Today's Stock Market News and Analysis. CLOSEXPlease confirm your selection. You have selected to change your default setting for the Quote Search. Comprehensive cost analysis of sentinel node biopsy in solid head and neck tumors using a time-driven activity-based costing approach. SAM.gov The System for Award Management (SAM) is the Official U.S. Government system that consolidated the capabilities of CCR/FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS. The team has already met its sales volume objective and now just needs to convert 15 new customers to meet the company's overall goal.This will now be your default target page. Are you sure you want to change your settings? Costing out a cabling system. As with any cost- estimating endeavor, thoroughness is the key to success. Matthew Davis, Tishman Technologies Corp. Many important decisions can lead a building owner or tenant to justify the installation of a new, universal (standard) cabling system, and it is usually a direct outgrowth of a decision to upgrade a company`s technological capabilities. The first step is to develop a cost estimate for the installation, which involves translating the owner`s needs into a design that fits with the budgeted cost. Modern business strategy emerged as a field of study and practice in the 1960s; prior to that time, the words "strategy" and "competition" rarely appeared in the most. During the course of a project, from preconstruction to close- out, whether overseeing the job or acting as contractor or subcontractor, it is important that all parties in the process provide a thorough breakdown of costs. Before discussing the steps involved in costing out a cable plant, however, you need to understand the characteristics of the various types of construction cost estimates- -ballpark, budget estimates, complete unit price estimates and the final cost.[Native Advertisement]The initial rough estimate, which should be used only as a decision- making tool, is the first price quoted when the owner and the estimator begin to discuss the cost of a project and is generally nonbinding. As any installer knows, ballpark estimates can only be given with considerable disclaimer. The square- foot method is useful for estimating a ballpark figure. The communications construction manager or estimator typically keeps records of the basic cost per square foot for specific types of cabling projects, based on historical data from similar projects or on published square- foot costs, or a little of both. The baseline square- foot costs will also vary for a new building versus retrofit, or re- cabled, installation. To arrive at a square- foot ballpark figure, simply multiply the basic square- foot cost, say $1. A square- foot cost is in no way a final cost, but it is a fairly accurate way to calculate a rough estimate or check a detailed estimate. Another method for estimating a cabling installation project is to develop a basic per- workstation cost based on data from similar projects. In this estimate, you can incorporate communications backbone costs into the per- workstation cost, or break that out as a separate backbone cost. This is still a ballpark figure, but it can be a useful tool to provide an idea of the project cost. On the other hand, a budget estimate is generally based on unit prices. Working with the owner or installation designer, the estimator determines cable pathways, quantity of workstations, number of connections for each workstation, and the type and size of backbone required. A rough drawing showing this information is used to prepare the budget estimate, which determines quantities of such cabling system components as horizontal and backbone cabling, termination hardware, and racks and cabinets. In this process, you must make some basic assumptions, including type and jacketing of the cable, typical length of runs and the cost and availability of labor. Related facilities costs, such as telecommunications closets, sleeves and raceways, must be accounted for at this stage. The result is a budget estimate given to the owner for approval. Typically, the owner will suggest changes to the proposed cabling system if, for example, the cost exceeds the project`s budget or the communications network architecture changes because of operating considerations that require additional cabling or location of termination points. Upon budget approval, the project is then designed and specified in detail, and competitive bids are solicited. Detailed budget estimate. The bid process provides hard labor- and- materials costs, and it is now time to prepare a final detailed budget estimate. It is helpful to enter the estimate into a spreadsheet- type format, broken down by labor- and- material components. The detailed estimate is the basis for a cost- control report that will be updated continually throughout the project by entering the ongoing actual costs for comparison to the original estimate. Using this cost control process, you can verify payment requests, predict cash flow requirements and monitor project costs. This detailed level of reporting also gives your customers the confidence that their cabling investment is being managed wisely. Securing complete bids. Many owners today look to a communications installation team to provide a complete operational system. Unfortunately, some items that make a job complete may not be specified in the design documents. To render all bids comparable, bidders should be asked to identify such unspecified items as "items not included in bid," and quote them separately from the base bid. For the project owner, the communications construction manager, the designer and the installer, the goal is to provide a complete operational system. Items which are often left out of the specifications include the following: - Computer room cabling - Crossconnections, patch cords, and workstation cords - Placement and connection of workstation equipment - Handling and installation of computer room and communications closet equipment - Firestopping materials - Testing and as- built documentation - Insurance, sales tax and other administrative costs - Move- in support personnel. The final cost can only be calculated when the project is complete and the client is satisfied with the performance of the system. Design drives cost.It is also important to understand the cable cost within the context of the company`s overall communications plant.The cost of cabling is a significant part- -from 5% to 2. on this page. Both new cabling installations and upgrades can run from $2 to $5 per square foot and, for technologically intensive applications, increase to $5. Communications cabling costs, however, can be justified when the owner understands that the installation is a universal cabling system that can better accommodate moves and changes, compared with older system- specific cabling. Universal cabling generally refers to the installation of one uniform type of wiring and one set number of terminations for every workstation. In a traditional (or non- universal) scenario, new cables must be pulled when a user moves, and one move can cost as much as $2. With a universal cabling system, the users can essentially plug in anywhere and get to work by moving or adding patch cords. Another task to define before producing a cabling installation cost estimate is the design, because the cost of a cabling system is ultimately a function of its intended use or application. The design criteria for the cabling system, therefore, should be developed along with several other considerations outlined below: - Requirements of current and anticipated voice/data applications: telephone, facsimile, paging, dial- up applications (modems), local and wide area network connections, main frame applications, point- of- sale systems, market data services.- Quantity of users, nature of their business, and the intended users` level of technological sophistication: size of work groups, need for shared information, security concerns, the likelihood of multiple connections and applications for individual users. Physical attributes of the facility and their effect on the methods of cable distribution: The costs associated with cabling for a tenant occupying several floors in a high- rise building are markedly different from those associated with cabling a single- story or campus environment. Cables may be routed through plenum ceilings, raised floors or conduit systems, all of which have differing cost factors. The type of electronic data transport equipment to be used: Most large users are migrating to LAN- based data communications. Selection of the type of network- -for example, Ethernet or token ring- -and whether mainframe connections are made point- to- point or through the LAN, will impact the design and cost of the cabling system. The volatility of the user: susceptibility to moves, adds, and changes: If a company experiences a churn rate (relocation of personnel because of turnover and reorganization) of 2. The resources that will be used to operate the communications network after the installation is complete: With operating budgets and staffs routinely cut, an owner may want to centralize the points for monitoring and managing the cabling system as much as possible.
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