Collaborative Construction Procurement Planning and Project Delivery is a robust process for consistently achieving long-term best value for all participants and stakeholders.

Early and ongoing collaboration between contractors, designers and owners…procurement, facilities management, building users…. drives consistent attainment of on-time, on-budget, and satisfactory outcomes for all….But…. it requires a change in CULTURE, and the adoption of LEAN SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES.

There are existing best management practices, tools, and support services for real property owners with appropriate leadership and competencies to support positive change.

Following these best practices leads to major gains in productivity and significant improvement in resource utilization. Change orders, errors, and omissions can be virtually eliminated.

1. Lean Acquisition Planning: Collaborate to assure all parties are involved in determining physical, functional, and financial requirements.
2. Common Data Environment: Common terms and definitions must be shared by all parties. A locally researched detail Unit Price Book must serve as the foundation for developing and sharing the scope of work, and associated repair, renovation, maintenance, or new construction costs. Parametric cost modeling, area cost factors, location factors, etc., are not suitable for work scope developing or costing.
3. Enabling Technology: While technology should not be a “driver”, it role is to embed and support robust policies and processes. Thus technology must, at a minimum, support the following: Program Management, Contract Management, Work Flow Management, Proposal/Bid Management, Estimate Management, Work Order Management, Document Management (full version and access control, not simple file storage), Team Management, Building Management, BIM Information Integration
4. Process and Workflow Definition: All repair, renovation, maintenance, and new build activities should be program-driven, not project-driven. This approach assures that each activity is in concert with organizational needs, requirements, and processes designed to consistent achieve mutually beneficial best value outcomes for all participants. A written Operations Manual or Execution guide is shared and part of the associated multi-party, long-term agreement. LEAN principles establish a collaborative culture.
5. Comprehensive Training: Initial and ongoing training and outreach are mandatory for all participants. At a minimum training is held on an annual basis and supports multiple levels and formats (introductory, advanced, technical, financial, on-site, regional, virtual)
6. Team Requirements: Establishing and maintaining diverse and capable internal and external teams is the responsibility of the real property owner. Evaluation of ALL team members should be solely based upon performance.
7. Best Value Source Selection: Procurement activities should be based upon best value, with the goal of establishing long-term mutually beneficial relationships for all program participants.
8. Owner Leadership: Owners must provide technical and management leadership. While the short term involvement of consultants can be beneficial during the early learning curve, long term business relationships with consultants should not be established. Tools and services should be procured to support owner requirements. In no manner should consultants be engaged and paid a percentage of construction, repair, renovation, or maintenance costs. The latter sets the stage for conflicts of interests as well as excessive programs administration costs.
9. Monitor Performance, Leverage Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and Continuously Improve : Every organization should develop and use KPIs to monitor program performance including the overall program, individual contracts, projects, work orders, and participant, to assure compliance, alignment with organizational strategy, objectvies, and goals, and to drive continuous improvement. c
10. Culture, Systems, People, Information Process, Results: Transformation from archaic, antagonistic, and failure prone cultures and processes is a choice and a requirement for those in the public sector.