2. Discussing the advance payment

Supplier: Let's go over the remaining points, shall we? It's the advance payment now. Any objections?

Customer: No objections at all. And we are sorry to say that we find it a bit high.

S. Now, Mr M., 25 per cent is a fair sum, all things considered.

C. We know the amount of the work you are going to do, and we're not quite sure this sum is justified. Do you think you could explain this, Mr. A.?

S. Yes, I think I must explain. The advance will cover the expenses of our design organizations and the contractual expenses.

C. Will that come to 25 per cent of the contract value?

S. Very close to it. Besides, we agreed that the customer would come to Russia in the course of the work, and visit our designers in St.Petersburg as well. Transport, hotel accommodation and other things will be cov­ered by the Russian party, too. Anyway in view of our further business I think we can go down by 5 per cent. What do you say to that?

C. All right, Mr A. We'll agree to this. I think this point is covered. The terms of payment are quite acceptable. As to our obligations, we shall observe the provision of the (draft) contract to consider the DPR within 45 days.

S. Fine. It is certainly very important. We both know very well that a delay in consideration and approval of the DPR will cause a delay in the prepa­ration of the working drawings.

С We'll do our best.

S. Very good.

all things considered зд. учитывая observe v соблюдать

все обстоятельства cause [ko:z] v приводить к чему-л.

justified оправданный

XIII. Give extensive answers to these questions. Use the following expres­sions to start your answer.

as far as I know; the way I see it; it's a well-known fact; though I can't say for sure I think ... ; I may be wrong but I think ... ; I know for a fact that ... ; I'm sorry I don't know much about it

1. In what case is a technical proposal made? 2. What is a feasibility study? Who is it normally elaborated by? What does it contain? 3. How long does it normally take to elaborate a feasibility study? 4. What kind of docu­ment is a design assignment? Who prepares it? 5. What does design docu­mentation contain? 6. Who collects initial data for carrying out a DPR? How is it done? 7. What information does the customer submit on the site recom-

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mended by the supplier? 8. Who bears responsibility for the correctness of initial data? 9. Who works out and approves a DPR? 10. In what way can the supplier prove competitiveness of his materials (with regard to amount of work, time limits, cost)? 11. Are working drawings normally prepared along with the DPR or after its approval? 12. What are the time limits for the elaboration of a DPR and preparation of working drawings? What do they depend on? 13. How are payments for designing made?

XIV. Write letters based on the following situations. Make use of the phrases on pages 45-46.

1. Remind the customer that in the performance of (во исполнение) the contract you have elaborated the feasibility study for the project and duly sent it to the customer. Ask the customer to send a list of questions for you to prepare for the discussion of the DPR.

2. In your letter to the customer explain why you set these particular time limits for the preparation of the design and survey work. Refer to your experience, to the amount of the work to be carried out, to the fact that our design organizations can reduce the time limits by one or two months.

3. In reply to the customer's letter write that the cost of the design work is fair. Draw the customer's attention, among other things, to: the amount of work to be carried out, the time limits, and the kind of technology in­volved (sophisticated, labour intensive).

4. Write to say that our design organizations cannot start the preparation of the DPR as some very important data have not been made available to us yet. Refer to the provision of the Protocol on the remaining initiaf data, i. e. samples of raw materials. Remind the customer that the process (technol­ogy) will be based on the results of the samples study. Inform the customer that there may be an extension of the time limits.

sophisticated technology сложная sample n образец технология