THE MANrroeA p ENG bulletin of the association of · professional engineers of the province of manitoba june, 1973 2 THE MANITOBA PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER Published by the Association of Professional Engineers of the Province of Manitoba · 710-177 Lombard Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B OW9 President - C. R. McBain, P. Eng. Vice-President - G. A. De Pauw, P. Eng. Managing Director and Registrar - T. W. Algeo, P. Eng. Council - S. Barkwell, C. R. Bouskill; N. P. Feschuk, D. R, Grimes, J. S. Hicks, A. M. Lansdown, M. D. McKall," R. E. Scouten. The Manitoba Professional Engineer is published under the direction of the Bulletin Committee. Editor - E. A. Speers, P. Eng. Associate E4itor - J. W. J. Lewis, P. Eng. Committee Members - R. M. Stokes, A. J. Poetker, M. N. Collison, C. H. Templeton, R.R. Foster, R. J. Rennie, W. R. Newton, A.G. Kuluk, L. J. :WW.tney, S. J. Armstrong. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those held by the A. P. E. M. or the Council of the A. P. E; M WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, . JUNE, 1973 President's Message By C. R. McBAIN, P. Eng. I aui pleased to be able to report to you ed to be able to report that we have hired on some significant happenings that have an Assistant Registrar and Director of taken place both in our Association and Career Development. Guy R. Arnott, P. nationally, Eng., joined our staff early in May to fill Manitoba Professional Engineers have this new challenging position. Guy Arnott been honoured in that one of their num­ is 26. years old, holds a B.Sc. C.E. from ber, Mr. Russell Hood, has been elected University of Manitoba ( 1968) and a President of The Canadian Council of Pro­ M.B.A. from University of Saskatchewan fessional Engineers. In this office Mr. ( 1972). He comes to us from the Saskat­ Hood will be the official spokesman for chewan Department of Highways where the close to 70,000 Professional Engineers he has been involved in both design and in Canada. He is the third Manitoban to project management. We wish him well in hold this high office - Mr. P. Blirke­ his new career. Gaffney, P. Eng. was C.C.P.E. President The Technical Service Council of Can­ in 1946 and 1947 and Mr. W. L. Ward­ ada has opened an office in Winnipeg - rop, P. Eng. was President in 1962. We in fact they are located just across the extend our sincere congratulations to Mr. hall from our A.P.E.M. office. They are Hood on his election. well known in the field of placement serv­ The ·annual meeting of Canadian Coun­ ices, particularly for scientific and techni­ cil was held in Moncton, N.B. on May cal people including, of course, professional 10th .. and 11th. A.P.E.M. was represented engineers. We believe that their presence by our C.C.P.E. delegate, Stu Barkwell, in Manitoba will be of benefit to both by your President as an observer, and by employers of professional engineers and our Managing Director, Terry Algeo. While those professional engineers who may be the meeting will be reported on by others, seeking employment and A.P.E.M. will co­ I would like to note that one of the im- operate with them whenever possible. .. portant results of the meeting was the · approval of a policy which will result in The Legislation Committee, the Employee a co-operative and. sensible relationship be­ Engineers Committee, and the University tween C.C:P.E. and The Engineering In­ Liaison Committee, among others, are all stitute of. Canada. prulticul.arly busy. We will have reports for' you on their activities in forthcoming In our owri' Association I am very- pleas- "President's Messages"; THE MANITOBA PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER s FREE ENTERPRISE ENGINEERING viewpoint. Perhaps we shov,ld also con­ sider the individual engineer. By . D. R. GRIMES, P. Eng. A consultant has the freedom to manage Free enterprise has an unhealthy conno­ the engineering staff for the mutual be­ tation in many areas .of our community to­ nefit of the staff and the manager. Re­ day. Have we forgotten what it means? wards can be readily adjusted to suit pro­ Free Enterprise Engineering is the cour­ ductivity and ability. In fact, this is where age to stand forward, to obtain work on the consultant can ensure his productivity. merit, and be judged as a success or failure · The captive engineer in ·government or as both an Engineer and as a manager. industry can only expect advancement Only the competent can survive. Surely through attrition or through expansion of the result is excellence in engineering and his department. Salary increases are nego­ soundness iri business and engineering tiated for hin1 by more militant white collar judgment. Then perhaps our