original
in order to receive a higher grade. Preferably, revised essays

should be posted within three days after you’ve received the
graded copy of your original submission. In most cases, late
submissions will not be eligible for revision.
CLASS SCHEDULE: This class meets online weekly on
Monday evenings from 5:40 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. As circumstances
permit, all or part of the fourth hour of each week’s class may
be reserved for in-class work on writing assignments, and for
individual conferences with students. In some cases, I may
schedule meetings with specific students, but you are free to
schedule time with me during this hour whenever you’d like.
ZOOM ETIQUETTE: Students are requested to mute their Zoom
sound on entering the virtual classroom. Students are strongly
encouraged to turn their Zoom cameras on.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES: Students are permitted to use their
laptops for taking notes, and for in-class writing exercises.
Students with open laptops may occasionally be called upon to
do quick searches related to questions that come up in class.
Students are requested not to engage with social media in class
and to refrain from texting. Persistent violations of this policy
will be noted unfavorably.
UNIVERSITY DISABILITY POLICY: The University disability
policy requires that students seeking an accommodation for a
disability must contact the Office of Disability Services at 212-
346-1526.
WEEK 1: January 25
SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Read Walt Whitman’s poem
Song of Myself. (http://www.daypoems.net/poems/1900.html)
By Thursday 2/4 write a 350-400 word essay that conveys your
impression of this poem. You are encouraged to offer your own

insights, but might consider some of these thematic questions:
What is Whitman’s view of the individual’s place in the larger
world and in the universe? What is Whitman’s attitude toward
nature? How does the poet’s view of nature compare with his
view of human society? What is Whitman’s view of love, sex
and the procreative impulse? What is the purpose of the poet’s
mixed use of concrete and abstract language? How does
Whitman use allusions to historic events? How does Whitman
respond to the burning racial issues of his time? What mysteries
is the poet seeking to understand? How does this text relate to
current issues of interest to you and your generation?
Various recorded readings of this poem:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=walt+whitman+s
ong+of+myself+&oq=whitman+son&gs_l=youtube-
reduced.1.1.0j0i5l3.818409.822551.0.825299.24.21.0.1.1.6.447.
2016.17j3j4-1.21.0...0.0...1ac.kwBC1D4fJrg
Begin to read Tropic of Cancer. Your essay on this novel will
be on Thursday 2/18. See Week 2 below for suggested
guidelines on this assignment.
WEEK 2: February 1
Short essay on Whitman’s Song of Myself is due on Thursday
2/4.
ASSIGNMENT: By Thursday 2/18 write a 750-1000 word
critical essay on Tropic of Cancer. You are encouraged to offer
your own insights, but you might consider some of these
thematic questions: Is this a novel in the conventional sense, or
is it a hybrid of fiction, memoir and opinion? Is the book’s
frank depiction of sexuality shocking by today’s standards, and
does the fact that the sexuality is conveyed in language rather
than moving images enhance its impact? What is Miller saying
when he calls himself “the happiest man alive”? Discuss how

Miller uses bursts of freewheeling lyrical language to convey
his sensual responses to the world around him? How do Miller’s
poverty and self-exile filter his worldview? How does Miller
view the role of the artist, and the writer in particular? Miller
expresses great admiration for Walt Whitman; what similarities
in style and outlook do these two writers share? Is Miller’s
attitude toward women patriarchal and sexist, romantic and
idealized, or a mixture of both? What do Miller’s feminist
critics, such as Kate Millett (author of Sexual Politics) and
Jeanette Winterson
(http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/29/books/review/renegade-
henry-miller-and-the-making-of-tropic-of-cancer-by-frederick-
turner-book-review.html?pagewanted=all)
have to say about Miller’s worldview? Can Miller’s view of sex
and women be explained in part as a manifestation of the
author’s times and the culture that formed him? Does Miller’s
relationship with Anais Nin, and her advocacy for his writing,
mitigate the notion of him as sexist? What do Miller’s
champions, such as Karl Shapiro, in the book’s forward, and
George Orwell, in the critical essay “In the Belly of the Whale,”
Parts 1 and 3
(http://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/orwellg/whale
.htm), see as his unique, distinguishing qualities? How does this
text relate to current issues of interest to you and your
generation?
For additional background, watch the motion picture Henry and
June, based on the published diaries of Miller’s principal
patron, Anais Nin. (Right-click to open link in new tab, and, if
prompted, sign into the Pace Library page with your Pace
username and password.)
WEEK 3: February 8
Continue to read Tropic of Cancer.

