Category: Project/Program Management

Positioning New Schools for Future Growth

Posted on August 11, 2017

“As a superintendent of a school district, I have been involved with three major building initiatives, and there’s only so much debt we can assume. Plus, all schools usually have greater wants than they do resources to back it up. Having HPM to analyze our budgets and prioritize our projects has allowed me to run the school district knowing I have the right information at the right time to make timely decisions.”

— Dr. Scott Coefield, Superintendent of Pelham City Schools District

As a new school district, Pelham City Schools maintained a limited number of staff to oversee capital improvement and renovation projects for a comprehensive phasing plan. HPM provided the guidance and leadership with skills and expertise ranging from planning, preconstruction, estimating, project management, scheduling, field observation, quality control and contract negotiations from a team of 12 HPM experts that equaled approximately two full-time employees in cost to the client.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzm9xRqwUTM

Airbus in the U.S.

Posted on July 1, 2017

One of the most anticipated capital building programs in recent aviation history, Airbus entered North America with its first US manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama and chose HPM as the local experts to lead the construction of its final assembly line. The company made history at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley announcing its plans in July 2012 and breaking ground in April 2013—which marked the beginning of construction for the $600 million facility.

Due to an ambitious schedule and budget, Airbus realized they needed a versatile and experienced program manager to lead this monumental collaborative effort. Working with teams from Europe, Asia, and North America, HPM found ways to meet the aerospace giant’s facility needs while maintaining a target for LEED Silver—which is uncommon for the local region and even less so in the industrial and manufacturing industry.

Across time zones, despite language and cultural differences and under pressure to deliver a legacy project for a global company with myriad stakeholders and site partners, HPM implemented some of the most cutting-edge technology in the construction business to aid design and construction teams throughout the entire process saving countless hours in the office and in the field.

The stellar results provided Airbus with efficiency and effectiveness and set a new standard for HPM and our industry. Throughout the process, HPM faced unique challenges while providing leadership on a program of this magnitude, working with a global company entering a new market, coordinating the efforts of a multitude of site partners and initiating technologies and processes new to the company and to the industry.

With a focus on leadership and technology, HPM centered our day-to-day role in managing the design and construction of the project on unifying the various teams to achieve a common, successful goal. With multiple stakeholders in several countries and a number of design and construction teams on the site, HPM’s constant effort to keep everyone working together became essential in ensuring a quality product within budget and schedule for our client in order for Airbus to deliver airplanes to its customers as soon as possible.

Aircraft assembly began in late 2015 with the first delivery targeted for 2016.

Watch our Airbus video to see how HPM served as design and construction experts to lead the realization for Airbus’ first US manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama.

Restructured for Service & Growth

Posted on June 29, 2017

More than 20 years ago, HPM got its start as a division of Hoar Construction to provide comprehensive program management services to clients who lack design and construction expertise. However in 2012, HPM became its own business entity – a limited liability company (LLC) — in order to position itself for growth in separate industries and geographic areas and to distinguish the brand, service offerings and messaging in the marketplace.

Over the past five years, HPM has grown its footprint and began to provide new service offerings, too. About two years ago, the company acquired the principal of CCM Consulting Group, Vince Chapman – an industry leader in construction audit and contract services. As a result, HPM’s client base and contacts grew as well as the corporate vernacular. Plus, now HPM boasts an entire staff of seasoned, veteran accountants of the construciton audit business.

Coming on board in 2015, Steve Olson continues to lead our teams in the Western Region by growing existing client relationships and establishing additional presence in Texas, Oklahoma, California, Colorado and the Midwest.

In the East, Jason Abernathy recently was promoted to Vice President and tapped to lead and realign groups, accounts, clients, and projects in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and the Carolinas under one Eastern Region. The corporate restructure improves shared goals, resources and collaboration.

In addition to the client service side of the business, HPM adjusted our leadership team by leveling out workloads and responsibilities and eliminating redundancies. Ryan Austin, Vice President & CFO, was promoted to Chief Operating Officer with additional responsibilities over preconstruction, field coordination and marketing support services.

Rearranged to provide more efficient service to our clients, increased focus on new markets and new opportunities for all HPMers, these changes have freed up leadership to spend more time developing new relationships, finding new work assignments and developing employees at all levels.

HPM continues to stand proudly of the fact that:

HPM sustains its ranking from year to year as one of the largest program management firms in the US according to Engineering News Record.

HPM manages more than $400 million annual volume of work totaling more than $4 billion in our 20+ history of providing services.

