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ERDC TN-DOER-T7
October 2004
into account the risk tolerance of all parties in order to achieve project goals and minimize costs
as well as establishing the basis for contract payment.
Performance Goals and Objectives. Processing goals and objectives must be clearly
articulated and the manner in which performance will be evaluated explicitly specified. A
careful cost/benefit analysis will help to identify the chief operating objectives. For example, in
cases where volume and weight of material must be minimized in order to reduce transportation
and offsite disposal costs, the performance specification might be based on a minimum cake
density and maximum water content that would be acceptable. However, a processing cost
incurred to achieve a tight specification may offset the potential savings in transportation and
disposal costs. A slightly less efficient and less expensive treatment train might yield the lowest
overall project costs.
Risk Tolerance.  Performance specifications written with a tight material specification
increase the risk to the contractor, who must base his ability to process a heterogeneous material
to specifications on limited bench and pilot testing. Higher risk generally results in higher
contract bids. Conversely, a contract specifying only the processing method, which might be
considered desirable based on results of preliminary bench scale testing, would be easier for the
contractor to estimate, but may not sufficiently motivate the contractor to operate in a manner
that optimizes material properties or results in the least cost for the sponsor.
Processing interruptions in the dewatering circuit may impact the dredging operation. Because
both dredging and dewatering are relatively specialized functions, however, contracts may be let
to separate companies who may then find themselves in an adversarial position. The dewatering
plant must have adequate capacity to minimize disruptions to the dredging. Similarly, the dredge
must be operated in a manner that provides the greatest possible uniformity in the influent to the
dewatering circuit. Highly variable slurry solids or flow rates may result in processing upsets
and down time on both ends. Instrumentation linking the dredging plant and the dewatering
circuit can minimize problems and reduce overall costs due to greater operating efficiency. This
approach has been demonstrated in the field and is described in the Clinton, Iowa, fact sheet in
Appendix A.
Material Properties.  Performance specifications based upon material properties must
consider the possibility of material variability on both sides of the treatment train and specify
remedies and responsibilities arising from that. Off-spec materials may result from processing
operations that are not sufficiently robust or from poor process design. However, off-spec
materials may also result from unanticipated variability in the feed. If the material obtained for
bench-scale testing and process design is not representative of the full range of materials to be
processed, substantial additional costs may be incurred in order to make necessary modifications
to the process.
Plant design is based on the measurable properties of representative samples, taking into account
an appropriate level of variability and uncertainty. This could be taken to constitute a feed
"spec." The processing modifications required to handle feed outside these parameters should be
anticipated, however, and costed along with the mainstream processing activities. For example,
if sand content was less than 2 percent in the pre-design sampling, and no sand removal
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