DCAM Project-Wide Cost Estimating and Scheduling

Client: Division of Capital Asset Management

Services Provided: Independent Cost Estimating and Scheduling

The Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) is the state agency responsible for major public building construction and real estate services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The agency’s responsibilities include planning, design, construction, capital budgeting, and real property acquisition, disposition, and leasing for the Commonwealth’s facilities – its colleges and universities, hospitals, courthouses, prisons, state police facilities, recreation centers, and other specialized facilities. The Division manages approximately $200 Million annually in new construction and renovation projects.

Under this Task Order Contract, KEI is providing independent scheduling and cost estimating services on an on-call basis. Scheduling Task Orders to date have included reviewing contractors’ construction schedules and providing review comments and suggestions to the Division, and leading collaborative workshops to mitigate project schedule delays. In a specific instance, KEI was assigned a Task Order to review a contractor’s schedule on a facility construction project at Middlesex Community College. It was determined that the contractor was trending four months late for project completion. This was not acceptable to the Division and the Community College because the facility was needed for curricular activities. In order to mitigate the schedule delay to the maximum extent possible, KEI suggested that it facilitate an intensive planning session between the contractor, its key subcontractors, the designer, and the owner to identify specific means of pulling the schedule back. This interactive, collaborative series of meetings resulted in a plan to mitigate 3 of the 4 months of delay by re-sequencing work activities, at no additional cost to the owner.

On another assignment, KEI provided estimating & change order analysis assistance to DCAM on construction of its new 331,000 square foot $75M Student Center at the University of Massachusetts Boston Campus. Our Senior Cost Estimator worked closely with DCAM in reviewing and settling more than 12 disputed change orders.