PROJECT DEVELOPMENT: FROM THE WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE TO CONTRACT AWARD

After the conditions and the project scope have been set, the detailed project planning follows, starting with the preparation of a comprehensive project manual. Amongst others the project development phase comprises of the project team mobilization, the project office set up, publishing the tenders, offer evaluations, and issuing contract award recommendations.

WE CAN IMPLEMENT THE FOLLOWING SERVICES IN YOUR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING

DETAILED PROJECT DEFINITION

Any available concepts from previous project preparation phases or an existing project definition will be used for the next project development steps. Based on this, we develop a stable project framework and an adequate tool box for the project implementation phase, comprising of (depending on the given project complexity):

  • a proper work breakdown structure,
  • interlinked master-schedules concerning cost, time, personnel, project-phases, milestones, etc.
  • sound technical project specifications
  • effective analysies and assessments concerning project context, social and environmental impact, stakeholder’s interests, etc.
  • a thorough risk management including widely used standardized safety- and security related procedures like HAZID, HAZOP, ATOM and others
  • .

COMPILING THE PROJECT MANUAL AND PROJECT STANDARDS

One of the most important items on the to-do-list for our project management work is the development of the so called project manual. In this compilation of documents, we collect all essential aspects like the project goals and the Work Breakdown Structure WBS that depicts the scheduled project workflow as a set of plannable and controllable elements. We also list the core team members with their assigned tasks and responsibilities, as well as all time schedules – and budget plans. In addition, all relevant technical project specifications, standards and guidelines are laid down in this set of documents.

Throughout the course of all project phases, the project manual stipulates the terms of reference for all parties involved. In order to comply with that, it shall be updated regularly to consistently reflect the actual situation and to document the development of the entire project.

CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

Contract management is of vital importance! Therefore, as a matter of principle, concrete-pmc strongly recommends: All related tasks, particularly the core activities including preparation, administration, amendments/changes and claims handling shall be entrusted to professionals. This pays for itself, as it saves you even lots of energy, headache and – last but not least – money!

For the project management the main question concerns extend and costs of contract management processes and which elements shall be implemented. Both parameters correlate with the complexity of the project and therefore, during the development phase of each individual project, it has to be decided, which processes make sense to be implemented.

concrete-pmc is ready to implement a professional contract management in your project organization. Out of a wide range of available elements we set up a system, which is perfectly tailored to your needs.

CLAIMS MANGEMENT

The term claims management refers to a particular part of the contract management, though it mostly forms part of complex projects in the industrial and infrastructural business areas only.
Claims constitute an enormous risk for you being the project owner, as they pop up unexpectedly and, according to “Murphy’s Law”, at the most inconvenient time of the project. You are only well prepared to deal with such cases, if during the early project development phase you were smart enough, to assign the claims management to a competent expert team.

The aforementioned implementation process concerning a professional contract management includes also the careful evaluation as to whether the establishment of a claims management would make sense for you from an economical viewpoint.

MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE

Each project process carries changes within, both planned and unplanned. The implementation of a properly structured change management procedure prevents you from experiencing unpleasant surprises, which usually pop up towards project completion, when contractors present invoices for some alleged but badly documented change orders from your side. If concrete-pmc is involved in the project development phase, we ensure the timely setup of such a system. Towards the end of the project at the latest, this will for sure pay you dividends.

PROJECT COMMUNICATION; PROJECT MARKETING

In order to be successful, marketing and professional communication, both internally and externally are of utmost importance for any major project. concrete-pmc develops a proper strategy and sets appropriate communication channels.

STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT

This term represents a particularly important topic in the area of the project marketing.
Based on R. E. Freeman’s approach, not only the shareholders do have a legitimate interest in, or are affected by a process/project, but, depending on the circumstances, an even much wider range of persons and organizations do. In the time sensitive course of a project, the timely integration of these groups in an active stakeholder management process pays for itself within a short period of time.

Together with you, we identify all legitimate stakeholders and analyze their interests as well as their potential influence to the project flow and the risk of issuing claims to your company.

COST, TIME & RESOURCE PLANNING; THE CTR MASTER PLAN

In demand of a reliable base for any professional project controlling and reporting purposes, we prepare an integrated CTR master plan during the project development phase, which shall reflect all the essential parameters and their correlation. This document, which is usually set up as a comprehensive Gantt-Chart is of vital importance during project implementation and shall therefore be updated regularly in accordance with the latest developments and the actual status of the project.

PROJECT TEAM SETUP; PROJECT ORGANIZATION

We establish a competent and reliable project organization. Primarily, we use the potential of available internal staff and we complete the project team with external specialists. If the latter is required, we perform/organize all necessary recruitment activities.

SETTING UP A PROJECT OFFICE

In close coordination with and as close as possible to our client we are setting up a suitable office for the project team and organize the necessary infrastructure. In particular, this includes an adequate computer system, which shall facilitate professional communication, project documentation and reporting.

AUTHORITY APPROVALS

We support and represent you in authority approval procedures, such as the  Environmental (and Social) Impact Assessment (ESIA), or in the application for the operation license.

TENDERS

We divide the project work into manageable packages and create professional tenders, which ensure the receipt of comparable bids. Preferably we target competent companies or consortia acting as EPC-Contractors.

BID EVALUATION

Incoming offers are subject to a thorough tender evaluation process. Out of this the most qualified bidders are determined.

CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

We support and represent you in all negotiations with bidders and accompany you, if desired, until signature of the contracts.

AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS (-REPORT)

If you consider the signing of the contract as an internal matter, and hence forgo an involvement of concrete-pmc, you will be well-endowed with a comprehensive evaluation report and a contract award recommendation. By this you are best prepared for this milestone!