System and Method for Facilitating Managing a Job
First Claim
1. A system for use in facilitating managing a job, the system comprising:
- a bid and award application executed by a computer for generating bid packages for a job and for receiving completed bids, wherein the bid and award application stores at least one previous bid that was made on the job and awards the job based on the at least one previous bid;
a job entry application executed by a computer for defining at least one task within the job and determining whether the task should be accomplished by a contractor;
a scheduling application executed by a computer for assigning personnel to the at least one task;
a materials management application executed by a computer for assigning any needed materials to the at least one task; and
an interface for receiving updates on the status of the at least one task,wherein the interface includes a billing and reporting application for receiving input from the contractor as to completed tasks and billings,wherein if the billings vary from a billing expectation of the system, the variations are sent by the billing and reporting application to a supervisor for approval, wherein upon approval of the supervisor or no variations, the billing and reporting application prepares an invoice for payment.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An outside Plant Construction Management (OSPCM) system simplifies and mechanizes many aspects of operating a facility, such as a Regional Bell Operating Company (RBOC). The OSPCM system performs a configuration function and this data is input to the awarded contract which entails breaking the job into its constituent tasks, sequencing the tasks, prioritizing the tasks, and scheduling the tasks. The OSPCM system completes the scheduling task by assigning the tasks to supervisors and/or to outside contractors. The OSPCM system automatically manages the materials required for tasks by determining what and when it is needed, ordering what is available from within inventory, and ordering necessary materials from outside providers. When a task is completed, the contractor accesses the OSPCM system and marks the task as completed. The OSPCM system then forwards invoices to the voucher system for those cases where work is completed as designed.
71 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for use in facilitating managing a job, the system comprising:
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a bid and award application executed by a computer for generating bid packages for a job and for receiving completed bids, wherein the bid and award application stores at least one previous bid that was made on the job and awards the job based on the at least one previous bid; a job entry application executed by a computer for defining at least one task within the job and determining whether the task should be accomplished by a contractor; a scheduling application executed by a computer for assigning personnel to the at least one task; a materials management application executed by a computer for assigning any needed materials to the at least one task; and an interface for receiving updates on the status of the at least one task, wherein the interface includes a billing and reporting application for receiving input from the contractor as to completed tasks and billings, wherein if the billings vary from a billing expectation of the system, the variations are sent by the billing and reporting application to a supervisor for approval, wherein upon approval of the supervisor or no variations, the billing and reporting application prepares an invoice for payment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-implemented method for facilitating managing a job, the method comprising the step of:
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generating bid packages for a job and for receiving completed bids; storing at least one previous bid that was made on the job; awarding the job based on the at least one previous bid; defining at least one task within the job and determining whether the task should be accomplished by a contractor; assigning personnel to the at least one task; assigning any needed materials to the at least one task; receiving updates on the status of the at least one task via an interface; and receiving input from the contractor as to completed tasks and billings, wherein if the billings vary from a billing expectation, the variations are sent by a billing and reporting application to a supervisor for approval, wherein upon approval of the supervisor or no variations, the billing and reporting application prepares an invoice for payment, wherein the above steps are executed by a computer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification