MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK, PART 2 ... Revised 03/02/2016 CHAPTER 5 - Construction Project ... Construction Quality Control

PROJECT MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK, PART 2 - PHASE SPECIFIC PROJECT MANAGEMENT ISSUES

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CHAPTER 5 - Construction Project Management

Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................... 2

Construction Contract Management ..................................................................... 2

CEI Contracts........................................................................................................ 3

Community Awareness Plan ................................................................................. 7

Alternative Contracting Methods ........................................................................... 8

Warranty Specifications ...................................................................................... 10

Plan Revisions .................................................................................................... 10

Permits and Other Commitments ........................................................................ 11

Alternate Designs ................................................................................................ 11

Coordination with the Engineer of Record .......................................................... 11

Construction Quality Control Testing .................................................................. 12

Coordination with the District Maintenance Office............................................... 13

Project Closeout.................................................................................................. 14

PROJECT MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK, PART 2 - PHASE SPECIFIC PROJECT MANAGEMENT ISSUES

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Introduction

The term Project Manager (PM) is a general term used throughout this chapter for the Florida

Department of Transportation (FDOT) employee responsible for managing a construction project.

Unless specifically indicated otherwise, PM refers to the FDOT Construction PM.

This chapter deals with project management from the perspective of the FDOT PM and

consultant Construction Engineering and Inspection (CEI) PM. Whether FDOT or consultant, the

PM must concentrate on the four goals of a successful project:

Fulfill project objectives

Complete the project within the time specified

Complete the project within the allocated funds

Complete the project to the level of quality specified by the contract documents

Of these goals, the one that lingers longest after job completion is the quality of construction, and

it should not be sacrificed for the sake of the other three.

Perhaps more so than for any other project phase, fiscal responsibility must have a high priority

on a construction project. PMs are responsible for very large expenditures of state and federal

money. Projects must be managed properly in every respect. Accurate and complete

documentation is imperative.

Construction Contract Management The PM manages construction contracts either directly or through a CEI consultant, who has

responsibility to manage the construction contract on behalf of the FDOT. The PM may be

responsible for more than one construction project. Following trends in other areas, the FDOT

now out-sources management of many of its construction contracts; however, it still manages a

select few with its own in-house staff. The FDOT competitively selects consultant firms to provide

CEI services on a specific construction project or group of construction projects. The CEI

consultant furnishes a team of engineers and inspectors fully qualified for and certified in all areas

related to their responsibilities, including sampling, testing and inspection. A Senior Project

Engineer oversees the CEI team effort and is responsible for coordination and monitoring

contract progress. The Senior Project Engineer may oversee more than one construction project.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK, PART 2 - PHASE SPECIFIC PROJECT MANAGEMENT ISSUES

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It is important for both the Senior Project

Engineer and the PM to remember that the

contractor is ultimately in charge of the

construction effort. The contractor is obligated to

provide the means, methods, and resources

such as labor, equipment, materials and sub-

contract services and to complete the job as

specified in the contract documents. It is very

important to establish a positive working

relationship through a Partnering Program or

similar means at the very outset of the job. For

additional information on partnering, refer to the

Partnering Facilitators Manual.

Communications, trust, documentation and

coordination are just a few of the key ingredients

that go into managing a successful project, as

shown in Figure 1, Elements in Managing a Successful Project. Both the PM and the CEI

must work together to provide them.

There are many guidelines and manuals describing the relationships of the FDOT, CEI, and the

contractor. These relationships will differ slightly from job to job. Both the Senior Project

Engineer and the PM must be very familiar with all contract documents. Reading and

understanding them is essential. Two additional documents that must be thoroughly understood

are the FDOT Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, and Procedure

No. 700-000-000, Construction Project Administration Manual (CPAM). The FDOT

Specifications establish the relationship between the FDOT and the contractor. The CPAM

describes the relationship between the FDOT and the CEI firm; it also describes the CEI

management scope and procedures required on the job.

CEI Contracts A construction project normally has three entities working together to achieve the project

objectives of timely completion, within budget, and a quality product: the FDOT, the CEI and the

contractor. The roles and responsibilities of each must be clearly defined and understood. For a

project to run smoothly there must be clear leadership and coordination, without redundancy.

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/construction/ContractorIssues/Partnering/PartneringManual.pdfhttp://www.dot.state.fl.us/specificationsoffice/http://www.dot.state.fl.us/construction/Manuals/ManualsMain.shtm

PROJECT MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK, PART 2 - PHASE SPECIFIC PROJECT MANAGEMENT ISSUES

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The PM should concentrate on the performance of the CEI firm and its daily operations. The PM

should be personally involved in the selection process, defining the type and number of personnel

needed, qualifications required and other important selection criteria. The PM should see that the

selected CEI team is brought on board at the appropriate time and is fully familiar with the

requirements of the contract and the scope of services to be provided. The CPAM describes CEI

responsibilities in detail. In addition to monitoring CEI performance, the PM reviews invoices and

results of sampling and verification testing. It is particularly important that the PM track the

schedule and costs of the CEI and that the CEI track those of the construction contracts. The PM

should coordinate other FDOT resources that may be required and key decisions that may be

needed. The PM is the primary resource for decisions outside the CEI Scope. The CEI does not

have the authority over R/W or Utility conflict issues.

Both the CPAM and the CEI contract scope of services clearly define the responsibilities of the

Senior Project Engineer. The Senior Project Engineer is to be totally involved with the

construction contractor on a day-to-day basis, from pre-construction activities through project

completion and final acceptance. The Senior Project Engineer must monitor and document the

contractors activities.

Scheduling the CEI Contract. The appropriate time to bring the CEI on board will vary

according to the type of construction contract, i.e. design-build, unit price, lump sum, etc. The PM

should decide the appropriate level of involvement in any pre-letting activities such as plans

review and comments, determining contract duration and recommending appropriate alternative

contracting techniques. There are many good reasons to involve the CEI firm early in the

process. The CEI firms input in the early stages of a project can result in a more constructible

project and thus lower construction cost.

The Work Program establishes the bid-letting date well in advance. Following this date, the

contract is generally awarded within 20 days. The contractor executes the contract documents

within 10 days following award of the contract. Once the contractor returns the contract

documents, the FDOT has 5 days to execute them. The construction contractors Notice to

Proceed (NTP) is generally issued within 20 days following contract execution by both parties.

"...CEI firms shall be allowed to exercise their independent professional judgement...The role of the D