Overview
While construction procurement is essential in planning delivery methods and procurement tasks of a construction project, cost planning is critical to the financial management of the project throughout all phases of the building life cycle. Construction procurement is always associated with cost and cost planning is dependent on construction procurement. In this unit, therefore, you will study cost planning along with the knowledge of construction procurement. You will develop skills to critically examine the complexity of issues associated with strategic procurement and components of sustainable procurement processes. You will also analyse the impact of construction procurement decisions on economic, environmental, social, and cultural outcomes referring to a number of national and international case studies. This will enable you to reflect on the key themes in relation to procurement strategies, i.e. partnering culture as well as management of risks, stakeholder relationships, and supply chains. The knowledge gained here will eventually make you confident in practicing construction procurement within complex construction management environments in the public and private sectors. In the cost planning spectrum, the unit covers broader insights of design economics, cost estimating procedures, cost control mechanisms, and life cycle analysis for construction projects. The application of critical self-reflection skills and research principles and methods relevant to the construction industry will help you to prepare for dynamic construction industry environments and make sound professional decisions.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisites: BLCN29001 Construction Technology and BLCN29003 Construction Measurement
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Communication with students
Cost planning process could be explained in more details.
The teaching team will continue using Rawlinsons construction cost guide to show the cost planning process and add more practical examples of cost estimation and planning.
- Critically examine concepts and principles of construction procurement and cost planning across the building lifecycle
- Apply contemporary practice and research knowledge to project-specific contexts, managing project budget and feasibility
- Evaluate the impacts of construction procurement decisions on economic, environmental, social, and cultural outcomes
- Reflect on the key themes of procurement strategies and cost planning in contemporary management contexts.
This unit enhances your professional construction management knowledge and industry attributes in areas such as elemental cost planning, budget and cost control, procurement methods and contracting as well as sustainable procurement strategies and life cycle assessment.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Research Assignment - 20% | ||||
| 2 - Group Work - 40% | ||||
| 3 - Reflective Practice Assignment - 40% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 9 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
Information for Textbooks is not yet available.
The textbooks have not yet been finalised.IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Microsoft Office or equivalent software
- Webcam and headset
- Zoom access WEEKLY
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
i.kenawy@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to construction procurement and cost planning
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Procurement and cost planning strategies
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Pre-construction procurement and cost planning
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Construction procurement team and tender processes
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Collaborative construction procurement strategies
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 due
Assessment 1 Due: Week 5 Friday (10 Apr 2026) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Construction procurement and cost control management
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Construction cost and value management
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Sustainable construction procurement practices
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Procurement management of project variations and construction defects
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 2 due
Assessment 2 Due: Week 9 Wednesday (13 May 2026) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Procurement Management: professional and ethical responsibilities
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Construction procurement and cost management trends: local and global
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Revision Week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 3 due
Assessment 3 Due: Exam Week Monday (8 June 2026) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Research Assignment
Assessment 1 (20%) addresses Unit Learning Outcomes 1 and 2 and engages students in learning topics Week 1 to 4 with a focus on analysis of procurement strategy and pre-construction cost planning decision making towards tender selection.
Learning Outcome 1: Critically examine concepts and principles of construction procurement and cost planning across the building lifecycle
Learning Outcome 2: Apply contemporary practice and research knowledge to project-specific contexts, managing project budget and feasibility
AI Assessment Scale: AI Planning (You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas).
It is essential that your submission is entirely your own. If you use any sources, they must be appropriately cited in accordance with the CQU Harvard referencing style, as outlined in the CQU Harvard referencing guide.
Additional guidance and information about the assessment requirements can be found on the unit's Moodle site.
Week 5 Friday (10 Apr 2026) 11:45 pm AEST
Submit online on Moodle - Student to submit via Turnitin
Week 7 Friday (1 May 2026)
Student to access via the assessment block of the Moodle page of the unit
The assignment will be assessed on quality of work submitted, relevance and coherence to the specific question and tasks. This includes clear argumentation and use of quality references (in-text and bibliography). The content prepared is to expand beyond the learning material provided and demonstrates the student's development of the unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes. Students will work with a marking rubric for self-review and receive formative and summative feedback.
