Procurement and contracting strategy
Contract negotiation support
Project start-up team support
Key risks identification
Project wide risk analysis
Total risk matrix examination and management
Identification of changes and claim situations
Collection of contemporary records
Formulation of detailed supporting particulars
Effective contract management processes
Collection of contemporary records
Expert support to project teams
PROJECT START-UP SUPPORT
The First Six Months of a Project are the Most Crucial to Project Success
Investment is much more effective at the start of a project, but many contractors fail to provide the necessary resources and expertise to optimise their positions during this period.
The High-Point approach to the project start-up period is to provide expert support in the first three/six months of the contract, focusing on:
- mobilising an effective contract management team and leadership capable of set up and implementing contracts department functions during the first 6 months
- implementing effective contract management procedures and train contract staff in their use
- setting up a contemporary record collection system and training the project team (crucial for evidencing time and costs associated with extension of time and additional payment)
- establishing a process to identify potential entitlements (variations and claims) and train project team
- delivery of an effective and workable contract programme
- drafting appropriate procurement and subcontract documentation linked to the contract programme
INVESTING IN EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF A PROJECT ALWAYS BRINGS SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL AND OTHER BENEFITS
TOTAL PROJECT RISK MATRIX MANAGEMENT
Traditional Risk Registers are Unwieldy, Unfocused, Inadequate and Invariably Ineffective
The High-Point approach to project risk management is:
- risk registers are replaced by a total project risk matrix
- the total project risk matrix identifies fundamental design, construction, programming, pricing and contract risks [the ‘balance sheet threatening risks’]
- those risks are assessed both individually and collectively from the perspective of responsibility, capability and capacity of each project participant
- workshops are conducted for all key participants to clarify their understanding of the roles, responsibilities and liabilities
- establish an agreed ‘project wide risk matrix’ highlighting the cascading of risks (including the financial repercussions of them) and any incompatibility with capacity and/or capability to manage them
TOTAL PROJECT RISK MATRIX – DELIVERS NO SURPRISES
VARIATIONS, CHANGE ORDERS AND CLAIMS MANAGEMENT
There is Nothing more Important than Accurate and Complete Contemporary Site Records
The experience of High-Point over many years has shown that:
- there is insufficient understanding at site level of what constitutes a “change” and what gives rights to claims for extensions of time and/or additional payment
- there is insufficient site resource and management focus on maintaining contemporary records
- the quality of contemporary records is therefore often poor
- there is too much site resource devoted to producing contractual arguments and too little to assembling accurate and complete contemporary records and detailed supporting particulars
- often individuals involved in resolving issues become emotionally attached to their positions and become “part of the problem rather than part of the solution”
The High-Point approach to variations, change orders and claim management is to maximise value for contractors by:
- training team members to quickly identify those changes which will justify the issue of variations, change orders and claims for time and additional payment
- developing a strong site based contemporary records team
- providing support through an expert off-site team to prepare the correct notifications and submissions of all contemporary evidence and ‘detailed particulars’
INADEQUATE OR POOR SITE RECORDS SIMPLY RESULTS IN POOR SUBMISSIONS AND AWARDS OF ADDITIONAL PAYMENT AND/OR EXTENSIONS OF TIME
EXPERT OFF-SITE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT
Site Based Contract Management Teams have Rarely Delivered Real Expertise or Value for Money
The days of site-based contract management teams are coming to an end – replacing them with site contemporary record keeping teams has delivered far greater value
Covid19 has changed the way people work. Covid19 has also accelerated the development of collaboration and communication software tools which have enabled contractors to adopt effective off-site contract management. High-Point is supporting this by developing improved contract management and site record collection procedures.
The High-Point approach to expert off-site contract management is to:
- provide contract management teams with real expertise and experience
- deliver exceptionally high performance and real value for money
- provide very effective contract change and claims management processes
- support with appropriate collaboration and communication tools
- focus on ensuring collection of all necessary contemporary records, compliance with contract requirements and notices and providing detailed particulars to maximise entitlements and minimise liabilities
BETTER CONTRACT MANAGEMENT DELIVERS HIGHER PROFITS AND CASH FLOW
PROJECT TROUBLESHOOTING AND TURNAROUND
The Most Effective and Least Cost Solutions to Project Problems are Achieved by Direct Engagement of the Contracting Parties
Project Troubleshooting is implemented where:
- the issues to be resolved might be very complex but are not of a scale to fundamentally threaten the project or a key participant
- the issues cannot be resolved by the employer and contractor site teams
Project Turnaround is implemented where:
- there are significant progress or completion delays, very major cost overruns, or serious technical and performance issues
- there is significant uncertainty in liability and/or entitlement
- such issues need to be fully resolved quickly
The High-Point approach to project troubleshooting and project turnaround is:
- engagement with key decision makers and identification of their critical objectives and capacities
- a detailed interrogation of the facts and the evidence to support them
- detailed examination of the relevant contract, design, construction, financial, and programming issues
- comprehensive analysis of solution options, and the project and business risks associated with each of them
- clear, reasoned, practical, and deliverable recommendations
RESOLVING MAJOR ISSUES THROUGH DIALOGUE WITH KEY DECISION MAKERS IS EFFECTIVE, FINAL AND BEST FOR PROJECT CERTAINTY
Need Highly Effective Project Services?
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