Disk of Knowledge

August 2008 - Construction Management for Owners'

Change is inevitable. It has never been more profoundly observed with four generations making up our workforce. Our profession is in transition as boomers prepare for retirement and companies prepare, develop, and transition younger employees into increasing roles and responsibilities.

There continues to be a growing trend in public sector construction away from traditional design-bid-build project delivery methods. Partners, customers, and cost sharing agencies are all expressing concerns with the quality, final cost, and schedule resulting from a project delivered by the lowest bidder. Changes, claims, delays, and increasing complexity of market conditions are driving the need for alternative project delivery methods.

CMAA Chairman, William Van Wagenen, CCM reports four critical trends for the Construction Management Industry over the past ten years: “Technology; a growing talent shortage; evolving and expanding project delivery strategies; better recognition and definition of construction management.” The biggest challenge facing my agency and other agencies practicing Owner Construction Management are every one of these trends.

Project delivery of Military and Civil Programs are moving to Design-Build, Construction Management at Risk (CM@R) and Early Contractor Involvement (ECI). Watching these changes, many public sector owner construction managers are struggling with their changing roles and obtaining the skills required to coordinate the efforts of the designer and the contractor and/or design builder to meet the expectations of partners or customers.

In today’s competitive environment we must evaluate ourselves and our employees by putting the long term goals for our profession into perspective. Define priorities and look for opportunities to improve. Lead by example; serve as a role model to the team while setting high, but attainable expectations. By demonstrating our own personal commitment to tasks we will set the standard by which others can follow.

Federal agencies are adopting the CMAA Standards of Practice into their day-to-day practice of Agency CM. By making a decision for their Construction Leaders to obtain CM Certification a new standard is set for other owners’ to strive toward. Regardless of the project delivery method used public sector construction manager’s benefit from following professional CM Standard of Practice throughout the design and construction phases of all projects. CM Certification responds to the trend of understanding and defining construction management for all phases of the project.

CMAA is updating their Standards of Practice in three new areas: Risk Management; Sustainability; and Building Information Modeling (BIM) in response to trends in changing technology. Again, new skills and new standards are rapidly unfolding that transition or workforce and our responsibility to lead and set the example.

Today’s graduates in Civil Engineering and Construction Management can consider a wide range of opportunities, whether it is in project planning, design, program management, project management or construction management our aging infrastructure and soon to be retire baby boomers will all lead to the growing talent shortage described by Chairman Van Wagenen.

Today’s engineering and construction leaders are finally waking up to the realization that training and mentorship is essential in bringing up tomorrow’s leaders. It’s exciting to learn that CMAA is creating programs for future leaders in the construction industry.

Owners and Construction Managers will always face change. Our industry is adapting but more importantly we are facing change head on with programs designed to respond to critical trends. It is essential that we continue to recruit and train talent and that we develop new skills and leadership in construction management. Updating Standards of Practice, CM Certification, Local CMAA Chapters networking with colleges and universities along with new initiatives such as CM in Training are just a few examples of trends we must continue to pursue and support.