WEEK 4: February 15
Essay on Tropic of Cancer is due on Thursday 2/18.
SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Read Allen Ginsberg’s
poem Howl:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/179381
By Thursday 3/4 write a 350-400-word essay that conveys your
opinion of this poem. You might consider some of these
thematic questions: About whom is Ginsberg writing here?
What attitudes are conveyed by the poet’s explicit references to
sex and drugs? What is the poet’s attitude toward American
society at large during the late 1940s and the 1950s, and how
was that attitude affirmed by the censorship trial that the poem
provoked? What is the artistic effect of the poet’s freewheeling
verse and linked clusters of imagery? What is the purpose of the
poet’s invocation of “Moloch”? How does this poem compare to
Whitman’s Song of Myself and Miller’s Tropic of Cancer? How
does this text relate to current issues of interest to you and your
generation?
Howl, Parts I & II with audio of Ginsberg reading:
(http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15308)
For additional background about Ginsberg, the Beat movement,
and the censorship trial triggered by this poem watch the motion
picture Howl: Howl (Right-click to open link in new tab, and, if
Videos featuring Allen Ginsberg:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=allen+ginsberg&
oq=allen+gins&gs_l=youtube.1.0.0l10.141095.145818.0.147829
.21.19.0.1.1.2.104.1325.18j1.19.0...0.0...1ac.WrA-5be-wZA

WEEK 5: February 22
Continue to read Howl.
.
WEEK 6: March 1
Short essay on Howl is due on Thursday 3/4.
ASSIGNMENT: By Thursday 3/18 write a 750-1000 word
critical essay on The Fire Next Time. You are encouraged to
offer your own insights, but you might consider some of these
thematic questions: What are the principal arguments that
Baldwin is making in this extended autobiographical essay?
How does the first part of the book, “My Dungeon Shook,” set
up and amplify the second part, “Down At The Cross”? From
the perspective of the year 2017, are the author’s concerns in
1962, just as the Civil Rights movement was gathering steam,
still relevant today? If so, how and to what extent? What is
Baldwin’s view of religion, and how does he use his
experiences as an adolescent preacher to advance that view?
How did Baldwin’s intellectual awakening impact his faith?
What elements in the African-American church of his youth
most appealed to Baldwin? What connections does Baldwin
draw between his budding teenage sexuality and his religious
vocation? What is the purpose of Baldwin’s account of his
meeting with Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam?
What is Baldwin’s view of the white majority population in the
America of his time? Does Baldwin’s rhetoric seem angry, and
if so, to what purposes is that anger deployed? Is Baldwin
hopeful or pessimistic about the future of race relations in the
United States? How does this text relate to current issues of
interest to you and your generation?
For additional background, watch this 1969 talk on the black
experience in America delivered by Baldwin in London:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryuAW_gnjYQ

