Glossary
EPC & procurement terms, explained.
The vocabulary of construction procurement and billing — in plain English. A quick reference for anyone working across sites, stores, and finance.
- Base Rate
- A standardized rate for a material, labour, or machinery item, used as a consistent baseline for estimates and negotiations.
- BOQ (Bill of Quantities)
- An itemized list of materials, parts, and labour with quantities and rates used to price and control a construction project.
- Comparative Statement
- A side-by-side comparison of vendor quotations against an RFQ, used to evaluate and select the best offer.
- DoA (Delegation of Authority)
- A matrix defining who can approve what, and up to which value — the backbone of structured approval workflows.
- EPC
- Engineering, Procurement, and Construction — a project delivery model where one contractor handles design, sourcing, and build.
- GRN (Goods Receipt Note)
- A document recording materials received at a store or site against a purchase order, used to update inventory.
- Indent
- A formal internal request for materials or items, typically raised by a site or department.
- Issue Note
- A record of materials issued out of stores to a site, work order, or activity, reducing on-hand inventory.
- MR (Material Request)
- A request raised to procure materials needed for a project or site activity.
- NS Item (Non-Scheduled Item)
- A work or material item not included in the original BOQ schedule, requiring separate rate analysis and approval.
- PO (Purchase Order)
- A formal order issued to a vendor to supply goods at agreed quantities, rates, and terms.
- PR (Purchase Request)
- An internal request to authorize a purchase, typically preceding RFQ and PO issuance.
- Primavera P6
- A widely used project scheduling tool. Buildenfra imports P6 schedules to align planning with BOQ and site requirements.
- RA Bill (Running Account Bill)
- A progressive bill raised at intervals for work completed to date, common in construction and subcontractor billing.
- Retention
- A percentage of a bill withheld until project milestones or defect-liability conditions are met, then released.
- RFQ (Request for Quotation)
- A request sent to vendors inviting price quotes for specified materials or services.
- Site Requirement
- A material or plant need raised from a site, tracked end to end from request to issue.
- SO (Service Order / Sub-Order)
- An order issued for services or works (e.g. to a subcontractor), parallel to a PO for goods.
- Variation
- A change to the original scope of work, which may affect cost and timeline and requires controlled approval.
- Work Order
- An authorization to carry out a defined piece of work, often used for machinery or subcontracted activities.
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