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

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