Premises

The previous Hungarian practice provided the construction supervisor controlling the building investments only with limited proceeding power, which applied just to the construction corresponding with the plans given by the consigner and to the supervision of the quality of realization and the quantities of pay-offs.

From the eighties the construction plan could also be made by the contractor, but in practice, the power and responsibility of the construction supervisor remained changeless. His/her function was completed by the architectural site-management which provided professional assistance for the control of changes rising underway.

According to the previous proceeding policy, the consigner’s representative has acted in relation with the legal transaction of changes or modifications in construction, the supplementary or extra works and the contractual proceedings.

 

The task of the independent consultant engineer

The public procurement procedures, decisively run with the use of public money, have necessitated the involvement of an independent/neutral engineer into the process. THE ENGINEER operates his activity with the guarantee of professional liability insurance, and he/she is in charge of the all-inclusive transaction of the building investment. Exceptions are: the final authorization of the modifications, supported by the engineer and permissible in relation with the contractual conditions, because this function belongs to the basic tasks of the consigner; ordering of supplementary works; indication of the payment sources; and the final authorization and transaction of the payments approved by the certified engineer.

 

Regulation

In the public procurement procedures of the building sector, run with the help of associate-financing of the economy-stimulant programs of the EU, the contractual conditions of FIDIC have to be adopted; which means the obligation of assigning a properly working Independent Supervisor Engineer („FIDIC-engineer”) at the same time.

The operation of FIDIC associations is based on independent engineering activity free from any financial-political influences, and they reject all intention which may have unfavourable affect on the freedom of professional deliverance on behalf of the society. The Hungarian member association of FIDIC is the Association of Hungarian Consulting Engineers and Architects - AHCEA.

 

The FIDIC-engineer

FIDIC-engineer is the head of the engineer association assigned with the supervision, and he/she is the manager of the construction supervisors of the different professional fields. The main criteria of the selection is the professional entitlement which can be achieved on the basis of the technical university/college degree; and this is complemented by the FIDIC contractual knowledge based on the personal liability built on the professional liability insurance. The supervisor engineer with particular practice has to prove his/her eligibility for the certain investment with architect, expert and construction supervisor practice supplemented by FIDIC knowledge.