Analyze all aspects of a potential market segment and development to determine the feasibility of the project, including market demographics, site maximization, competitive landscape, and economic potential. The Bergman Companies will work with the Client to establish creditable project cost budgets (hard and soft cost budgets through conceptual estimating), revenue and operating expense assumptions, and prepare an investor rate of return through the use of a fully dynamic cash flow model(s). Services also include property review and assessment on existing facilities.

Determine optimal program to maximize site including views, FAR, room type mix, public and private spaces, potential components, revenue generating opportunity spaces, proper circulation, tenant/ operator specific venues, facilities space and other site specific uses. The Bergman Companies will work with the Client to determine the optimal mix based on space and cost considerations.

Select the design and consultant teams including the architects, engineers, interior designers and all other specialty consultants. The Bergman Companies will work with these professionals throughout the design process to ensure that all of the elements of the project are properly incorporated and efficient coordination is maintained between the design team and the other professionals involved in the project. In addition, The Bergman Companies will be the interface between the architect and design teams and the end user/operator to ensure communication and budget adherence in representing the Client.

Each project is unique and should be approached differently; whether it involves selecting a general contractor and manage the RFP process, or acting on behalf of the client in a CM multi-prime role. The Bergman Companies will move from concept/schematic set, through the design development set (initial estimates) to permit drawings and construction set for establishing the initial GMP and final GMP pricing. The Bergman Companies manages and secures all plans, permits and authorizations for construction. The Bergman Companies will develop and complete the budget and schedules for the project’s construction and completion, in addition to coordinating all construction through completion, including third party operators and lessees.

The Bergman Companies approach organizes planning and scheduling into four levels (Master Summary/GC CPM/5-day/2-3 week), each with a complete set of complimentary processes, reporting and analysis documents, in addition to systemization implementation and maintenance procedures. Systemization and the efficient utilization of software is a very important aspect of managing schedules, cost forecasts and progress evaluations prepared by the GC. This allows the project to be managed and controlled in the most efficient manner. Suggested procedures include a weekly scheduling and coordination meeting with GC/subcontractors, ensuring that everyone understands the upcoming work plan, work-around plan, or recovery schedule. The Level IV schedule is typically utilized at these meetings as they show the progress from the previous week, and a 2-3 week look ahead.

Reviewing and maintaining logs generated by the GC, quantifying and verifying change orders, along with tracking mechanisms are a normal part of cost control during the construction process. Many GC’s operate on team based project management software such as Prolog, which The Bergman Companies agrees with and feels the Client, Design Team, GC and CM should all utilize. The Bergman Companies can also assist the Client with establishing a budget, estimating the project and keeping the project in budget, and maintaining the budget through closeout. Cost Control starts on the first day of design and ends when the Client uses the facilities. The project is tracked using the project management software, quantified in summary logs and reported to the Project Team in every team meeting and every month in easy to read Progress Reports to the Client.

Proper management of construction documents, RFI’s, submittals and change order requests are an important factor in the success of construction projects, and becomes even more critical as the project team expands beyond the Client and the Architect to include consultants, contractors and state agencies that may have interest in the project. Time-sensitive documents need to move quickly and issues must be resolved before delays become a factor. The CM’s efforts are directed to prompt and effective processing of requests and recommendations of approval, denial, or modification, to avoid delay to the work.

In any construction project, meetings are a regular part of building the facility. Meetings must be conducted in an orderly manner and documented thoroughly to communicate to all parties what was discussed, the resolution, and the associated dates for action. Meetings should be held for finalizing design development efforts, preconstruction, coordination, safety, and schedule issues. The GC should facilitate, record, and distribute notes of any meeting they are in attendance at but the CM shall review and approve prior to the release. The meetings will be concise with decision-making individuals in attendance. Any meetings where the GC is not in attendance, the CM should facilitate, record, and distribute as directed by the Client.

