Ohio Structure Steel & Architectural Metals Association Efficient Tactics of Project Management Friday, June 23, 2017
Mark V. Holland, P.E. Chief Engineer Paxton & Veirling Steel Co.
How to get paid. This presentation will not discuss how to get paid or collect from your invoices. However At the end I will share some of my thoughts on this issue.
Code of Standard Practice ANSI / AISC 303-16 Code of Standard Practice for Steel Buildings and Bridges Free download from AISC.org
What we will cover 1. Know what you sold your customer. 2. Set up meeting ~ or ~ learn from your mistakes. 3. Make sure the shop knows what is excepted of them. 4. Get and stay organized. 5. Use the schedule as a to do list. 6. Know how to talk to you customer. 7. Getting paid. 8. Keep the guy on site happy. 9. Be anonymous.
The Beginning Getting Started
Know what you sold your customer. The proposal. What is the proposal based on? Who is responsible for what? What is the scope? Who is your customer? The schedule. What was the price based on? When are things supposed to happen? The to do list. Cause and effect.
The proposal What is the proposal based on? Responsibility for Identifying Contract Documents. (AISC 303-16 Section 1.4) (AISC 303-16 Section 1.5) List of the design drawings. List of specifications. If model based ~ what version of the model.
AISC 303-16 Section 1.4
AISC 303-16 Section 1.5
The proposal Who is responsible for what? Responsible for design of the structure. (303-16 Section 1.6) Responsible for connection design. (303-16 Section 3.1.1)
AISC 303-16 Section 1.6
The proposal What is the scope? The list of the design drawing, addendum, RFIs, etc... Should define the scope of work. Definition of Structural Steel ~ Other Steel, Iron or Metal Items. (303-16 Section 2.1 ~ Section 2.2) Architectural, Electrical and Mechanical Design Documents and Specifications. (303-16 Section 3.2)
AISC 303-16 Section 3.2
The Schedule What was the price based on? Have a schedule at bid. The Bid Schedule shows the plan the price is based on. Without a Bid Schedule you will have a harder time proving entitlement when something changes.
The Schedule Use a CPM scheduling tool.
The Schedule ~ Sections of the Schedule Design Information IFC RFIs Addendum EtcA Material Procurement ABM Approval drawings
The Schedule ~ Sections of the Schedule Engineering Submittal Cycle Approval Cycle Release for Fabrication Fabrication Process Material Fit / weld Paint load Shipping
The Schedule Show when tasks need to start and finish.
The Schedule Organization the tasks.
The Schedule Acts as a to do list. Identify your baseline agreement. Show the cause and effect of changes. (Assuming you are using a CMP application.) Identify when resources are needed. Help you see a problem coming.
Starting the Project Get ready Get set Go
The Kick Off Meeting Step one of a Kick Off Meeting. Have one!
The Kick Off Meeting Learn from your mistakes. If I knew now when I didn t know then! At the end of your project hold a meeting and write down what went wrong. Make a list of the questions you wish you had asked at the start of the project. Turn that list into an agenda for the kicking off of the next project.
The Kick Off Meeting
The Kick Off Meeting 1. Basic Project Information. 2. Schedule Information. 3. Engineering and Detailing. 4. Buy Outs. 5. Shop Information. 6. Quality Information. 7. Billing and Contract Information. 8. Other items.
The Kick Off Meeting Basic Project Information. Do you have a contract or signed P.O.? What type of work (Industrial, commercial, etca)? What name for the project will you use? Who will be the project manager? the contract manager? What is in the proposal? Are you clear on your scope of work?
The Kick Off Meeting Basic Project Information. List of the customer contacts and their roles. Information about the size of the project (tons, man-hours, etca). Was there a schedule and who has it / who made it? What is the shipping address? Do we have to furnish a bond? (Type and paid by whom)
The Kick Off Meeting Basic Project Information. Will there be a customer kick off meeting? If so who will go and why? Is there an agenda for the meeting? (He who takes the notes controls the history.) What kind of reporting is required and when? Does the project have Liquidated or Actual Damages?
The Kick Off Meeting Schedule Information. Was there a schedule at bid and how does it fit into the shop load? Do you have the Issued For Construction drawings? Who will be responsible for the schedule? Has the project been sequenced? What are the delivery dates by sequence?
The Kick Off Meeting Engineering and Detailing. What is the budget for detailing? P.O. to a detailer? Is there a specific requirement for the type of application the project has to use to detail the steel? Has the detailer agreed to a submittal schedule? Is there an established project numbering system? Does the detailer have the pay categories?
The Kick Off Meeting Engineering and Detailing. Will engineering calculation be required? If so do they required a stamp, what state? (AISC 303-16 Section 3.1.1) What is the bolt type? (Bearing, Slip Critical, TC, galvanized, DTIs, etca) What drawings does the detailer have and how did they get them? (Structural, Architectural, Mechanical, etca)
The Kick Off Meeting Buy Outs. Has the ABM been created? (Connection material?) Subcontract fabricators needed? Do they provide their own material? Submittals from them ~ drawings to them? List ALLthe buy outs not matter how minor. Are there any long lead time or odd buy outs?
