Without the expertise of a consultant, the idea of making decisions and the declaration of law and order in a nation is doomed to fail.
This is why countries, elect advisers to every level of leadership in a nation. The nation is heterogeneous in scope, it requires the knowledge of not just one diplomatic expert, but bodies of experts in the diverse aspect of engineering.
In this context, the reference here is to the infrastructure and technological developments of a nation. A nation without good infrastructure facilities, technological advancement, machinery for building good roads, producing equipment and parts is a liability. More or less, the above needs are what can save a nation from pandemics, natural destruction, famine and economic meltdown.
For a nation to be saved from time delay, project development stress, poor funding and quality job delivery, it requires not just a good leadership or government, but the expertise of a consulting engineering firm or body to make professional decisions on projects that will benefit the nation at large.
What Does Consulting Engineering Mean?
This is a profession, responsibility and practice of engineers in giving expert opinions and advice to government, companies or firms in need of a specialized skill. It is also a profession that requires giving professional opinions, independent expertise, technical ideas in science and technology to private bodies, related areas to the government, industries, developers and construction firms. Those who render these services are called engineering consultant.
Most consulting engineering services are rendered through consulting engineering firms. These consulting firms are responsible for designing and building a nation’s civil infrastructure and industrial base, which is considered vital to socio-economic and environmental development.
The responsibility of consulting firms is in the form of projects delivery. These projects are carried out by teams which comprise of various professionals in various engineering disciplines, but the leader or team head is usually a professional engineer.
Where do consulting engineering firms come from?
The engineers in consulting engineering firm are individuals who have been registered, certified and or licensed in the profession of their engineering discipline and specialty.
They call themselves engineering consultants due to the responsibility of offering and signing off expert advice. This involves coordinating and managing roles on either technical or scientific projects.
An engineer can be a consultant as a result of his or her experiences in the field, managerial expertise, business development skill and ability to manage projects or constructions.
Why Engineering Consulting Develops Nations
A nation is not just people; it encompasses institutions, social and economic state. So, therefore, when the head of a nation makes a decision, the decision is checked, and the result must be to the development and growth of the nation.
Embarking on a project by the government requires experts. In this aspect, the need for a qualified engineering consulting firm and body is very vital and play a great role in implementing that project. Engineering consultant gives expert advice on the followings which can lead to a nation’s development:
*Environmental compliance
*Surveying and mapping
*Manufacturing
*Mining and Geology
*Network and communications
* Oil and Gas
*Utilities and energy
*Medicals.
*Health and safety
*Good and beverages
*Building and construction.
*Agriculture, Automotive and Aerospace.
All of the listed above requires the professional role of an engineering consultant. When a nation adopts the professional advice, it saves a nation, in terms of cost, economic inflation, poor quality delivery of goods and services and ensures that the standards are adhered. The standards of living will become relatively affordable to every citizen irrespective of the status quo. A good engineering consulting firm, not just bring development to a nation but the continuous need for improvement because basically, that’s the scope of being an engineer.
How can a nation select a good consultant?
The process of selecting a consultant or consulting firm for a nation depends solemnly on the negotiation process. Nations find it difficult in selecting a good consultant. This is as a result of the requirement of good leadership skills and attitude towards work. Embarking on a national project requires a diplomatic and independent consulting firm.
According to CEBC (Consulting Engineers of British Columbia) in their report gave 3 steps for organizations in selecting a good consulting firm and body and this involve:
*Problem identification
*Response and negotiation.
Problem identification: here, a nation must be able to identify the problem that requires the need for an engineering consultant. This involves the following:
- Describing the purpose, objectives, and needs of the project
- Setting a project timetable
- Identifying potential problems
- Determining project budgets and estimates
- Selecting consulting firms that offer the required services
- Providing the project information to the clients
Response: a response from the consultant must be seen, in which the quality of the proposal must provide the following:
- Include a letter of interest
- Demonstrate an understanding of the project
- Provide evidence of the firm’s ability to perform the work
- Include profiles of the staff who will be assigned to the project
- Provide references
Negotiation: here, a nation should select the most suitable firm for the projects and negotiates the business contracts and the steps in the negotiation include the following:
- Evaluating the responses and selecting the appropriate firm
- Finalizing the Scope of Services Agreement (SSA)
- Negotiating a fair fee and contract
On a final note, a nation needs to establish a body that includes experts and professionals in the engineering field who will be well paid and equipped. The reason is that most private consulting fees could be high especially when they are major from other countries. Therefore, every nation should embark on building and equipping engineers with the right tools, education, and facilities in other for them to be of future use to the nation.