A Progress Report will be issued every month to the Client, reporting the progress of the preconstruction and construction project. The Progress Report will have a summary of the Schedule, Budget, Design, Issues, and miscellaneous items so the status of the project is clearly represented. For those readers who need or desire more detail, these reports will provide supplementary information such as detailed schedules, cost reports, meeting minutes, and logs provided by the GC on a regular basis or as requested.

Depending on the stage of a project’s design or program, different levels of estimate are performed. Accuracy and the level of estimate typically follow the phase that the engineering/design is in. Projects in the engineering/design phase flow from preliminary sketches to the preparation of schematic plans, working drawings and approved for construction drawings, details and specifications. As the design progresses the estimate deviation is reduced and the accuracy increases.

One of the most productive, cost-saving activities, under Construction Management delivery is a collaborative Constructability Review in a team approach by an experienced GC and CM. Constructability Review involves review and coordination of documents, details, sequencing of construction (phases), means and methods, duration of construction for various building methods and practical constructability. This process includes working closely with the Project Architect in truly a cooperative effort. In doing so, it is our intent to provide information to the Architect that will eliminate or greatly reduce issues that might otherwise result in additional cost or delay during the course of construction.

Value engineering offers a comprehensive, proactive approach to cost control. The preconstruction group will need to analyze building components and overall systems to provide the Client and Architect with design options that maximize cost effectiveness and keep the project within budget. In addition, we will maintain documentation on all VE Meetings, and a log will be created by the GC to summarize those recommendations backed by detailed cost estimates. Sketches are often included for greater clarification. When developing the VE Log, close attention is paid to real cost savings and impact on scheduling and phasing. The Value Engineering Log itemizes suggestions proposed by the following disciplines:

• Civil • Architectural • Structural • Mechanical • Electrical • Specialty Consultants

The Bergman Companies staff attends this meeting and all other meetings held by the GC. The Project Team will meet with the GC and their subcontractors to initiate the rules and regulations of the Project. Subcontractors should receive a preconstruction packet from the GC with detailed forms and everything will be explained to the subcontractors.

Permits following the Initial Building Permit are pulled (and usually paid for) by the subcontractor performing the work. The CM can assist to make certain that specialty permits needed for work in public right away, shoring, or other areas of construction are obtained, posted and regularly inspected by the agency having authority as requested by the GC.

Maintaining the CPM schedule is a daily task that requires an understanding of the overall project and is controlled by the GC. The Project Schedule is monitored, updated, and assessed weekly. The findings are reported to the project team, and before a problem can become a schedule concern, it is identified, options explored and discussed with all parties, a recovery schedule implemented, and the progress is closely monitored. This process should be overseen by the CM.

The Bergman Companies will assist the Architect (on the behalf of the Client) in the review of all information, shop drawings, samples and submittals, review them for completeness, and ensure that they meet the project specifications and work for this project. If documents are incomplete, the CM will coordinate through the Architect and the GC until the item is resolved.

The goal of the entire team (including the Designers, GC and CM alike) is managing change orders and keeping them to an absolute minimum on its projects. It must be recognized, however that no single factor influences the number and value of change orders more than the technical quality of the contract documents themselves, this is where change orders start. Regardless of how aggressively one negotiates on change order requests, if the documents create or allow justification for a change order, additional costs will result. As an experienced and aggressive CM, it is critical that the preconstruction group has the hands-on trade experience to provide the Architect with input and corrections that have proven to eliminate the vast majority of change order requests. Every issue eliminated is a potential change order avoided.

Despite the best efforts of all concerned, when a change order issue arises, The Bergman Companies approach is to provide a platform for a review and negotiation between peers, instead of just facilitating a paper-pushing process. Upon receipt of a change order request, the process begins with analyzing the rationale presented by the GC; confirm the real scope of impact and the real costs attributable to a change and, prior to submittal to the Architect or Client, seek to reach a reasonable resolution with the GC. In doing so, The Bergman Companies can employ, when necessary, an Estimating resource to support the project team.

The GC will coordinate and schedule all testing, inspection and special services with the input of the subcontractors, however this process should include the CM as to insure proper utilization of fees contracted directly by the Client.

