The investigation of approximate cost and progress payment for forest road building in Lakes Region of Turkey

Abstract

Forest roads are high-cost basic facilities allowing economic, ecological and social functions of forests to be fulfilled. Because the most essential work item affecting road construction cost is excavation works, amount of excavation and land classifications have to be most appropriately determined within bidding process. In regard to application, the amount of work given in approximate cost sheet required for bidding for forest road construction is determined by means of observational methods and the bidding is conducted within the scope of Public Procurement Law No:4734 before the project is made. After the documents including approximate cost, bidding and payment for 43 forest roads built in The Lakes Region of Turkey (Isparta Regional Directorate of Forestry) during the period (2003-2008) were obtained, the project started. The amount and cost of work determined in the bidding process for the roads involved in the research have been compared with those determined in the progress payment process. Within these comparisons, a consideration has been carried out by using tables, graphics and statistical methods. After the bidding files in the scope of Public Procurement Law in force were inspected, faulting components of the current application have been determined and solutions are suggested. It has been detected that the cost and amount of excavation determined in the bidding process differ from those determined in the payment process. It has been found out that it is not sufficient to determine amount of work given in bidding sheets related to road construction only by means of observation-based field reconnaissance. Projects providing better results as a result of using modern methods which can specify structure of land depth while conducting a road construction shall be designed. For this reason, geophysical methods can be benefited from. In order to conduct effectively biddings for forest road construction, amount of excavation and its distribution to land classifications shall be most appropriately determined.