CMAR Archives - Water Collaborative Delivery Association

Transferring Risk: An Opportunity to Add Value Using Progressive Design-Build Delivery

by James Greenyer, Central Region Director—Design-Build | Black & Veatch and Wesley A. Smith, Director of Business Development – Design-Build | Black & Veatch

Projects delivered under construction management at-risk (CMAR) and progressive design-build (PDB) contracts are becoming more common in the US water sector. Each method offers opportunities for an owner to accelerate schedule, collaborate more effectively with a project team, facilitate early consideration of construction issues, and receive insight into project cost. There are many similarities between these two delivery methods, but PDB offers one major differentiator: an opportunity for the owner to transfer additional risk.

How Do You Decide the Best Project Delivery Approach?

by Ryan Roberts, P.Eng., PE, PMP, Senior Vice President | Stantec

Most major construction projects in the water and wastewater industry have conventionally been delivered through a design-bid-build (DBB) method of delivery. However, collaborative project delivery (CPD) methods are being considered more frequently in the public sector because they can provide a variety of benefits over traditional delivery methods such as time and/or cost savings. It is important to recognize that these benefits sometimes come with trade-offs, such as reduced control or change in risk, so the pros and cons of each CPD method need to be weighed.

Utilizing a Risk Register to Manage the Construction Management at-Risk Change Order Process

by Craig Johnson, PE, Vice President | Crist Engineers, Inc.

The construction management at-risk (CMAR) delivery model requires contractors, engineers, and owners to think differently about how, why, and when change orders are executed. For the sake of this topic, we will assume that the owner has a separate and autonomous contract with the contractor and the engineer and the project is a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) arrangement for a collaborative delivery.

Do You Really Want to Contract with the Greater Fool?

by Michael C. Loulakis, Esq., FDBIA, President | Capital Project Strategies, LLC | WCDA Outside Director

One of my typical roles as an owner advisor is to review proposed construction management at-risk (CMAR) and design-build contracts from a commercial perspective—i.e., what’s the likely marketplace reaction to the contract and is the contract consistent with the philosophy behind collaborative delivery? I am continually amazed by what I see.

How Do You Achieve a High-Performing Team for Construction Management at-Risk (CMAR) Projects While Avoiding Off-Ramps?

by Steven Jarvis, Preconstruction Manager, McCarthy Building Companies Water Group

Every team that starts a CMAR project wants the end result to be successful. So, why are some projects successful and others end with owners choosing to enact the off-ramp clause and terminate the contract? When an owner decides to pursue the off-ramp clause, it often means that a major disagreement with some aspect of the project has occurred—either the projected costs to construct the project are over the budget or the approach is not in alignment with the owner’s goals. Off-ramp provisions in contracts are essential to protecting owners, but when the off-ramp is enacted, the result is a delay in the overall project schedule and perhaps increased project costs.

Benefits of Construction Management at-Risk from an Owner’s Perspective

by Jessica Adams-Weber, PE, Vice President/MO/KS Client Development Lead | HDR and Scott Phillips, Assoc. DBIA, Business Development Manager | Garney Construction

HDR and Garney recently conducted an interview with the UG project team to gain insight into some of the tangible benefits it has realized through its recent CMAR procurements.

Is CMAR the Best Delivery Solution for your PFAS Problem?

by Sherri Leonard, Director of Collaborative Delivery | Rice Lake Construction Group

Perfluroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly referred to as PFAS) are impacting drinking water supplies nationwide. These emerging contaminants are challenging municipalities, water districts, and all water providers. Unlike system capacity increases and aging facilities incorporated into long-term planning, PFAS levels spike, forcing owners to take immediate actions to maintain water quality and the need for regulations surrounding them to change quickly. Do you need a PFAS solution?

The CMAR Delivery Process: Is It Right For You?

by Mike Leonard, Director of Preconstruction Services, PC Construction

Are you a “hands-on” owner who prefers to work collaboratively through the design and construction of your project? Do you like to maintain control over all project phases? If so, construction management at-risk (CMAR) may be the best delivery method to achieve your project goals.

Advantages to Selecting a CMAR Early

by Mark Abram, Senior Project Manager | Garney Construction

With the overarching goal to design and construct a high-quality project within budget and on time, the construction manager at-risk (CMAR) delivery method is becoming a popular option for many owners when evaluating the various collaborative delivery processes.