How do you evaluate and select power plant operation and maintenance contractors?

In many cases, of complex power plant operation and maintenance projects, involving a consultant or expert to define the scope, establish matrix responsibility, and review offers and contracts can significantly enhance the effectiveness of the selection process. Their expertise can help ensure that the requirements are accurately defined, and that the chosen contractor is best suited to meet the specific needs and expectations of the power plant. This additional step can lead to a more successful and streamlined O&M contractor selection process.

I used to be a contractor, and, in my experience, I was expecting to see a clear scope of work, with clear delineations of what needs to be done and who is responsible of each task. what support is needed from the plant, what are the skills, certifications, experience, PPE required for the task and the contractor should be able to provide its safety record as well. A clear list of deliverables also helps. It is also important to share with the contractors the number of hours that they are expected to work each day, what is the cutout for overtime, it should also be very clear language regarding if this is a not to exceed contract or what is the process to get approval for extra funds if needed.

There should be frame of agreement declared the obligation to client and to contractor, such as: - client should identify the maintenance work needed for each equipment specifically. - client should proved the work requesting mechanism (work requesting flow chart) - providing tools and equipment, required to preform the job including specially tools if required, should be mentioned whom responsibility is. - providing and purchasing process of spare parts should be mentioned and the needed time. - payment mechanism should be identified. - emergency and urgent works and associated respond time requesting mechanism should be considered - contractor should have clear organization chart defined the contact personal and staff competencies

retraining you personally to manage your thinking to bring your company to the highest level. for example, introducing appropriate software for good and economical business operations

Request references for potential contractors and make sure to reach out to some of the references submitted. It is important to make sure they have a good reputation (technically and commercially) and if the work is specialized, make sure they belong to industry associations or standard development associations like IEEE.

As a part of the evaluation, it's crucial to have expected technical and commercial figures that can be used as benchmarks when comparing the received offers. These figures should be referenced to your previous experience, OEM recommendations, and industry benchmarks.

Communication is key to periodically make sure the project is moving along and potential issues are identified and resolved in a timely manner. Weekly calls are a good way to keep track of the project. It is important to create a culture of collaboration and transparency with the contractor and the power plant.

Once the project has been completed, an internal review should be held in order to evaluate the results and if the contractor will be considered for other projects, provide the feedback. Most likely they want to know if they met expectations, and most are willing to adopt best practices.