WEEK 7: March 8
UNGRADED ASSIGNMENT: FINAL RESEARCH PAPER
PROPOSAL: By Thursday 3/25 submit a one-to-two page
proposal for your final research paper. Ideally, this should
include a thesis statement and a few supporting paragraphs or
main points of interest in outline form. If you are undecided
about your topic, or think that you may want to base it on
assigned texts we have not yet covered, you should let me know
and begin to explore those texts. The research paper proposal
will not be graded, but it will be evaluated for approval and it is
required prior to our library research training session. Please
see page 2 of this syllabus for more details on the assignment
and some suggested topics.
WEEK 8: March 15
Essay on The Fire Next Time is due on Thursday 3/18.
WEEK 9: March 22
Research paper proposal is due on Thursday 3/25.
ASSIGNMENT: By Thursday 4/1 write a 750-1000 word essay
on A Confederacy of Dunces. You are encouraged to offer your
own insights, but you might consider some of these thematic
questions: Is the novel’s antihero, Ignatius J. Reilly, a
sympathetic or unsympathetic figure – or a combination of the
two? Is Ignatius’ mother a sympathetic or unsympathetic figure
– or a combination of the two? How does the relationship
between mother and son evolve during the course of the novel?
What is Ignatius’ essential life dilemma as he sees it? What is
the significance of Ignatius’ corpulence and his gargantuan
appetite? What is the significance of Ignatius’ long-distance
relationship with Myrna Minkoff? How do Ignatius’ intellectual

leanings conflict with his place in the contemporary world?
How does the author, John Kennedy Toole, use the ambience of
New Orleans and its colloquial dialect to evoke the novel’s self-
contained world? How does the novel use humor and satire to
address the social concerns of the 1960s, particularly through
the character of Burma Jones? What does Walker Percy mean
when he writes in the Foreword that this comic novel “is also
sad”? How does this text relate to current issues of interest to
you and your generation?
WEEK 10: March 29
Essay on A Confederacy of Dunces is due by Thursday 4/1.
WEEK 11: April 5
OPTIONAL SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Read Chapter
One (“Economy”) of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden (click
hyperlink).
This is an assignment in selective reading. You do not need to
read every word of Chapter One (although it would be nice) to
extract the gist of what Thoreau is saying, and to express it in a
clear, concise short essay. The assignment is intended as a
companion/introduction to our final in-term essay on Into the
Wild. Some of you may wish to write a final research paper
based on these last two assignments. If so, let me know.
By Thursday 4/8 write a 350-400 word essay conveying your
impression of Thoreau’s writing. You are encouraged to provide
your own original insights, but you might consider some of
these thematic questions: What is Thoreau’s general attitude
toward society at large? What is the purpose of his experiment
with independent living in the woods at Walden Pond? What are
Thoreau’s attitudes towards work, materialism, consumerism

and material possessions? What is Thoreau’s view on self-
sufficiency? How does Thoreau use historical and literary
references to reinforce the points he is making about his own
time and place? When Thoreau celebrates the various economies
he achieves through his self-sufficiency what larger point is he
making? Does Thoreau seem to like other people, or to have
little use for them? To what degree are Thoreau’s concerns
relevant to our own time? How does this text relate to current
issues of interest to you and your generation?
For additional background, watch this short video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhP7PKoRmmY
WEEK 12: April 12
ASSIGNMENT: Read Into the Wild, and by Thursday 4/15 write
a 750-1000 word essay on the book. As always, you are
encouraged to provide your own original insights, but you may
consider some of these thematic questions: How does the story
of Christopher McCandless fit into the American tradition of
self-discovery in nature embodied by Thoreau? According to the
author, Jon Krakauer, what were McCandless’s reasons for
setting off on his Alaska adventure? In your opinion, was
McCandless’s journey a greater defiance of society and cultural
norms than Thoreau’s? What journalistic techniques does
Krakauer employ in reconstructing McCandless’s story? What is
your impression of the section in which Krakauer draws
parallels between his own life story and McCandless’s? Does
the author succeed in making his own autobiography relevant to
the story that he’s telling? Does Krakauer succeed in evoking
McCandless’s state of mind, and if so does his journalistic
technique seem legitimate to you? How does this text relate to
current issues of interest to you and your generation?
For additional background watch the film version of the book:
Into the Wild (Right-click to open link in new tab, and, if

