Case Study Engineering, Procurement & Construction platform EPC (Emerald) for Degremont Client Degrémont, a French major and World leader in Water and Waste Water Technologies started its Indian operations in 1954. During the early 70 and 80 a string of successes followed including Design and Construction of the1910 MLD plant at Bhandup Mumbai, which was then Asia s largest Water Treatment Plant. In 1986 Indian subsidiary was formed as a Joint venture with the Anand Automotive Limited, a leading manufacturer of automotive components and systems in India. The subsidiary has been operating successfully in India since then and has to its credit more than 150 major installations across the country Based out of Gurgaon, the company is active in providing end to end solution across all fields of Water and Wastewater treatment, thereby offering total solutions to complex problems faced by both public utilities and private sector. Project Wastewater must be treated before it is discharged to the environment. Wastewater is first sent to a physical/chemical treatment system. If further polishing of the water is required, it can then be sent to a biological treatment system. Degremont s wastewater treatment system consists of a series of reaction vessels which are designed with the optimum mixing energy, retention time, and nutrient addition, to provide an optimum environment for biological activity resulting in removal of nitrates, heavy metals, ammonia, and biochemically oxidizable organics measured as the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). Degremont implemented Backend s Vyavastha EPC (Emerald) comprising Engineering System, Procurement System, and Construction Monitoring for managing its waste water treatment projects and has been using it since Jan 2007.This implementation enabled Degrémont monitor globally distributed projects. Challenges in Managing the Project Software development for Degremont s waste water treatment involved collaborating with various levels of users at multiple locations. It involved knowing the requisites and the comfort levels of software users at every level so as to deliver a model that fits all. It also involved designing the software and fine tuning the same to the information and communication systems available at various distant geographical locations.
Solution Following an extensive review of the available solutions, Degremont implemented Backend s EPC (Emerald) Software customized solution for waste water treatment. Degremont is using the Engineering systems consisting of Project Setup, Document tracking, Specification tracking, Requisition tracking, To Do list, Correspondence Tracking, Document Control and Material Control (DCI/MCI), Design Change Note, Request For Calculation, Lessons Learnt Database and Repertoire of Tools like e learning, omega standards Engineering System provides input for the Procurement System through procurement interface consisting Materials/Equipments module and requisitions (Indent) module. Degrémont is using full cycle procurement system from requisition to material receive to site using Backend s Vyavastha EPC. Usage of the procurement sub system includes create requisitions, receiving vendor offers (Online/Offline), technical bid entry, bid clarification, prepare enquiries, evaluate bids, purchase committee approval (policy based), order placements (Letter of Intents, Amendments to LOI, Purchase Order, Amendments to PO), procurement tracking (Expediting, Inspection, Dispatch), material receipt note, define structured supplier database, supplier ratings and online templates for bid preparation. Construction Monitoring consists of Correspondence tracking of incoming and outgoing letters, Viewing of project status in terms of Physical progress with drilldowns up to activity level, including photo trail, Financial progress, Resources deployed labour, material, equipment, Variation orders, Design issues, Claims Extension of Time, Holds/Encumbrances, Quality control tests, Compliance ratings Traffic and safety, Environmental, Contract administration Letters, Inter Office Memos, Claims, Variations, Encumbrances, Traffic, Safety and Environmental compliances, Quality Control, Billing generation of Interim Payment Certificates based on approved Request for Inspections (RFIs) taking into account Escalations, Royalty, Foreign Currency component, Advances, Variations, Stores Managing Inventory, handling requisitions, Project planning Working level scheduling, budgeting, resource allocation, Works monitoring, inspections, RFI submissions, Managing Sub contracts scheduling, billing and Workflow for internal approvals/control Degrémont were able to generate a comprehensive set of MIS Reports and view the project progress through graphical dashboards. Salient Features Documents Document Register Customizable automated Document Numbering as per company standards Customizable automated Revision Numbering as per company standards Automated Version Control Automated Numbering of WBS, Transmittal, IOM, IDC and so on Documents creation at Process Block Level / Structure block Level / Building Level or at any user defined level Document Control Index and Material Control Index