concern is workers. It is very difficult to adequately that the Free Enterprise Engineer makes recognize ability. But the consultant must money and may even show a PROFIT. recognize ability in order to survive, he Most engineering organizations b indus­ must nourish it or perish. To develop his try and government will agree th:tt Con­ potential, an engineer requires a variety sulting Engineers should be engaged to of experience, he needs to meet and work do overload work in times of peak volume, along with many different organizations, when the regrilar staff is fully employed. and to work for engineers with ability, Since the alternatives are limited, this does and with dedication to their profession. make obvious sense. This opportunity is not available every­ where and no segment of our profession Many very successful industries and some has a corner on these requirements. But government agencies maintain a small pro­ these opportunities are most often ·avail- ject engineering office. This office has the able in a consultant's office. · responsibility of engaging consultants for all work, transmitting the program to the The least understood -area of the con­ consultant while the consultants perform sultant's business is the fae for his services. all the engineering work. Normally, main­ The service provided is not easily measur­ tenance engineering is also the responsibili­ ed and a competent professional service ty of the project office. cannot be expected, if pricing is based oa selection of the lowest bid. Why do some let out all the work and others only the peak load?· Engaging a con­ Should the fee be based on the consul­ sultant, when a careful selection is made, tant's cost? If so, how do you control his ensures that the engineering work is being cost? Should it be based on the cost of performed by a group with varied expe­ the work? But no two jobs are similar and rience in your type of work. This group will not require the same input of En­ must perform well as the success of the gineering time and talent. · The APEM group depends on the reputation gained Schedule of Minimum Fees for Consulting from the work and on repeat business. Professional Engineering Services attempts to reconcile the difficulties mentioned. A · The cost of engineering is seldom measur­ fee schedule is available which pays only ed when performed by "in house" organi­ a portion of the cost of the consultant's zations. Salaries a-id overheads are most services, plus a fixed fee;' Therefore. effi­ often budgeted as an operating expense. ciency in engineering is rewarded indirect­ Not in a consulting engineer's office! Every ly within the fixed fee of !112 per cent of consultant is aware that the design and the estimated cost of the work. With this supervision process requires skillful and system, an inefficient office will find its careful management to keep costs to a profit margin dwindling to not4ing. minimum, yet produce good work. This is a much more difficult operation than per­ The most popular fee basis is still the forming good engineering alone. Engineer­ percentage fee, based 0 :1 the type of pro­ ing time can increase 50 per cent and more ject and the cost of the project. From the without control. No . office, without a cost owner's point of view, the fee is readily control program, can comp ~ te with the effi­ understood and the amount easily estimat­ ciency of a consultant's office. The consul­ ed. From the engineer's point of view, the tant is either efficient or bankrupt. type of work is allowed for, but the fee does not provide for variations in the en­ So far, we have discussed the most effi­ gineering input for similar ·types of work. cient and best method from the client's The engineer must learn when to work 4 THE MANITOBA PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER without profit in the hope that enough pro­ Surely these numbers indicate that the fees fitable work will mix with the unprofit­ presently paid are not resulting in excessive able to result in black figures at the end returns to the free enterprise engineer! of the year. The projects which proceed smoothly subsidize those which are beset by delays. + + + Every profession finds itself defending the fees charged from many sides. The "RUSS HOOD MEETS THE MEDIA claim is made that professions do not pro­ tect the public in this area. Our profession The Public Relation's Committee arrang­ is somewhat unique in that the free enter­ ed a press conference on May 16, 1973 prise engineer is in a minority. He niust to introduce Russ Hood, the newly in­ establish his fee schedule in association stalled President of the Canadian Council with senior engineers in govern1nent and of Professional Engineers of Canada.