Contractors retain GBA-Member Firms to perform construction materials engineering and testing (CoMET) services for one of two reasons: To obtain quality control (QC) services the contractors are required to perform to help ensure their work achieves specified conditions, or to obtain quality assurance (QA) services for the owner. The latter situation can create problems, because – unless stated otherwise – the contractor, not the owner, is the CoMET consultant’s client. This can give the contractor what could be worrisome financial leverage when dealing with the CoMET consultant, and can permit the contractor to schedule CoMET services in a manner that might bias the CoMET consultant’s opinions and findings.

Contractors retain GBA-Member Firms to perform construction materials engineering and testing (CoMET) services for one of two reasons: To obtain quality control (QC) services the contractors are...