Services

Construction Management


construction management

Construction Management includes all of the planning, coordination and control efforts required to assure that a construction project is delivered to the Owner on time, within budget and to the quality standards specified.

Traditionally construction projects are accomplished by an Owner who contracts directly with a designer and separately with a contractor. Although there is no formal contractual relationship between the designer and the contractor both are essential to the success of the project and when circumstances arise which create a conflict between the responsibilities and goals of these two, the Owner is forced to make choices which risk the financial or schedule or quality outcome, to the Owner's own detriment.

Under the Construction Management business model, there is a third contract, one between the Owner and the Construction Manager. Under the agency form of Construction Management Services, which CM Pros offers, it is the CM's role to bridge the differences by offering expert technical information and professional judgment to the Owner and acting exclusively on his behalf to resolve problems and remove obstacles to the success of the enterprise.

The methodologies employed in Construction Management are described under the individual services we offer in the sections which follow.

We have provided full scope CM Services to:
San Benito County, Department of Public Works, 16 Road and Bridge Projects ($40 million) More Info
City of Atwater, City-Wide Water and Sewer Systems Improvements ($4.5 million) More Info

Design Management


Construction Design Management

Design Management in our practice is an integral part of our Construction Management and Project Management responsibilities. From this point of view design can be seen as one step of many in the realization of a successful project. This is particularly true of design-build and similar project delivery methods under which traditional barriers between design, procurement, construction and quality control are deliberately set aside and inclusive strategies and collaborative approaches are encouraged and are even mandated by contract. Techniques such as stakeholder engagement, needs assessments, programming and scope definition are related services that we can perform to lay the groundwork for an orderly design phase.

From another point of view, design management has the specific responsibility of assuring that the architectural and engineering designers adhere to an orderly process and apply professional standards to assure that the construction documents are completed free of errors and omissions and clearly communicate the design intent of the project to the broader team that may include the owner, code officials, project controls staff, construction managers, quality assurance specialists, as well as stakeholders such as end users, financial institutions, fire and police first responders, utility service providers, neighbors and the general public.

We assign personnel with engineering and architectural design experience, expertise in construction and construction management, specialization in scheduling and cost control, and project management leadership skills. To be successful, design review must include others with their own technical contributions to make, such as product manufacturers and suppliers, code compliance personnel, public agency representatives, design engineers in sub-specialties, and facilities managers. As design managers we assure that all these participants understand their assigned roles, the standards to be applied, the design review schedule, and the budget available for their services, as appropriate. Design submittals are issued for review at specified levels of completeness and our responsibility includes making certain that each iteration has successfully responded to comments on prior phases, and that the documents are fully coordinated between all disciplines.

C M Pros has provided Design Management services to:
San Francisco International Airport More Info
San Francisco Department of Recreation and Parks More Info

Program Controls


program controls

The word program in the context of construction management usually refers to a group of many individual projects which are related—by function, policy or funding—but which are planned, designed, bid, built and managed separately. Often there are many stakeholders with shared goals but different needs, perspectives or priorities. Different responsibilities may require specialized analysis of data, resulting in individualized report contents and formats.

Program Controls involves setting expectations, measuring progress, and forecasting corrective action that will assure that expectations are met. C M Pros employs professionals specialized in disciplines such as schedule management, cost management, document management and risk analysis. Our senior managers assist the Client in establishing criteria (scope, schedule, budget) and measure success against those criteria, utilizing computerized analytical schedule and cost management protocols as well as earned value management, funds management, and risk assessment and mitigation techniques which call upon years of experience as well as technology. Successful program control delivers a comprehensive picture of program status and alerts the Client to potential risks and action required to achieve success.

C M Pros has provided full-scope Program Controls services to:
SFCTA MUNI Central Subway 2 ($1.5 billion) More Info
SFPUC Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) ($4.2 billion) More Info

Project Management Support Services


project management support services

For a project to be considered successful it needs to be completed on time, within budget, and per specifications. It has been proven time and again that project performance can be improved if dedicated Project Controls systems are in place.

Traditionally the term Project Controls refers to those activities of cost and schedule analysis which take place during the execution phase of the project. Control activities outside that window are included in Program Controls, although there are cases of overlap. Indeed, with project planning, management and control now virtually universally computerized, the two disciplines flow into and support each other, not least by sharing the same data bases. As important as computerized storage, retrieval, manipulation and reporting of information about the project has become, however, we should not lose sight of the need for experienced, expert analysis of what the data means. The following activities make up the project control process:

Schedule: Scope definition (and scope management to avoid "creep"); work breakdown analysis; schedule design, monitoring and management; forecasting progress, recommending corrective action and reporting.

Cost Engineering and Estimating: Cost control, forecasting and reporting.

Change Management and Controls: Including merit and entitlement determination, tracking, change order management, change order close-out and reporting.

C M Pros has provided full-scope Program Controls services to:
SFCTA MUNI Central Subway 2 ($1.5 billion) More Info
SFPUC Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) ($4.2 billion) More Info

CPM Scheduling


CPM scheduling

CPM (Critical Path Method) scheduling is so widely used in Program and Project Management that its importance can be overlooked. Simply put, today’s highly complex projects would be impossible, or impossibly risky, without it.

CPM calculates the minimum completion time for the project. It also assigns possible start and finish times for each task. Computerized CPM scheduling is now almost universally used in construction and the computer can handle projects with thousands of activities. This is not to say that the computer actually “does” the scheduling; for that very experienced, highly trained construction management professionals are needed.