The Kick Off Meeting Shop Information. Break down of hours. First step processing. Fit / weld hours. Paint / load. Paint / coating system and any special requirements. (Back charges from on site paint repair is expensive!) Paint dry time?
The Kick Off Meeting Shop Information. Are there parts on the project that exceed the cranes capacity? Who will be responsible for taking picture in the shop? Does the project require seal welding?
The Kick Off Meeting Quality Information. What are the quality submittals? Is there any NDE that is in excess of Chapter N? Will the customer have surveillance in the shop? Is coating inspection greater than company standards? Are there quality records that are in excess of Chapter N or the company standards?
The Kick Off Meeting Billing and Contract Information. Are there flow-down provisions from the owner? Do they need to go to the subs? What are the Lean Rights? They very from state to state. How will the sales tax be handled? What is the payment cycle? Can you get paid for raw material?
The Kick Off Meeting Other Items. Do we have adequate insurance? Are we proceeding under our proposal terms? Did the contractor / owner accept them? Has Sales turned over all the files developed during the bid process? What is the warranty period for your scope?
The Kick Off Meeting From the meeting assign action and follow up on the questions.
The Kick Off Meeting One Final Question: What was said to the customer that is not written down?
Project Information Have some form / way to pull all the project information into one place. Keep this form up to date as the project evolves.
Project Information
Project Information Part One of a Project Information Sheet.
Project Information Part Two of a Project Information Sheet.
Project Information Part Three of a Project Information Sheet.
Project Information Part Four of a Project Information Sheet.
Project Information Have a standard filling system both electronic and hard copy.
Working the project Use the schedule as a to do list.
Next on the Schedule ~ Material Procurement ABM complete. P.O.s in place. Identify the balance of the material from the approval drawings. Track the receipt of the material.
Next on the Schedule ~ Material Procurement Track the receipt of material against the start of fabrication on the schedule. If the material is late how will it affect the start of fabrication? Report the affect of the late material to production and the customer. (The sooner you see the problem the easer the solutions.)
Next on the Schedule ~ Engineering / Detailing Start the detailer with clear directions. Stay in close contact with the detailer. Use RFIs or some written form for questions. (AISC 303-16 Section 4.6 ~ The RFI Process (AISC 303-16 Section 4.4.2 ~ RFI is a design change) When a question / problem does not seem to have an answer call a meeting.
Next on the Schedule ~ Engineering / Detailing Parts of the Engineering / Detailing Cycle tracked. Submittals Cycle. Approval Cycle. Release approved drawings to the shop for fabrication.
Next on the Schedule ~ Engineering / Detailing Good detailing is the backbone of a successful project. Give the process the attention it needs.
Next on the Schedule ~ The Fabrication Cycle Make sure the shop knows what is expected of them. Hold some kind of meeting with the shop management and provide them with end dates by sequence. Make them aware of the hours estimated for the work and have a means of showing them how they are doing against these hours.
Next on the Schedule ~ The Fabrication Cycle Once you are sure the shop knows the scope of work and the required end dates ask these two questions: 1. Do you understand the scope and the required end dates? 2. What haven't I given you so you can make these dates? Then lessen to the answer to # 2 and get them what they need.
Next on the Schedule ~ The Fabrication Cycle Process the drawing to the shop. Material receipt. Approved shop drawings. Fabrication Cycle. Paint / Load / Ship.
Final Comment about Schedules You can t do this with a spreadsheet!
Communicating with the Customer
Communicating with the Customer By phone ~ one on one or in a conference call. A call has a more personal touch but there is not a record unless you document the call. When you get them on the phone you know they have the information or were asked the question. When you are on a conference call ~ know who else is on the call. (He who takes the notes controls the history.)
Communicating with the Customer By phone ~ one on one or in a conference call. If you have bad news, call your customer then send the e-mail or letter.
Communicating with the Customer By e-mail. Don t abuse e-mail. If you are at about the 5 th time around with the e-mail ~ call or go see them. Write your e-mails like a letter. Make them understandable. E-Mail is forever. Question: Is an e-mail contractually binding? Don t put anything in an e-mail you would not want your mom to read or you don t want on the news.
Communicating with the Customer By letter. Send a letter when you need to make the communication very formal. Always answer a letter with a letter. Have the last word. Don t be too wordy. The idea of the letter is to make your point not show how smart you are. Use plain English. You don t need to exercise the dictionary. Use a serialized numbering system.
Communicating with the Customer By net meetings. Great way of sharing a view of a model, drawing, document, etca No record unless some kind of recording is made. Notes are made to document the meeting. (He who takes the notes controls the history.)
Communicating with the Customer In person. Sometimes you just have to be there. Make a site trip. It will be worth the money spent to travel. There is no record of the visit unless you take the notes. (He who takes the notes controls the history.)
Getting Paid
Getting Paid As much as you may love this business it is still a business and you need to be paid for what you do. Don t be afraid to ask for something you feel you have earned. Getting paid for change orders. You have to establish entitlement first. Then work on the value.
Final Thoughts If you keep the guy on site happy you will get paid. Be anonymous.
Reference Book
Time for Questions Question & Thanks