General Items are non-measurable works or costs that are essential for the execution of the project but cannot be classified under the normal measurable work classes (earthworks, concrete, etc.).
They usually relate to preliminaries, overheads, temporary facilities, and obligations that the contractor must provide.
1. Purpose of General Items
- To include costs that are necessary for the project but not measurable in quantity.
- To ensure that contractors price preliminaries transparently instead of hiding them within measured rates.
- To give the Employer a clear understanding of overheads, mobilization costs, and obligations.
2. Subdivision of General Items
General Items are usually grouped as follows:
A1. Time-related Charges
- Items linked to duration of the contract.
- Typically priced as monthly costs, e.g.:
- Site supervision staff (engineers, surveyors, safety officers).
- Site accommodation, offices, toilets, storage.
- Power, water supply, communication, internet.
- Security and watchmen.
- Traffic management arrangements.
A2. Fixed Charges
- One-time costs not dependent on time.
- Examples:
- Mobilization and demobilization of plant and equipment.
- Setting out works (surveying, benchmarks).
- Erection of site offices, laboratories, and temporary works.
- Insurance, bonds, guarantees.
- Environmental protection measures at start.
A3. Obligatory Items
- Costs required by contract conditions or statutory obligations, such as:
- Health and safety provisions.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE).
- First aid and medical facilities.
- Fire prevention and firefighting equipment.
- Environmental management plans.
- Quality assurance / quality control testing.
A4. Employer’s Requirements
- If the Employer specifies particular facilities, they are listed here, e.g.:
- Accommodation for Employer’s staff.
- Vehicles for Engineer’s staff.
- Furnished office, computers, printers, and communication systems.
- Materials testing laboratory.
A5. Other General Items
- Any other overhead or temporary work not included above, e.g.:
- Removal of temporary works after completion.
- Final site clearance.
- As-built drawings and manuals.
- Training of Employer’s staff.
3. Units of Measurement for General Items
Unlike measured work (m³, m², m, kg, etc.), General Items are measured as:
- Lump Sum (LS) – for one-off fixed costs.
- Per Month (Month) – for time-related costs.
- Each (No.) – for countable items (vehicles, equipment, cabins).
4. Example of General Items in a BOQ
| Item No. | Description | Unit | Quantity | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1.1 | Mobilization and demobilization of plant and equipment | LS | 1 | … | … |
| A1.2 | Provision of contractor’s site offices, stores, and workshops | LS | 1 | … | … |
| A1.3 | Provision of Engineer’s office with furniture, utilities, and internet | Month | 12 | … | … |
| A1.4 | Insurance, bonds, and guarantees | LS | 1 | … | … |
| A1.5 | Site security and watchmen | Month | 12 | … | … |
| A1.6 | Provision of safety equipment, PPE, and first aid | LS | 1 | … | … |
| A1.7 | As-built drawings, manuals, and training | LS | 1 | … | … |
5. Importance in BOQ
- Ensures clarity in tendering.
- Helps contractor recover overhead costs fairly.
- Reduces risk of disputes during payments.
- Provides transparency for Employer in understanding fixed and running costs