Correspondence Automated Correspondence Numbering as per company/client format Inter Departmental Check IDC Module Letter In/Out module Comments and Responses Inter Departmental Validation IDV Module Internal Transmittal Module External Transmittal Module Vendor Internal Transmittal Module Vendor External Transmittal Module Needs Management Holds Management Inter Office Memo IOM module To Do List Module Document Type wise Project Setup Responsibility Matrix Stage wise in the workflow Project Taskforce and Company Organogram Generic Work Breakdown Structure WBS templates Project Specific Work Breakdown Structure or Process tree Generic Workflow Templates Project Specific Workflow Workflow based resource allocation, document access security & document movement Document Budgeting Role Budgeting Budget planning for Project Period Load distribution or Load Baseline graph for project period Productivity analysis reports Graphs indicating Planned v/s Actual Physical process Graphs indicating Planned v/s Actual Man days consumed Comprehensive Advanced Planning module Advanced Document Control Index and Material Control Index Integreable with Primavera, MS Projects, MS Excel with import and export feature Document Progress planning at every stage level of a workflow Automatic schedule/plan preparation based on durations defined in workflow High end Flash based 3D, 2D Graphics and Animated Dashboard projecting project status measured on various parameters Client Comments Resolution and Internal Comments Resolution Common Login based authentication Admin controlled access rights Technology updates module
Project Setup Wizard Visuals module Centralized project visuals, slideshow Videos Module Centralized project videos sharing E Learning Module Library Checklists Mail Module Internal mailing system with rich text editor and can upload significantly large files Knowledge Bank Complaint Register Set of built in Calculators like Hydraulic calculators, converters etc. Full text search, advanced search & data filters wherever applicable Lessons Learnt Facility to export any report into excel or pdf is provided. Individual centric approval workflow, in addition to department specific workflow Employee profile management Voice and Video based user manual. Context based help with voice and video. Timesheet Comprehensive Timesheet management system Generic work codes template Daily timesheet booking Document wise, work code wise Weekly Timesheet approval of project activities based on Taskforce Weekly Timesheet approval of overhead activities based on company Organogram Alerting mechanism Department Capping Budget Distribution and Budget Transfers Man days Tracking of Change order and re work Specification Equipment Specification Management Mass upload of Tagged Equipments list Tagged and Bulk Equipments Management Standard equipment en coding SIGMA Codes integrated with procurement Generic definition of standard Datasheet templates Project Specification Datasheet Management Specification workflow management Specification Annex, General specifications, Equipment catalogs management Revision history of equipment datasheet/specification Bulk Equipments consolidation from Document MTO
Integration of P&ID with equipments Spare parts and Sub spare parts list Generic Calculation note templates Equipment type wise Datasheet Calculation Note workflow management Design Modification Notes/ Change Order management Compilation module for client approval of Technical documents, General specifications, Catalogs, Datasheet, Annex, Spare parts, etc.. GFA/GFO Goods for approval and Goods for Order module MTO Material Take Off consolidation and management RFQ Module Material Requisition Package/Binder requisition Online Enquiry Online Technical bid submission Technical Bid Entry of submitted Vendor datasheet Generic Technical Comparison Template for Vendor bid documents Technical query and response Vendor communication Technical Bid Evaluation Vendor Documents Vendor Nomination General Latest cutting edge technology platform Internet Ready application Highly scalable Extremely Robust Low Maintenance costs Fully generic and flexible to implement changes or enhancements Integrable with most of the common enterprise level applications Efficient data storage management with encryption technology Simplified Intuitive User Interface Rich web interface with attractive icons and elegant navigation Icon driven interface Common Menu made available in all the screens Project switching made easy Integrable with existing Legacy Attendance system Client / Consultant Access ready Vendor Access ready Central repository of files Enhanced Security Module Roles based authentication Legacy data from different applications, can all be Migrated into one single system
Results As a result of implementing Backend s EPC Software, Degremont is able to monitor the real time data and reach of the intended project deliverables to the desired acceptable levels of stockholders involved. Implementation Training and support Backend Bangalore Pvt Ltd had implemented and trained the Degremont s staff with using Backends EPC (Emerald) Software. Backend Bangalore Pvt Ltd and Degremont worked together to ensure that existing data was uploaded onto the EPC (Emerald) Software. From then onwards, Backends EPC (Emerald) Software was the default tool for managing the Waste Water Treatment project. To ensure that project members are adept at using the system, Backend Bangalore Pvt Ltd ran customized training modules for all participants and supplements these with unlimited helpdesk and online support.