The Many Benefits of
Project Management Services

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TRULY OBJECTIVE OVERSIGHT

Many engineering and construction companies are “specialists” in their respective fields. Over time and out of convenience, they begin “managing” their own projects for the client. Given that scenario, the project oversight is being conducted by the very company that did the design or is performing the work. This eliminates all independent project oversight for the client.

Using KIC for project management services can add tremendous value to a construction project.   KIC staff will save your team time and resources so that they can focus on their everyday responsibilities. Our construction project management team will act as an extension of your internal resources. Construction project management services add value to the construction process by:

Highly Trained Expertise  – KIC can provide staff:

  • With specialty construction knowledge

  • With understanding of appropriate construction techniques that bring experience from past projects and will: 

    • Protect the client with our knowledge of industry codes and standards

    • Implement cost-saving strategies into the construction project

    • Provide on-site construction observations

    • Hold independent project progress meetings to ensure schedules are met

    • Provide you with out of the box ideas and industry best practices

Vendor Procurement - With our in-house financial services, and years of experience in the industry, KIC will review all pay applications of the projects vendors ranging from architects, engineers or technology services.

Singular Point of Contact for all Vendors- Having one point of contact for all vendors is invaluable in a construction project. With a singular point of contact, project documents and information are kept electronically and accessible th the client 24 hours a day.  This makes communication easier for everyone involved.

Managing all Construction Pay Applications - KIC staff will review all invoices for accuracy, compare them against contracts, submit for approvals.  All invoices will be compiled together in a detailed, organized package and kept electronically. 

Act as your advocate- KIC team acts as an extension of our clients internal resources. Our staff are champion and advocate throughout the life of the project. KIC insures that the client’s best interests are upheld at all times.

 

SPECIALIZATION

Let’s understand that project management for construction and engineering projects, in its purest form, often involves a broad range of very specific administrative and financial tasks, safety and performance overwatch and agency interactions that fall outside the realm of traditional contractor services. Especially on bigger budget projects, utilizing a project management specialist (with proven experience managing entire projects and contract professionals on behalf of the client) can save massive amounts of dollars on lost time and costly mistakes.

Good project management firms often find more money for a project from both governmental and non-governmental sources, and manage the necessary filings, paperwork and interactions to keep a project on track and on time with the necessary funding. These firms are capable of not only marshalling all resources to meet time and budgetary targets, but often exceed these performance objectives for a project, optimizing efficiency and maximizing return on investment (ROI). 

 

TIME SAVED IS MONEY

Ask yourself… what is your hourly rate? What value do you put on the hours in your working day? Is it always the same under every circumstance? The truth is that every single project development, conducted wisely, is admin-heavy. These administrative tasks can become a time-consuming burden to each day’s productivity. What else could be done with that time? Promoting your project? Strengthening relationships with contractors and consultants? Building your brand? Finding new projects? While the actual monetary benefit of time saved may be difficult, or impossible, to quantify… time lost equals money lost, and represents what is called “opportunity cost”. This is where third-party project management firms really shine… they have the knowledge and wherewithal to scrutinize every single aspect of a project, areas that may not seem too important until they all start adding up to significant time and monetary losses.
 


ONE POINT OF CONTACT

Throughout the life cycle of a project, there may be as many as 30+ points of contact via contractors, consultants, financiers and statutory entities. A dedicated project manager almost entirely mitigates this communications burden, acting as a centralized conduit of information between the project and the client(s). 



ONE POINT OF ACCOUNTABILITY

In any construction and/or engineering project, whether for infrastructure or environmental… the buck stops with the project management team. They are ultimately accountable for success or failure of planning, approvals and on-site activity. Of course this accountability is delegated somewhat to the applicable party performing the task. However, it is the project management firm’s responsibility to ensure all providers are performing as efficiently as possible, and in the best interests of the project and the client. Even when the client has already directly hired project contractors, it is the job of a third-party project management firm to step in and run the show, and they are often the first and/or only line of communication with the end-client.

UTILIZING CONNECTIONS OF QUALITY REFERENCES

There’s no denying that reliable providers and consultants can be a hard find in the project development world. In a new relationship, the only way to find out whether a contactor/consultant’s advertised value lives up to reality is usually the hard way. And if it is soon discovered said provider is underperforming, chopping and changing mid-project can prove to be difficult. A third-party project management company will normally have sifted through a number of suppliers throughout the life of their project portfolio, and will be acutely aware of who to trust, and who to avoid. This will add value in recruiting the best-suited consultants, as well as throwing a few more hats in the ring when it comes to the issuing of tenders.

CROSS-REFERENCING OF STRATEGY

Project management and development is largely an experience-based game. Some skills could certainly be obtained in the classroom, but there is no substitute in this game for broad understanding and direct experience. It is never a detriment for a client to have another eye cast over a feasibility study, design or development strategy, or partially-executed project. A true, stand-alone project management firm is dedicated to progressing a work site every day, and will no doubt have learned the hard way from past experiences just what to avoid, pursue or delay for ultimate project success.