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ISqFt is comprised
of four main parts and is in affiliation with the AGC chapter.
Internet Plan Rooms are
built into the iSqFt system. These plan rooms are accessible
to the public, and feature project information that is typically
harvested in a local market area by an association or
local trade group. The plan rooms are jointly owned
by iSqFt and the related association. Access to these public
plan rooms is granted on a local or regional basis and part of
the fees generated are returned to the local or national group
involved.
For the subcontractor, supplier, vendor or other interested
party, iSqFt has developed a Project Desktop. This screen
is secure and password protected, and will allow
the user to access information from any number of Construction
Offices, as well as from the built in Internet Public Plan
Rooms. Users can actually measure blueprints on-line and they have the
ability to create a complete and detailed estimate for
materials and labor. Using the iSqFt Toolbox
or the more powerful Buildware Pro, even novice
users can measure the electronic blueprints on-screen, and
then transfer the related components into the built in Excel
compatible workbook. These computerized estimating tools are
easy to use, and may be used with traditional paper blueprints
as well.
The iSqFt Construction Office (CO)
Featuring the unique and proprietary compression technology, the owner
of each CO can expect subs and suppliers with only a dial-up
modem connection, to be able to download full size blueprints
in less than one minute. Once downloaded the user can measure
and create highly detailed material and labor estimates,
on-line, without ever reducing the documents to paper. Those
who need the full size paper prints, can order plans on-line
for next day delivery, or simply file-print a
full size, to scale, blueprint, using a standard 8x11 paper.
Collaboration
features include a document management system that empowers
the user to upload and distribute any type of document,
specifying the security levels for each document. The real
time collaboration tools enable the users to setup meetings
on-line, and allow all attendees to view the same print or
specification document while it is being marked up in real
time.
As
addenda are posted, or documents are changed, the system
generates an automatic email and fax message to all those
subs, suppliers and vendors who are affected by the change.
The invite
to bid is accomplished by the CO owner accessing his phonebook
of subs and vendors online. Once the desired subs and vendors
are identified, a fax is sent via the Internet as well as an
email message to the appropriate vendor. There is no charge
for the faxes up to 300 per project / per month. CO owners may
reach out and locate subs and vendors from the vast database
available through iSqFt.
The
Project Desktop
Subcontractors, vendors and suppliers will use their own project
Desktop to locate new bidding opportunities, to locate new
potential customers and to manage their relationships with
existing customers (CO owners). They will use their desktop to
download plans, and then using the iSqFt Toolbox, save the
plans on their own hard drive in a project folder. Once
downloaded the Toolbox allows the user to actually measure the
print on-screen, and then transfer the
area/linear/count/volume measurements directly into the built
in Excel compatible workbook.
Through
the scrolling window built into the individual desktop, the
user will receive notices of invite to bid, new addenda issued
and other pertinent information about these tools.
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