HPM professionals hold 100+ industry-related certifications and accreditations.

Our commitment at HPM is to provide the highest level of service to our clients by running our company with the same efficiency by which we manage our programs and projects. As we grow and continue to expand into other industries and markets, we can move ahead in the coming years with confidence, knowing we are providing our clients and our employees with productive focus and concise responsibilities.

Yet, as we become a more sophisticated and mature business entity, HPM remains committed to not lose our family environment, our steadfast obligation to each other and our core values.

6 Ways Program Management Helps Schools

Posted on June 2, 2017

Most school districts don’t maintain design and construction experts on their staffs. But when a capital bond program becomes available for growth and renovation, school administrators and board members must arm themselves quickly with a proponent who can seek out efficiency from every dollar allotted and from every hour on the schedule for each building or improvement project.

For most school districts (and for municipalities who assist schools with funding resources and land acquisition), large building programs tend to be seen as legacy projects with myriad details and multiple stakeholders. HPM stands ready to provide immediate value and leadership in this entire process for school district administrators, school board members, stakeholders and the community. As experienced capital bond program advisors and managers, we completely understand the stress of a major capital building and improvements program for a municipality and school system, and we’re here to make the process easier and more effective.

After all, we assume administering capital bond programs isn’t your day job. You’re in the business of educating children.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPKBjqpHfYE&feature=youtu.be

1 — HPM balances the city’s resources and needs with the school system’s needs. HPM serves as a conduit and common ground between the city’s various entities and the school system providing an objective business case for each scenario and real-time decision making for confident reporting and accountability. We realize you need streamlined governance over these projects.

2 — HPM figures in the school district’s goals with totality of the capital bond program. HPM looks at land-use planning, facility assessments, demographic studies and more for school improvements to provide guidance in correct phasing as to not overburden the budget and to allocate funds appropriately.

3 — HPM helps with community buy-in through consistent and careful communication. Our program management experience supports your efforts with an independent, third-party advisor during work sessions or community engagement events. Plus, we can suggest or prepare a variety of public relations tools to get ahead of messaging while increasing buy-in and minimizing dissension.

4 — HPM performs due diligence on all capital bond spending and selling options. Schools need an overall plan armed with information and options from various perspectives – including population studies, growth and enrollment projections, current property options for use or selling, efficiency assessments, design and construction phasing benefits, communications plans and scheduling timelines.

5 — HPM provides estimating, scheduling and phasing choices and advice. HPM holds accurate bid information since we bid out projects in various stages and to a variety of vendors throughout the area. We maintain a vast database of cost information and project-related experience from cities and school systems throughout the state. We don’t get surprised on bid day.

6 — HPM assembles a flexible and affordable team of professionals who lead at every level. From executive support for strategic planning to detail-oriented project managers, HPM’s bench strength is unmatched. At the right time, we usher in accountants and field coordinators to be your eyes and ears on the budget and on the site.

Yet, we consistently deliver savings equal to or in excess of our cost
to clients due to our efficiencies and effectiveness.

5 Tips for a Successful Trip to the 2017 International Airshow

Posted on June 1, 2017

The International Paris Air Show is a great opportunity to see the latest technological innovations in the aerospace industry and interact with industry professionals and economic and business delegations from around the world. Here are five tips for making your trip to the show enjoyable and successful.

The first four days of the show — Monday, June 19, through Thursday, June 22 — are open to trade visitors only. Be prepared to show your business card at the entrance in addition to your air show credentials.
This year’s show will feature more than 2,300 exhibitors spread across 12 halls, so comfort is key. Travel light, and wear or bring comfortable shoes.
A wide range of restaurants and catering venues — as well as official souvenir shops — can be found all around the venue. Most of them accept credit cards, but if you find yourself in need of euros, an ATM is available on the central aisle of the show.
Plan for at least an hour commute to the exhibition center from Paris, and prepare for the possibility of long security lines at the entrance. The trade show floor is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Use the Paris Air Show mobile app to find exhibitor information and event schedules, locate on-site services and organize your itinerary. The app is available for free download from the Apple and Google Play stores.

If you’d like to meet with an HPM team representative while at the International Paris Air Show, call or email Mike, Jay or Andi directly, or visit booth C98 in Hall 3 of the USA Pavilion.

Mike Lanier
President
205.266.2993
lanier@hpmleadership.com

Jay Daily
VP Business Development
205.937.6433
jdaily@hpmleadership.com

Andi Sims
Director of Marketing
205.213.7955
asims@hpmleadership.com

HPM attends the 2017 International Airshow

Posted on May 21, 2017

Starting June 19, HPM is represented at the 2017 International Paris Air Show by President Mike Lanier, Vice President Jay Daily and Marketing Director Andi Sims.