WEEK 13: April 19
Library research training. Be prepared to focus on your chosen
topic.
MLA Style review
OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT: Submit a working outline or first
draft of your final research paper by Thursday 4/22. Ideally, it
will include a strong thesis statement, some supporting
paragraphs, and an indication of some or all of the sources you
intend to incorporate. These outlines/drafts will not be graded,
but will be evaluated with comments on your progress. Students
are strongly advised to take advantage of this opportunity,
because there will be no opportunity to revise your final
research papers after they are submitted.
Final research papers are due at the latest by the end of day on
Monday 4/26.No deadline extensions or incompletes will be
allowed. Early submissions are welcome. Post one copy on the
appropriate CLASSES assignment slot, and please also e-mail
me a backup copy.
WEEK 14: April 26
ASSIGNMENT: FINAL RESEARCH PAPER: All final research
papers are due at the latest by the end of the day on Monday
4/26.
No deadline extensions or incompletes will be allowed. Early
submissions are welcome. Requirements for this paper have
been detailed on page two of the syllabus, in classroom
discussions, in feedback on your proposals, in our library
research training, and in the drafting process.
Remember that the paper should be 1200-2000 words (five to

eight pages), and that it should cite and synthesize the findings
and opinions of three to five outside sources with your own
critical arguments. Research papers are expected to conform to
MLA format as discussed in class and outlined in Rules for
Writers.
Post one copy on the appropriate CLASSES Assignments slot,
and please also e-mail me a backup copy.
Meeting ID
924 2174 4108
Passcode: 371191
Invite Link
https://pace.zoom.us/j/92421744108
Ojeda1
Maureen Ojeda
Professor Gold
Critical Writing
Date: 3/25/2020
Topic: Tropic of Cancer, Howl, and literary censorship in the
United States. Comment by Richard Gold: Do not boldface

titles or subheads (MLA).
Introduction
The chosen topic for this research project is “Tropic of Cancer,
Howl, and literary censorship in the United States” with an aim
to investigate that when and why they work of famous authors
was censored. The paper also tries to investigate that how these
pieces of literature got cleared and how the censorship was
removed.
Thesis Statement
From the late 19th century to the 20th century, the United
States has imposed bans on several books including the Tropic
of Cancer by Henry Miller and Howl by Allen Ginsberg which
later proved to non-obscene, however, such bans have raised
several questions in the learning minds about the subject of
censorship in libraries and academic institutes (Miller).
Body paragraph 1
Henry Miller's work and Howl by Allen Ginsberg are just
two examples of exceptionally well-written literature which
confronted banning issues, however, today, the world is witness
that writers who experienced a ban on their work proved
themselves as best and unique critiques of the society who
always tried to identify some kind of social issues through their
writings (Monaghan).
Body paragraph 2
The First Amendments gives protection to individuals from
the government to surpass ideas and new information and this
helped many famous writers to get an opportunity to publish
their unique work e.g., Howl's censorship case became a
landmark decision under the First Amendment which
encouraged many other authors whose work was banned and
called obscene similar to Howl or The Trophic of Cancer
(Miller, Tropic of Cancer (Penguin Modern Classics)).
Body paragraph 3
The reason behind the censorship of the work of famous names
such as Henry Miller and Allen Ginsberg was identified as a