At C M Pros we prepare, review and assess CPM schedules at every phase of the project, to assist in keeping it on track, to assure that resources of men and equipment are used efficiently and effectively, and to document what actually happened (and when) during the course of the work.

In addition to our proficiency in the suite of Primavera software programs—which is the standard platform in our industry— we are fluent in a large library of schedule analysis applications, which allow us to take scheduling to a deeper level: anticipating delays, extra costs and potential claims before they occur, and devising mitigation measures when they are unavoidable.

Among the many important projects for which we have provided CPM Scheduling Services are:
San Francisco PUC Pulgas Dechloramination Water Treatment Plant ($19 million) More Info
San Francisco DPW On-Call Construction Management (consultant services) More Info

Cost Estimating and Controls


cost estimating and controls

Accurate cost estimates, timely cost monitoring and comprehensive cost control underpin every other activity from Program/Project Management to Construction Management to Final Contract Close-Out. Cost Management begins with the budget, which may involve defining scope, examining alternatives, estimating, and creating financial and cost management procedures. During all phases, Management needs timely tracking and feedback on actual costs experienced, deviations from planned cash flow, and trends which may impact overall project cost.

Perhaps the most important contribution of the cost engineers and estimators to project success lies in the simultaneous management of costs and scope changes. We constantly monitor and analyze costs against the defined scope of the work to identify variances early and to take corrective action when needed. The process involves having a precisely defined scope of work at the budget stage, urgently analyzing proposed changes for their cost impacts, making recommendations and reporting impacts promptly to Program/Project Managers so contingencies can be managed, budgets adjusted and contract modifications processed when required.

In addition to these core services our cost engineers and estimators apply experience and historical cost data to support risk assessment, value engineering, and constructability reviews. We perform earned value analysis, comparing actual work accomplished to actual costs to date in order to forecast whether the project is on-time and within budget.

We have performed Cost Management Services to:
San Francisco International Airport (SFO): Project Management Support Services (PMSS) More Info
SF PUC Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) More Info

Claims Management


claims management

Claims on construction projects most frequently arise out of Owner-directed changes, design and construction document issues, unforeseen conditions and differences of opinion about the scope of the work. The key to successful claims management is to identify issues early and resolve them quickly. By applying our contract management, cost control and scheduling expertise to continuous monitoring of project documentation—including field inspection reports, project correspondence and Contractor requests for changes—we are able to identify exposure to future claims and address the underlying issues while there is still opportunity for mitigation and resolution of differences. C M Pros has extensive experience with construction contract claims and disputes, project delay analysis, advisory services, and litigation support.

C M Pros has provided claims avoidance, management and resolution services to a number of clients including:
San Francisco DPW On-Call Construction Management (Consultant Services) More Info
City of Atwater, City-Wide Water and Sewer Systems Improvements ($4.5 billion) More Info

Information Technology


information technology

C M Pros provides a range of specialized services in information technology, with emphasis on database management in the program and project controls, scheduling, and construction management fields. We have highly trained and credentialed specialists in database management, system architecture design, systems integration, and software implementation and configuration.

Our information technology services grew organically as an extension of our Program Controls services. The word program in the context of construction management usually refers to a group of many individual projects which are related—by function, policy or funding—but which are planned, designed, bid, built and managed separately. Program Management is also a vital element in fields such as manufacturing, transportation, operation of complex utility networks, and supply chain management. Because programs typically involve many projects and participants using different approaches to capture and report information, a system is needed to make sure that information is available in a usable form. Obstacles which need solutions include the different programming languages in use across the organization, incompatibilities of software programs, the form in which the data is organized, the schedules of when data is updated, and the ability to retrieve information easily when required.

C M Pros can provide solutions to these and many other challenges in the data integration, migration, implementation and configuration fields.

In addition, C M Pros provides other technology-based services including:
• Computer Systems Services
• Record/ Information Management Services
• Software Training
• Computer Aided Design (CAD)
• CPM Scheduling

As with our database management services, these additional services are applicable beyond the construction management field.

C M Pros has provided Information Technology Services to:
SFPUC Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) ($4.2 billion) More Info
SFPUC Hetch Hetchy Improvements Program (HHIP) ($700 million)
SFPUC 10-Year Capital Improvements Plan (10-YCIP)

Special inspection


SFPUC sewer replacement

Various building codes and laws and standards organizations require an extra level of scrutiny for particular features of construction and certain building types:
The International Code Council (ICC), which produces building codes and standards, requires concrete, masonry, rebar, structural steel, spray-applied fireproofing and other building elements to be inspected by Special Inspectors who have passed standard examinations and meet other qualifications as established by ICC
The California Department of the State Architect (DSA) certifies project inspectors and testing lab facilities for use on projects over which DSA has jurisdiction, including construction of K–12 schools, community colleges, and various other state-owned and leased facilities. Inspectors and Inspectors of Record are certified after meeting years of experience requirements and passing one or more DSA examinations.
The California Office of State-wide Hospital Planning and Development (OSHPD) certifies inspectors to serve, with OSHPD approval, as the Inspector of Record (IOR) on any and all alterations, modifications, and additions to existing hospital buildings and new hospital construction. In addition other public facilities, such as public safety buildings and major transportation nodes, may be designated “Essential Facilities” and also require OSHPD special inspection.

Other codes and standards organizations certify inspectors in critical specialties, such as concrete inspection (ACI), structural welding (AWS), and various non-destructive testing (NDT) authorities.

C M Pros has provided Special Inspection Services to:
San Francisco General Hospital More Info
San Francisco Public Safety Building More Info
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Headquarters Building More Info