Presented bi-annually by the French Aerospace Industries Association, the Paris Air Show brings together aerospace industry professionals, economic and business development recruiters, and city, state and country delegations from around the world. In 2017, nearly 50 countries will be represented in the trade show exhibition, showcasing their products and capabilities to attendees from nearly 100 countries.

HPM, which oversaw the successful design and construction of the first Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility, stands perfectly poised to assist aerospace companies looking to establish or expand a presence in the U.S. Plus, with a portfolio of experience rooted in the public sector, HPM serves as an ideal partner for state and local government recruiting business and industry to their areas.

To meet with an HPM team representative at the International Paris Air Show, call or email Mike, Jay or Andi directly, or visit Andi at the Made in Alabama (Booth C98 in Hall 3 of the US Pavilion).

Mike Lanier
President
205.266.2993
lanier@hpmleadership.com

Jay Daily
VP Business Development
205.937.6433
jdaily@hpmleadership.com

Andi Sims
Director of Marketing
205.213.7955
asims@hpmleadership.com

Why the Alabama Bid Law Matters

Posted on March 21, 2017

At HPM, we’re accustomed to quizzical looks from clients when we explain the difference in services, advantages and price we provide as opposed to lifting a hammer to actually build a facility — like that of a general contractor.

In fact, it almost sounds too good to be true. (Watch the video below to see how true it is.)

We hear, “Do you mean that your professional advice and management of my project(s) are not a contingent percentage of the price?”

That’s right. Our services are billed to clients on a mutually agreed-upon, lump-sum amount or at an hourly or monthly rate.

Clients say, “You manage my project(s) with design and construction experience and expertise, but you don’t actually design or build my facility?”

Correct. In fact, that would be a conflict of interest if we did.

That’s how and why we got started as a program management firm — separate and apart from our founding company, Hoar Construction. HPM operates as its own business entity — a limited liability company (LLC) — in order to provide clients with design and construction advice and management from the owner’s perspective — without a conflict of interest or selfish bias.

But it’s not only our business practice or simply a good policy, it’s the law in Alabama — where we got our start:

Alabama Code Title 39. Public Works. § 39-2-2

“(d) Excluded from the operation of this title shall be contracts with persons who shall perform only architectural, engineering, construction management, program management or project management services in support of the public works and who shall not engage in actual construction, repair, renovation, or maintenance of the public works with their own forces, by contract, subcontract, purchase order, lease, or otherwise.”

So, before you engage a professional to oversee your capital building program or project, make sure that (1) the firm is experienced in representing you and your interests as the owner or stakeholders; and (2) also holds no other interests or contracts associated with the program or project, too.

Where do you turn when you are drowning in decision making?

Posted on March 3, 2017

If you were given hundreds of millions of dollars of someone else’s money and asked to make many highly technical and unfamiliar decisions on how to spend that money knowing you would be accountable for the successful investment in the end — would you even know where to begin?

You might even feel like a “man overboard” in the middle of a dark ocean.

For public entities and for many private companies embarking on the expenditure of a capital building program, the myriad decisions required to invest in the planning, design, construction, and occupancy of facilities are more than daunting. They can be paralytic — especially if you don’t have experts on your staff and/or you’re not involved in the building process except once every few years.

There are just too many decisions with not enough information or experience, and the far-reaching consequences and threats make every effort seem inconsequential and unproductive.

But who do you call for rescue?

Although architects, engineers and general contractors can advise an owner during various stages of the process, no one can advocate for the one who owns the checkbook during the entire building program like a program manager.

Program managers are called by a lot of different names — owner’s representatives, construction management agents and project managers — but make no mistake. The role of a program manager is as the owner’s advocate and includes comprehensive services from planning to move-in and everything in between.

So, before you embark on your journey, make sure you have more than a life preserver on board if you’re in over your head. You’re going to need a lifeboat…with a motor and a trained crew!