purpose to save youngsters and teenagers from getting exposed
to obscene literature because these youngsters have to serve the
country in the future therefore, the literature choice of children
is a sensitive issue and must deal with care, however, the Kurt
Vonnegut Memorial Library used the same approach for
publishing controversial literature for youngsters with a belief
that this would help them in understanding several sensitive
issues of the country (Pacini).
Body paragraph 4
The history is evident that many great authors of the 18th
to 20th century experienced bans from the government,
however, they did not fully succeed in limiting the access of the
public to such literature because many independent booksellers
published such literature at their own risk, therefore, the key
role of independent booksellers in the name and fame of author s
like Henry Miller and Allen Ginsberg is undeniable
(Pagnattaro).
Body Paragraph 5
Although, the Tropic of Cancer and Howl were later
proved among one of the best literary works, however, the
purpose of censorship was also to eliminate individualism. If
these writers had the potential to write a good piece of
literature, then why they did not use the standards and the
choice of words to express their inner self on a specific issue
(Monaghan).
Conclusion
Word’s choice and thought make a person unique to a social
issue therefore, people should mainly focus on the theme,
meaning, purpose, and the tone of a book or poem instead of the
words. Censorship, since the 18th century is not a matter of
right and wrong rather it is a matter of individualism.
COMMENTS
GRADE
This nicely presented proposal suggests that this has good
potential.

Additionally, you don’t actually have to read James Joyce’s
Ulysses (1922) or D.H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover
(1929), but you will need to research and also include the
censorship battles over those two major novels. You don’t
necessarily need to give them equal weight, but they were
relevant to the battles over Tropic and Howl.
Topic/Question: The power of the written word. What were the
authorities so afraid of?
Do not boldface titles or subheads (MLA).
Proceed.
OK

Work Cited
Miller, Henry. Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch.
First edition, Fourth printing, New Directions, 1957.
---. Tropic of Cancer (Penguin Modern Classics). Penguin UK,
2021.
Monaghan, Henry P. “Obscenity, 1966: The Marriage of
Obscenity Per Se and Obscenity Per Quod.” The Yale Law
Journal, vol. 76, no. 1, 1966, p. 127. Crossref,
doi:10.2307/794854.
Pacini, Peggy. “City Lights and the Emergence of Beat Poetry:
How Howl and Other Poems Redefined Poetic and Cultural
Boundaries in the Mid-1950s.” IdeAs, no. 9, 2017. Crossref,
doi:10.4000/ideas.1992.
Pagnattaro, Marisa Anne. “Carving a Literary Exception: The
Obscenity Standard and ‘Ulysses.’” Twentieth Century
Literature, vol. 47, no. 2, 2001, p. 217. Crossref,
doi:10.2307/827850.
Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Referral Coursework Specification
Module Information
Module Title Procurement and Supply Chain Management
Module Code Number KB7035
Module Level and Credit Points Level 7, 20 credits

Module Leader Dr. Victor Samwinga
Coursework Title Procurement Report - REFERRAL
Coursework Specification Author Dr. Victor Samwinga
Academic Year and Semester(s)
SEM1 2020-21
Coursework Submission and Feedback
Release Date of Coursework Specification to Students
17:00 BST on 18 March 2021
Mechanism Used to Disseminate Coursework Specification to
Students
Assessment and Submission folder on Blackboard module
Date and Time of Submission of Coursework by Students
TBA
The mechanism for Submission of Coursework by Students
Turnitin digital submission portal in Assessment and
Submission folder on Blackboard module

Return Date of Unconfirmed Internally Moderated Mark(s) and
Feedback to Students
Within 20 working days of the submission date
The mechanism for Return of Unconfirmed Internally
Moderated Mark(s) and Feedback to Students
Turnitin digital submission portal and/or My Grades on
Blackboard module
Assessment Details
Module Learning Outcomes (MLOs) Assessed by Coursework
1. MLO 1 - Establish a conceptual understanding of
procurement and supply chain strategies within the built
environment projects.
2. MLO 2 - Implement and critically evaluate appropriate
procurement processes by which construction projects and
services are acquired from internal and/or external sources.
3. MLO 3 - Identify and critically evaluate appropriate client
requirements to develop respective procurement and supply
chain strategies that enable project success, business benefits
and overall sustainable operations.
4. MLO 4 - Embrace professionalism, demonstrate multi-
disciplinary skills and apply expert and specialised knowledge
in the field of construction project management.
5. MLO 5 - Embrace intercultural cooperation through
consciousness, responsible and professional ethical conduct in a
reflexive way.

