Every project department is a system, comprising central bodies, branch bodies, technical bodies, and so on, with all parts interlocking to form a unified whole; the same is true of a project. But systems are prone to breakdowns, and projects can also "shut down" because of faults. On construction sites, those who can troubleshoot project faults are called project doctors, and Zhang Jianpu is one such project doctor.
　　Zhang Jianpu is a project manager at the Tanzania branch of Beijing Construction Engineering Group International, and he came to Tanzania after graduating from university in 2008. In 2012, he moved across three construction sites, identifying problems, tracing their root causes, and eliminating conflicts, demonstrating the demeanor of an outstanding Communist Party member and superb skills that cure problems at a touch.
　　Focus on Accounting, Pursue Claims, Protect Profit
　　In November 2011, Zhang Jianpu took over as project manager of the BOT project, the Bank of Tanzania Dodoma branch project. From the very start of construction, the project suffered schedule delays caused by incomplete design, lack of cooperation from the supervision consultant, and other reasons.
　　During the project's suspension stage, he carried out a detailed cost accounting of the works, concluding that by May 2012 the project would suffer a direct loss of US$250,000. At this stage, claims became the key to reversing the loss situation, and delay claim work also became a new topic for the project department. Through practice, he worked out the key points of claims: first, collect the original evidence for the claim and use the evidence to demonstrate that the project delay was caused by the owner and the supervision consultant; second, determine the claim amount, using government-issued data combined with the inflation rate calculated through a formula so that the supervision consultant would accept it; third, determine the claim boundary, confirming the situation before and after the delay based on on-site progress records. Zhang Jianpu carefully produced a 400-page claim document and submitted it to the owner and supervision consultant. Faced with the facts, the owner and supervision consultant acknowledged that a claim could be made, recognized part of the claim amount, and paid US$300,000 of the claim amount in advance.
　　If the main cause of the project's stagnation were not resolved, the project would continue to be delayed indefinitely. Zhang Jianpu found that the supervision consultant at the time was uncooperative on the project, unskilled in professional matters, and irresponsible in work, so the stagnation of the project was greatly related to the supervision consultant's inaction. With a responsible attitude toward the project, he actively reported specific cases to the owner, and after the owner's investigation, a new supervision consultant was brought in. The project department worked closely with the new supervision consultant and pushed the project forward smoothly.
　　The original project was a building with one basement level and three above-ground levels, and later the owner requested two additional floors on top of the original design. During negotiations for the additional contract, the owner and supervision consultant, considering their own interests, squeezed the profit of the additional contract, adding another burden to the project department's costs. To this end, relying on his rich construction experience, Zhang Jianpu negotiated item by item with the supervision consultant, ensuring that the newly signed contract amount reached nearly US$3 million, with a gross profit margin of 30%.
　　Focus on Completion, Change Materials, Ensure Handover
　　In August 2012, Zhang Jianpu was temporarily transferred to serve as project manager of the Lushoto lecture hall. This is Tanzania's only special education university. Because the project's completion schedule had been delayed, handover had become an urgent priority. In order to quickly reverse the passive situation, Zhang Jianpu carried out a survey of the project. In the process, he found problems such as the complex process, economic loss, and schedule extension involved in the aluminum composite panel edging work on the exterior eaves. To change the situation, he proposed replacing the aluminum composite panels with cement boards, which could shorten the schedule, reduce costs, and ensure quality. In order to gain the recognition of the owner and supervision consultant, he collected a great deal of material proving that replacing aluminum composite panels with cement boards would produce a better appearance, and made samples on site. Through his efforts, his plan was recognized by the owner and supervision consultant. In the end, three-quarters of the project's aluminum composite panels were replaced with cement boards. Through the material change, Zhang Jianpu shortened the schedule by more than a month and achieved the single-item profit target.
　　Project completion involves material ordering. Zhang Jianpu worked closely with the materials department and assigned dedicated personnel to keep watch at the material processing site, ensuring the ordering period was met.
　　After resolving the two major problems, he and the project department team and foremen formulated a completion plan item by item and precisely determined the handover date.
　　Focus on Mobilization, Reduce Costs, Ensure Performance
　　In the second half of 2012, the Tanzania branch won the bid for the MOI Hospital project in one stroke, the branch's first hospital project win in Tanzania in eight years. Based on overall qualifications, the branch selected Zhang Jianpu to serve as project manager.
　　This project is the third phase of Tanzania's largest Muhimbili Hospital and also Tanzania's first plastic surgery hospital. It has a construction area of more than 11,000 square meters, seven above-ground floors and one basement level, with a total cost of US$11 million.
　　General projects have a one- to two-month mobilization preparation period, but for this project, the date of contract signing was the date of commencement. In order to ensure the performance rate, he accelerated the pace of all work: contacting the owner and supervision consultant, arranging machinery mobilization, building staff dormitories, stocking up construction materials... Within two weeks he brought the project to construction conditions and sounded the call for commencement.
　　Ensuring the schedule and reducing costs were the two tasks Zhang Jianpu focused on most. Before construction began, he contacted the branch's materials department and communicated with the project department about to be completed, using generators returned by other project departments; when setting up the enclosure, he put 3,000 old corrugated sheets and scrap iron to use, saving the project department 160,000 yuan on this item alone. Through his careful calculation, the gross profit margin of the pre-commencement preparation work reached 70%.
　　At present, the project progress and quality have been well received by the owner and supervision consultant. Tanzanian President Kikwete made a special trip to attend the foundation stone laying ceremony at MOI Hospital, and also inspected the project, listened to reports, and had a group photo taken with key members of the branch and project department. At present, the project department is carrying out a year-round labor competition activity, and the construction speed has been shortened from 16 days per floor to 13 days per floor, winning praise from company headquarters leaders. Zhang Jianpu's goal is to ensure quality, safety, and schedule, strive to build a quality project, demonstrate the strength of Chinese builders, and present the Tanzanian people with a high-standard hospital.