- Critically examine concepts and principles of construction procurement and cost planning across the building lifecycle
- Apply contemporary practice and research knowledge to project-specific contexts, managing project budget and feasibility
2 Group Work
Assessment 2 (40%) addresses Unit Leaning Outcomes 2,3, and 4 and focuses on the application of procurement and cost management analysis. Research and development of a construction procurement and cost plan with evaluation of project specific issues and recommendations. This includes reflections on ethical, social, economic and environmental considerations. This is a groupwork that include a presentation which is excluded from the 3 days grace period.
Learning Outcome 2: Apply contemporary practice and research knowledge to project-specific contexts, managing project budget and feasibility
Learning Outcome 3: Evaluate the impacts of construction procurement decisions on economic, environmental, social, and cultural outcomes
Learning Outcome 4: Reflect on the key themes of procurement strategies and cost planning in contemporary management contexts.
AI Assessment Scale: AI Planning (You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas).
Additional guidance and information about the assessment requirements can be found on the unit's Moodle site.
Week 9 Wednesday (13 May 2026) 11:45 pm AEST
Submit online on Moodle
Week 11 Wednesday (27 May 2026)
Student to access via the assessment block of the Moodle page of the unit
The assignment will be assessed on quality of work submitted, relevance and coherence to the specific question and tasks. Clarity of expression and comprehensive coverage of issues as well as the use of quality supporting documentation and original thought and content are important considerations. Your assessment should be produced in electronic format. Before or on the nominated due date, upload your work following the on-screen instructions. Your submission will be processed through the similarity detection software, Turnitin. You may amend your work based on the detection report. You must ensure that the submission is your own and that any cited work has been correctly referenced as per the CQU requirements.
- Apply contemporary practice and research knowledge to project-specific contexts, managing project budget and feasibility
- Evaluate the impacts of construction procurement decisions on economic, environmental, social, and cultural outcomes
- Reflect on the key themes of procurement strategies and cost planning in contemporary management contexts.
3 Reflective Practice Assignment
Reflective Practice Assessment 3 (40%) addresses Unit Learning Outcomes 1,3, and 4 and engages students to reflect and apply unit learning including ethical and professional dimensions, construction procurement models and propose cost planning strategies to support project outcomes and with lifecycle considerations. This assessment also includes in class participation.
Learning Outcome 1: Critically examine concepts and principles of construction procurement and cost planning across the building lifecycle
Learning Outcome 3: Evaluate the impacts of construction procurement decisions on economic, environmental, social, and cultural outcomes
Learning Outcome 4: Reflect on the key themes of procurement strategies and cost planning in contemporary management contexts.
AI Assessment Scale: AI Planning (You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas).
It is essential that your submission is entirely your own. If you use any sources, they must be appropriately cited in accordance with the CQU Harvard referencing style, as outlined in the CQU Harvard referencing guide.
Additional guidance and information about the assessment requirements can be found on the unit's Moodle site.
Exam Week Monday (8 June 2026) 11:45 pm AEST
Submit online on Moodle - Student to submit via Turnitin
Within two weeks of the submission and before the certification of grades
The assignment will be assessed on quality of work submitted, relevance and coherence to the specific question and tasks. This includes clear argumentation and use of quality references (in-text and bibliography). The content prepared is to expand beyond the learning material provided and demonstrates the student's development of the unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes. Students will work with a marking rubric for self-review and receive formative and summative feedback.
- Critically examine concepts and principles of construction procurement and cost planning across the building lifecycle
- Evaluate the impacts of construction procurement decisions on economic, environmental, social, and cultural outcomes
- Reflect on the key themes of procurement strategies and cost planning in contemporary management contexts.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