Coursework Overview
Context Statement:
The construction sector continues to face many project delivery
challenges such as time and cost predictability. The need to
identify and critically evaluate client requirements to develop
appropriate procurement processes has never been more
important for project managers, clients and the industry at large.
This assessment requires the submission of an individual piece
of coursework. It requires the production of a procurement
report that engages with the knowledge base as well as the
project and client-specific characteristics.
It is to be written from the perspective of a consultancy firm
appointed as a procurement specialist who is making a
theoretically-, and evidence-, informed project-delivery strategy
report.
This task is worth 100% of the module and addresses all Module
Learning Outcomes.
Coursework Tasks to be Completed by Students
CLIENT PROJECT BRIEF
As part of the drive for free state-funded schools, a York-based
parent-led educational group has secured funding (£55m – a
non-negotiable budget) from the Capital Spending Programme
of the Department for Education (DfE) to develop an
autonomous but state-funded school that sits outside the local
authority control. The Parent-led promoters anticipate a larger
than usual technical high school modelled after the University
Technical Colleges, offering Years 10-12 a unique education,

skills and employment prospects in two key economic sectors,
namely Digital technologies and Health Sciences. To achieve
this, the school has secured York St John University and British
Telecoms as partners for its ambitious institution.
Previously, all such schools were all procured under a standing
framework arrangement. However, the DfE recently confirmed
that the next wave of free schools, including the proposed UTC,
will be tendered outside the framework, although it hasn’t yet
announced details.
The design theme is a natural-looking building with the outside
environment connecting with the interior, incorporating several
external access points as well as several distinct outdoor
learning and play areas. The school plans to incorporate a
significant use of PV and other sustainable technologies.
The client and end-user groups anticipate closer contractor-
client involvement, timely completion, completion within
budget and first-class facilities that reflect the school's ambition
as a modern provider of digital and health technology
education.
The new two storey building which will include 14 classrooms
and activity area as well as an all-weather 3G synthetic sports
pitch, is expected to take 70 weeks to complete when it starts in
January 2021. This is to allow for a May 2022 completion,
allowing for a comfortable September start of school, which
cannot be compromised. The school will offer an increased
capacity of 430 pupils compared to similar school with a
capacity of 270. It will be equipped to accommodate the
predicted increase in school rolls as well as offering after -
school club capacity.
Although planning approval for the scheme was granted in

principle, in January 2020, the design is still far from being
complete. Ryder Architecture, a North East-based architectural
practice, developed some outline design/drawings up to stage 2
only (Concept Design) of the 2013 RIBA Plan of Work for the
following key facilities:
• Learning and teaching facilities, including 14 classrooms;
• Staff office accommodation;
• Laboratory facilities;
• VR, 3D printing and digital spaces;
• Canteen and dining facilities;
• Indoor play areas and multi-purpose hall;
• Outdoor learning and play areas, including an all-weather
3G synthetic sports pitch.
At present, the school’s employees are limited to a Principal
Designate, admissions Manager and PA to Principal, and
Business Liaison Manager. The promoters have also appointed a
caretaker Board of Trustees with a Chair and five members
including the Principal Designate, who together make all
operational decisions. No one in the team has any technical
construction expertise, and are therefore now seeking to procure
the necessary expertise to move the project forward:
• Necessary consultants to assist in getting the project off
the ground.
• Construction contractor(s) and such other specialists as are
necessary to carry out the various elements of construction
work.
• The scheme design, while sufficiently complete to obtain
the necessary approvals, is not fully complete and some detailed
design work remains outstanding. The client is undecided as to
whether it should retain the original architects to complete the
outstanding design or whether this work would be better carried
out under a different arrangement. The initial designers were
only contracted for the completed level of work and there’s no
obligation to keep them.