Here are a few services HPM provides clients as the program manager:

Program Launch and Verification Meetings

Perform Site Utilization and Funding Availability Analysis

Lead Consultant Team Selection

Facility Planning and Programming

Conceptual Estimating and Budgeting

Develop Preconstruction Schedule

Develop the Project Management Plan

Tracking and Reporting System

Task Management

Conduct Pre-Design Project Analysis Workshop and Partnering Session

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Design Reviews and Monthly Preconstruction Reports

Cost and Schedule Control

Life Cycle Cost and Value Engineering

Design Document Constructability Reviews

Bid Packaging Strategy

Procurement Analysis

Early Procurement Methods

Pre-Bid Construction Schedule

Staffing Plan

Pre-Construction Communication

Contract Document Preparation

Develop and Implement Local and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program

Bidder’s Interest Campaign

Pre-Bid Conferences

Assist With the Bidding Process

Bid Analysis and Opening

Construction Contracts

Pre-Construction Conference

Full-Time On-Site Management

Establish On-Site Communication Procedures

Schedule Control

Cost Control

Quality Control

Safety Control

Claims Avoidance

Handle All Issues

Construction Phase Communication

Project Accounting

Building Commissioning

Contract Closeout:

Certificate of substantial completion
Completion of punch list work
Final lien waivers
Guarantees/warranties
Final payment application
Operations and Maintenance Manual
Final Commissioning Report
As Built Drawings
Owner Training

Assist In Final Inspection

Occupancy Plan and Schedule

Coordinate O & M Materials

Coordinate As-Built Drawings

Final Closeout Reports

Assist With Warranty Issues

Caring for the Smallest Client

Posted on December 1, 2015

When it comes to construction projects, little surprises may pop up along the way. Yet no one thought one of those little surprises would come in the form of honey bees. During the demolition phase of the downtown Birmingham intermodal facility in 2015, workers were surprised to find a large hive of 50,000 honeybees which had taken residence in a masonry cavity in the old CSX office.

The tiny honey bee plays a huge role in producing the fruits and vegetables that we consume every year. According to the Honey Bee Conservancy, honey bee pollination in the United States agricultural industry has a value of $14.6 billion. Unfortunately, bees are dying in mass. Approximately 40% of bee colonies in the United States were lost between 2017 and 2018. With bees in danger of disappearing from our environment, the HPM team knew that saving the honey bee colony was the right thing to do.

Bonds Mike — Mike Bonds , HPM Senior Field Coordinator

“I knew from everything I’ve read, honey bees aren’t considered endangered yet, but their populations are declining rapidly. So we knew we had to make some special plans for them,” said Mike Bonds, HPM Senior Field Coordinator, who coordinated the construction project.

HPM has always sought to act as true advocates to its clients, including the smallest ones. HPM employees live by the company’s core values, which includes the Golden Rule — treat others as you’d like to be treated.

Instead of demolishing the beehive, HPM called in bee expert, Adam Hickman of Foxhound Bee Co. to relocate the hive to a safer location 11 miles away in the Community Garden at EcoFarm. Standing on a ladder, it took Hickman four hours to remove the colony with a special Shop-Vac. The entire colony, including the Queen and the precious honeycomb, were saved. It only cost Hickman one sting to the hand.

Headquartered in Birmingham, HPM has been a true partner from the start with the City of Birmingham on many construction projects over the company’s history. “The City of Birmingham does not have the construction expertise on our staff to oversee the various projects with the care and attention to detail as HPM has. For a city, our projects are varied – from ballparks to city parks, from museums to transportation hubs,” says Jarvis Patton, former Chief of Staff at the Birmingham Mayor’s Office.

HPM was hired by the City of Birmingham to build the new intermodal center to unite the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority’s MAX buses, Amtrak, and intercity bus services at one downtown station. As a company dedicated to managing all of the intricacies of a construction project, HPM provided the City with complete program management services, including phasing recommendations based on available funding and priorities of stakeholders, bid review and analysis, utility relocation and infrastructure planning, and much more.

“We have to rely on the experts with multi-industry experience to guide us through the process and count on them to report what we need to know when we need to know it in order to make timely decisions and spend only the funds we have allocated,” says Patton.

As client-centric servant leaders committed to doing what’s best for its clients and their projects, not only did HPM provide the City of Birmingham with the services they needed to complete the intermodal center project, but they provided relocation services for its smallest client – the honey bee.

HPM is in the business of leading. For some clients, this may mean managing an already-established, multi-million dollar capital building program. For others, it could mean overseeing a single project from site selection through owner occupancy. No matter the scope of our involvement or at what point you find yourself in the building process, HPM exists to lead our clients to success and provide value in everything we do.

We offer services such as:

Capital Bond Program Management
Preconstruction Services
Construction Contract Negotiations
Program Management
Project Management
Integrated Project Delivery
Master Planning
Site Selection
Construction Auditing
Captital Expenditure Management
Design Team Procurement
Owner’s Representative

Category: Project/Program Management

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