The advantage of engaging a consultant for project management oversight is
to obtain a necessary, but often overlooked, independent advisory service.Without project management oversight, potential problem areas commonly go unreported until they can no longer be reconciled with project objectives. To make matters worse, crucial problem area information is often not adequately documented by the architect/engineer or contractor. This, of course, weakens the position pertaining to claims litigation or arbitration.
Historically, cost and schedule overruns commonly exceed 20% of target cost and target completion. In addition, awards resulting from claims litigation commonly exceed 10% of total project cost. The cost of retaining ACM as your project management oversight consulting firm throughout the life of a project is typically less than 3% of total project cost.
The project management overseer serves as an extension of the staff to ensure proper project management. Periodic written evaluations of the project cost and control schedule program, project quality program, and project management effectiveness are provided. Management oversight is responsible for assessing the implementation of management functions as they relate to the project objectives.
As part of the oversight function, ACM evaluates procedures and the information flow process; reviews contract documents and verifies contractor conformance; and appraises contract change order monitoring techniques. A thorough written assessment of the project management information system is provided. Effective management oversight begins during the conceptual design phase of a project and continues through substantial completion and beneficial occupancy.
Engaging an independent project management oversight consultant such as ACM is the best possible way to minimize schedule delays, reduce cost overruns, improve project quality, and alleviate construction claims.
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ACM provides project management services and acts in an advisory capacity
regarding project and contract decision making. As the project manager,
ACM's services include Scope Management, Cost and Time Management, Resource Management,
Contract Management and Administration, and Project Coordination.
ACM assists its clients in the preparation and maintenance of project scope
documents. This includes defining the work requirements, identifying and
establishing a division of responsibilities, and quantifying the estimated
cost and time requirements of the work. The scope is further defined by the
planning process which identifies detailed activities and tasks, their
relationships and durations, the types and numbers of resources required to
perform the activities, and any constraints to performing the work.Scope management results from on-going comparison of design development, site conditions, and requested issues to the original scope definition. Potential problems and changes to the work are recognized, evaluated, and addressed in a timely manner. If scope changes are determined to be justified, then changes are included in the project. Other potential changes may be unwarranted because they delay completion, reduce quality, or are cost excessive.
ACM performs plan and constructability reviews to assure consistency between design, fabrication, and installation disciplines. These reviews identify errors, conflicts, and omissions. As a result of plan and constructability reviews, future costly field changes are minimized.
ACM prepares a project schedule based on the work scope definition and
project responsibilities. The schedule also includes work interfaces
and responsibilities impacting all project work. The schedule identifies
the critical and near critical paths.ACM recommends that the schedule activities be resource and budget loaded. A target schedule is established to measure cost and schedule performance and resource utilization. The target schedule is based on priority work requirements and resource availability. The target schedule is used to measure progress and assure schedule and cost commitments are being maintained.
The schedule also contains responsibility codes representing project organization breakdown structure (OBS). This OBS provides the capability to select, sort, and provide useful data to parties performing the work.
ACM's project management services for resource management include
defining resource requirements, obtaining the commitments for resources
to meet the requirements, and measuring performance against the commitments
and requirements. Resource management is applied to all phases of the
project.ACM encourages participation of the persons responsible for development of the plan to perform the work. ACM's project management approach communicates the plan to those having to implement it and provides feedback to make adjustments when necessary.
This approach assures that all resources are identified and that labor resources have a sense of ownership of the activities.
ACM applies the project management process, including contract administration, to all phases of the project: design, procurement, fabrication, installation, and acceptance. ACM assists in reviewing and enhancing contract requirements and language in accordance with project guidelines.
During the performance of the work, ACM assists in contract administration
by implementing change control procedures, reviewing progress payment
requests, preparing progress and performance reports, and providing
coordination. ACM assures that contract requirements are known and
understood by the responsible parties and that the work is performed within
the agreement.
ACM coordinates activities between the project parties to satisfy the
project's requirements and objectives. This coordination begins in the
design phase of the project by assuring integration of engineering
disciplines.As the project proceeds from design to procurement, fabrication, installation, and acceptance, ACM provides coordination between vendors and contractors for site consideration such as access and installation sequencing. Potential interferences and problems are identified and resolved during periodic and routine progress coordination meetings.
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ACM's expertise is in the implementation of project management processes. ACM
has experience in initiating the project management process for companies using
the concept for the first time. ACM also has experience in applying the project
management process to projects and programs of companies familiar with project
management. ACM staff has helped its clients identify stakeholders and task
owners in projects and to orientate them to the process. Orientation includes
promoting understanding of the process through training and application. ACM's
clients have increased their competence in and confidence with the project
management process through successful applications.ACM is experienced in working with and reporting to stakeholders and task owners to meet program and project requirements of time, cost, and quality. ACM's personnel are communicators, team leaders and/or members, and experts in the project management process.
ACM provides its clients with useful and timely information related to project cost, schedule, and resource utilization. One of the first steps to ensuring that information is useful is the development of the project network and identification of the work breakdown structure (WBS) to represent the total work scope. ACM also uses an organizational breakdown structure (OBS). This provides for the identification of task owners and stakeholders to ensure commitment of resources, development of budgets, and control of time requirements.
ACM also implements performance measurement to better manage all activities. Performance measurement provides earned value comparisons against a base plan for time performance and against the actual cost for cost performance. Performance measurement also facilitates better control of resources because of potential misuse of available float in some sequential chains.
Project information is selectively extracted from the schedule to provide information useful to the specific task owner and stakeholder. For example, reports and bar charts for any system and/or task owner can be selected and used for preparing weekly work plans and monthly look-ahead schedules.
ACM provides information to all stakeholders for making decisions which affect overall timing and cost of the project. ACM effectively uses the WBS to select pertinent levels of progress, status, and performance reporting for the project manager, his/her peers, department management, and first line supervision.
ACM prepares bi-weekly and monthly reports which address completed planned activities, work on unscheduled activities, and planned work not completed. Problems and recommended solutions are presented and dates for implementation of solutions are identified. Action items are assigned to specific individuals.
ACM coordinates activities between the project stages and disciplines, and between the stakeholders and task owners. This includes conducting meetings, preparing correspondence, and maintaining documentation and records. Issues are identified and evaluated. Recommendations for resolution are prepared and follow-up is provided to ensure proper implementation.
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