• The client is undecided as to what other key consultant it
needs to assist in the securing the completed project as well as
the predicted student numbers when the school opens in
September 2022.
Following a competitive tender process, your practice has been
appointed as procurement specialists to assist with the
procurement of the various works and services required on this
flagship project. The client is eager to maximise value for
money at all stages in the project, and it would like to open the
facilities on time to avoid a tarnished reputation experienced by
other similar schools around the country where delays forced
them to operate in temporary accommodation or postpone
opening by one academic year.
TASKS TO BE COMPLETED BY STUDENTS
Based on the client project brief above, prepare a detailed
procurement report for the client, which:
1. Provides a ‘road map’ for the client, demonstrating how you
propose the client should procure each of the works and
services, how the client can ensure that the scheme is completed
within budget and on time, how the client will be involved at
each stage of the process, and other specific consultants and
project participants you propose they should procure and their
primary roles in the process. In the submitted report, due
consideration should be given to:
a) Identifying the client’s organisational characteristics, the
project characteristics and the client’s stated needs based on
this brief,
b) the most suitable procurement arrangement, bearing in mind
the variety of options,
c) the most suitable main standard form of contract to support
the strategy in (1),
d) The most suitable tendering strategy for obtaining the most
economically advantageous tender,

e) the mechanism for pricing and agreeing the price for the
project,
2. The report should also give due consideration of how the
current situation, if it persists, could affect the delivery of the
project, focusing specifically on:
a) how Covid-19 and the associated impacts is likely to affect
the client’s procurement strategy and the rest of the supply
chain. You are to flag up any issues and key areas of potential
difficulty, which you foresee during the contract stage, which
could affect the delivery of the scheme,
b) how the issues identified in part 2(a) above may be mitigated
to enable project success, business benefits and overall ethical
operations.
Additional instructions to students:
Your report should be well presented, with a one-page executive
summary (no more than 250 words) at the beginning of the
report, followed by contents page, an introduction, main body
and overall conclusion/recommendation(s) at the end of your
report. All the above should be submitted under a suitable front
cover, stating ONLY your student registration number,
assignment title, this module’s code and tutor name. Your report
must be well structured and formatted including a contents
page, page numbers, suitable headings and sub-headings within
the main body, and a declaration of your word count.
Please note there is a maximum file size limit (20MB) on
submissions to Turnitin and students must be aware of this when
preparing their report. Reports submitted by the due date and
time due to their file size will be treated as late submissions.
Expected Size of Submission

· The upper maximum limit for this work is 4,000 words. This
word count includes:
· Any executive summary.
· The main body of text.
· In text citations [e.g. (Smith, 2011)].
· Direct quotations from primary or secondary source material.
· Title & Contents page.
· Words within tables, figures, and illustrations.
· Reference list.
· Bibliography (if also provided).
· Appendices.
· Glossary.
· Footnotes.
· Figures (diagrams, illustrations, photographs etc.) and tables
are welcome to support the text, but must be fully incorporated
into the submission, integrated and following the text that fully
explains why they are exhibited. 200 words will be counted for
each separate figure/table used.
· The work must form a structured and coherent whole.
· A contents page is required, including a basic front sheet for
the submission, that identifies the student number (not name),
the total number of words used (including references section),
and the number of figures/tables used.
· 'Footnotes'/’Endnotes’ will be permitted, as they can offer
sufficient value, providing, their use is minimal, sufficiently
concise, and appropriate - they offer only 'clarifying'
information, or add 'adjacent' value to the sentences already
written. In other words, they are not to be used to 'hide' words
that would otherwise normally be expected to be contained
within the main body of the text, and their use will be
considered in accordance with the University policy regarding
word limits.

