Recording subcontractor performance fairly during the job
The roofer finishes with a difficult week, and the project manager wants to put 'do not use again' in the trade file. The superintendent remembers several good months before a late design revision disrupted the final areas. Neither has a clear record of the earlier work.
Evaluate the trade monthly against a few agreed measures, with dated examples and a chance to correct factual errors. Separate the trade's performance from conditions it did not control. A useful record describes what happened and what followed, rather than assigning a reputation from the last argument. Consistent evidence lets the next project manager judge whether the same concern matters on a different job.
- At award, choose measures relevant to the subcontract: schedule commitments, quality, safety follow-through, required paperwork and cooperation. Explain what evidence you will use and who reviews it.
- At each monthly review, compare actual performance with agreed obligations. Point to dated look-ahead commitments, inspection records, meeting actions and document submissions.
- Record context beside the observation. Distinguish missing labour from an unavailable workface, and a slow response from a late or incomplete request.
- Discuss the draft evaluation with the trade's responsible manager. Correct mistakes, retain a disputed point as disputed, and record the trade's explanation without treating it as an automatic excuse.
- Agree an improvement action where needed, with an owner and review date. At the next evaluation, say whether the action happened and what evidence changed your view.
- At closeout, summarize the pattern for future awards. Identify the scope, size and circumstances in which the trade performed well or struggled instead of issuing an unsupported blanket verdict.
Common mistakes
- Giving every trade the same score because difficult conversations take time.
- Recording personality judgements instead of observable conduct.
- Changing the rating scale halfway through the job.
- Allowing one improvement promise to erase earlier failures without checking the result.
Checklist
Before you file an evaluation
- Same measures as the previous month
- Obligation and dated evidence identified
- Conditions outside the trade's control recorded
- Trade's factual corrections considered
- Improvement action followed through
- Future-award advice tied to a particular risk
Check your understanding
A trade misses its target, but your team released the work area late. How should the evaluation describe it?