Proper management of construction documents, RFI’s, submittals and change order requests is an important factor on successful construction projects. Document control becomes even more critical as the project team expands beyond the Client and the Architect to include consultants, trade contractors and state agencies that may have interest in the project.

The GC should be held contractually responsible for this task and the CM will ensure the execution of this assignment. The Bergman Companies’ interest and efforts are directed to prompt and effective processing of requests and recommendations of approval, denial, or modification, to avoid delay to the work.

The progress of the project is monitored and documented daily. Daily reports are maintained by the GC, and reviewed by The Bergman Companies. The reports can be instrumental in verifying certified payroll or recreating the project at a later date.

Procedures must be established for the collection, review and processing of the GC’s applications for payment to provide maximum protection to the Client. Steps involved in the process are as follows:

• The payment process starts at the very outset of the Project with the insistence that the GC and each subcontractor produce a comprehensive and realistic Schedule of Values covering their entire contract value. Great care is given at this point to identify and eliminate any “front end loading” of the Schedule of Values.
• At least five days prior to the contractually required Payment Application due date, the GC is required to submit a “soft” billing to the CM. The GC is required to review the actual status of work performed vs. the percentage of completion reflected in the Application for Payment. Any negotiated adjustments or corrections are completed in the course of this “walk-through”.
• If the Project Architect is available at the jobsite in the course of Payment Application review, his or her approval will be sought regarding the percentages of completion and any quality or conformance issues will be identified and resolved in terms of amount of payment to the GC.
• Based on the above activities, the GC is cleared to prepare and submit their adjusted Application for Payment.
• Upon receipt of the Application for Payment, each is reviewed to ensure that all required documentation and certifications are in place and properly prepared. This will include, but is not limited to, lien releases, certified payroll reports, manpower utilization reports, Safety Program certifications, and any required copies of daily logs or other contractually required project documentation.
• The reviewed GC payment request is consolidated and a Payment Request Summary prepared, showing the values of each approved Payment Request, Total Value of the month’s requests, and our written recommendation to pay the amounts approved. In addition, summary data is provided regarding the overall status of payment against approved contract value(s). The consolidated Payment Request package is forwarded to the Client for payment processing.

All costs are tracked against the approved budget and reported on a monthly by the GC and reviewed by the CM. Payments are processed monthly, as mentioned above.

Record Drawings are maintained and posted with Addendums, RFI’s, no cost bulletins, and change orders by the Architect and monitored by the CM. Documents are turned over to the Client at the project completion.

The buildings will be cleaned, a punch list developed, and the building commissioned prior to occupancy by the GC. All items will be documented and discussed with the Project team. The Bergman Companies will oversee and schedule this final important phase of the project in coordination with the GC.

All O&M’s and warranties are collected and assembled by the GC. The CM also reviews the items to verify that they comply with the Project Specification and meet the project requirements. The CM then forwards the O&M’s, warranties (and all closeout material) to the project architect for their review. Ultimately the materials will be transmitted to the Client and tracked by The Bergman Companies.

The final report for any project is typically generated by the Construction Manager. The Bergman Companies generates Progress Reports every month for the Client, and then summarizes that information into the Final Report. Recommendation for final payment is provided once all closeout documents are completed and verified.

The Bergman Companies will support the Client and staff with the installation, relocation and move-in of any furniture, fixtures and equipment. The proper FF&E and OS&E installation crews can be coordinated by the CM at the expense of the Client.

The Bergman Companies will help coordinate training sessions for Client staff for all building systems. All Warranties are collected and assembled by the GC, assessed by the CM, and forwarded to the project architect for their review. Ultimately the materials will be transmitted to the Client.

Once the project is complete and the project team has demobilized, The Bergman Companies remain available to the Client and can assist and support them with any user complaints or concerns. The GC is responsible for the filling of a Notice of Completion and responding to warranty issues for the term of one year.

• Safety and Security Audits
• Third Party Estimate(s) and Cost Audits
• Independent Analysis of Project Schedule | Claim Digger