Referencing Style
You are to write your coursework using the Cite Them Right
version of the Harvard referencing system. An online guide to
Cite Them Right is freely available to Northumbria University
students at:
https://www.citethemrightonline.com/
Assessment Criteria
Marks will be awarded based on the marking matrix attached to
this coursework (refer to Appendix A).
Referral
The Referral Attempt opportunity will generally take place after
the end-of-level Progression and Awards Board (PAB). If you
become eligible to complete a Referral Attempt but are
subsequently unable to undertake the opportunity when
required, you will be permitted to re-sit the module at the next
scheduled sitting of the module assessment. This will typically
entail the suspension of your progression on your programme of
study until such time that you have completed the level and
become eligible to proceed.
Guidance for Students on Policies for Assessment
The University has several policies for assessment. The
following information, which is available to you from the link
below, provides guidance on these policies, including relevant
procedures and forms.
(1) Assessment Regulations and Policies
(a) Assessment Regulations for Taught Awards
(b) Group Work Assessments Policy
(c) Moderation Policy
(d) Retention of Assessed Work Policy
(e) Word Limits Policy

(2) Assessment Feedback
(a) Anonymous Marking Policy
(3) Late Submission of Work and Extension Requests
(4) Personal Extenuating Circumstances
(5) Technical Extenuating Circumstances
(6) Student Complaints and Appeals
(7) Academic Misconduct
(8) Student Disability and Unforeseen Medical Circumstances
https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/university-
services/academic-registry/quality-and-teaching-
excellence/assessment/guidance-for-students/
APPENDIX A: Assessment criteria / marking scheme
HIGHER DISTINCTION (>79%)
DISTINCTION (70-79%)
COMMENDATION (60-69%)
PASS (50-59%)
FAIL (40-49%)
POOR FAIL (0-39%)
PRESENTATION (15%)
Presentation (structure/style, logic/rigour, grammar and
spelling, references)
DEMONSTRATES OUTSTANDING ABILITY TO:
Present the work paying attention to structure/style,
logic/rigour, grammar and spelling, references
DEMONSTRATES EXCELLENT ABILITY TO:
DEMONSTRATES GOOD ABILITY TO:

DEMONSTRATES ADEQUATE ABILITY TO:
DEMONSTRATES INADEQUATE ABILITY TO:
DEMONSTRATES LITTLE OR NO ABILITY TO:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION (5%)
Write an introduction section and comprehensive executive
summary that includes are the key elements including purpose
or report, background, proposals and key conclusions

DETAILED PROCUREMENT PLAN FOR THE CLIENT (50%)
A detailed procurement plan providing a ‘road map’ for the
client, demonstrating how you propose they should procure each
of the works and services, how the client can ensure that the
scheme is completed within budget and on time, how the client
will be involved at each stage of the process, and other specific
consultants and project participants you propose they should
procure and their primary roles in the process, giving due
consideration should be given to the most suitable procurement
arrangement, the main contract, tendering arrangements and the
mechanism for pricing and payment for the project.

Develop a detailed procurement plan providing a ‘road map’ for
the client, demonstrating how you propose they should procure
each of the works and services, how the client can ensure that
the scheme is completed within budget and on time, how the
client will be involved at each stage of the process, and other
specific consultants and project participants you propose they
should procure and their primary roles in the process, giving
due consideration should be given to the most suitable
procurement arrangement, the main contract, tendering
arrangements and the mechanism for pricing and payment for
the project.
the project.

the project.
the project.
ANALYSIS OF COVID-19 IMPACTS AND MITIGATION
(20%)
An analysis of how the current situation, if it persists, could
affect the delivery of the project, including mitigation
measures.

measures.
measures.
measures.
measures.
measures.
measures.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (10%)
Conclusions and recommendations to the report
Write Conclusions and recommendations to a report

MCE | Learning and Teaching Version 2.0 | Page 1 of 5
MCE | Learning and Teaching Version 2.0 | Page 4 of 5

1 Module KB7035 Module Title Procurement and Su

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to 1 Module KB7035 Module Title Procurement and Su

Similar to 1 Module KB7035 Module Title Procurement and Su (20)

More from MartineMccracken314

More from MartineMccracken314 (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

1 Module KB7035 Module Title Procurement and Su