Work packages（工作分包）

Packaging the work has many advantages , but there are also disadvantages in splitting the work into separate packages.

Advantages: 

☝It  allows for fast tracking the work so that parts of the project (the foundations, for instance) can be bid and started before the entire design package is assembled. This practice can save time on the project, but it also has potential risk as other related parts of the design change. But if the schedule is paramount, fast tracking can be of great benefits.

☝First it allows for the incorporation of local practices. For instance, if the local market has small, reputable mill houses but not one large entity, the construction manager can break the work down so that the local firms can share the work. This saves the price of having to get material and labor from distant places. 

☝Second, packing the work reduces overhead(加价): the more packages, the fewer markups (加在商品成本上以决定售价的金额)（Subcontractors typically mark up their work 20 percent. A general contractor typically marks up the subcontractors' work 10 percent. The same is true if subcontractors have to hire others to do part of their work. 

(  Case 例子    sheetmatal :钣金件； HVAC： Heating,Ventilation & Air-conditioning 制热、通风空调系统；   mechanical:机械）  

When deciding the contract hierarchy, the owner and the designer must take their managing and coordinating ability into account.

Disadvantages:

☟High demand on coordination.  Construction manager must coordinate different subcontractors and trades. There is high risk of disputes and more time has to be spent sorting out who is doing what and when.

☟Improper packaging of the work can cause omission of responsibilities or redundancy of work. For example, if the mechanical contractor has the control wiring in his or her scope and electrical contractor also has this scope, the overlap（重叠） can lead to disputes, create confusion.

☟Breaking work into individual bid packages is best done using the services of a construction manager. With proper construction knowledge, the manager can minimize the risk associated with packaging while maximizing the savings in cost and perhaps time.

易混淆的两个概念——分包与转包