Project Delivery Teams
Last updated: 10-02-2008
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Overview
Every capital project has a unique set of program goals and technical requirements that demand assembling a specialized mix of core team members and other stakeholders (a stakeholder is a party with a vested interest in a project). Successful project management involves continuous leadership of the team through successful project planning and development and through project delivery and control.
This branch of the WBDG has been developed to assist stakeholders in capital design and construction programs in understanding how project teams are selected, procured/contracted, and coordinated for successful project delivery.
Assembling a Project Delivery Team
Except for minor repair and maintenance projects that are carried out by professional services staff internal to an agency or institution, delivery teams in federal projects will typically consist of government delivery team members (federal government employees) and contract delivery team members (private sector firms and their employees).
The extent of professional disciplines and technical specialists (often called Program Advocates) represented on the government delivery team will vary depending on the extent of the managing agency's annual capital design and construction program and associated management/professional, support staff. Delivery team members should be identified in the Project Management Plan (PMP) and typically will include a project manager, contracting officer, owner/client representative, A-E designer, specialty consultants, construction contractor, construction manager, and peer reviewer(s).
Contracting and Acquisition
Project Managers work closely with agency contracting officers in assembling the project delivery team. Project Managers need to have familiarity with acquisition and contracting regulations and procedures applicable to the managing agency, but only contracting officers (often referred to as the "CO") are permitted to contract for professional and construction services on behalf of the government. The selection and procurement of contracted delivery team members on federal projects are regulated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and both professional and construction services are advertised in FedBizOpps.
There are several types of acquisition regulations that apply to design and construction contracts for Federal projects:
- FAR - Federal Acquisition Regulations—applies to projects delivered through most "civilian" agencies.
- DFARS - Defense Acquisition Regulations Supplement—applies to Department of Defense (DOD) projects. (NAVFAC manages U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps projects; AFCESA manages the planning and design phases of USAF projects; and USACE manages U.S. Army projects and the construction phase of USAF projects.)
- NMCARS - Navy Marine Corps Acquisition Regulation Supplement
- VAAR - Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulations—applies to projects managed by the Veterans Affairs Administration.
Acquisition Regulations specify procedures for advertising work, selection stages of submissions, and contractor evaluation and selection criteria. The "Brooks Bill" is a procurement method that allows award to the best qualified, rather than lowest priced, offer. Advertisement, evaluation, and selection are followed by contract negotiation and award. Many agencies have developed and adopted standard forms for professional services and construction contracts.
Federal budget cycle considerations will also impact the project planning process. Depending on the scale of a project, funds for site purchase, design fees, and construction costs may be spread over several budget cycles. Contracting for each phase of work may only occur after funds are requested in agency budgets and appropriated/authorized.
Defining Roles/Responsibilities and Team Management
Project Managers develop and define roles and responsibilities of each delivery team member through the use of Project Management Plans, agency handbooks/guidelines, Commissioning Plans, RFPs, Scopes of Work, and Contracts. Because project requirements and solutions evolve during the design phase (and even into the construction phase) a high degree of continual coordination among delivery team members is needed for an integrated team effort that will result in projects that are on time, in budget, function properly, and meet the project owner's expectations.
Project Management Practices and Standards
Successful project management of a major, complex design and construction program requires mastery of a body of knowledge (BOK) including skills and abilities in project planning, development, design, scheduling, cost management, codes and regulations, contract law, and exceptional communication and interpersonal skills. These professional skills are necessary for effective and successful project leadership and delivery team management.
Careers in Government
Federal agencies advertise all job announcements for architecture, engineering, and construction/project management positions in USAJobs. Each agency offers programs in professional development, internships and mentoring, promoting career advancement opportunities. For more information on a particular agency's programs contact a representative directly through the Participating Agencies section of the WBDG Home Page.
Information on annual salaries (by grade and step) for federal positions can be found at the Office of Personnel Management.
For additional information on careers in Project Management, visit Project Management Institute—Career Headquarters.
Major Resources
- Federal Acquisition Regulation
- FARSite Contracting Laboratory—Information of DOD acquisition procedures.
- FedBizOpps—FedBizOpps.gov is the single government point-of-entry (GPE) for Federal government procurement opportunities over $25,000. Government buyers are able to publicize their business opportunities by posting information directly to FedBizOpps via the Internet. Through one portal—FedBizOpps (FBO)—commercial vendors seeking Federal markets for their products and services can search, monitor and retrieve opportunities solicited by the entire Federal contracting community.
Federal Agency Links
- Standard Form 330, Architect-Engineer Qualifications—On December 11, 2003, Standard Form 330 (SF330) was released by the federal government. The new form, which architects and engineers use to present their qualifications and experience when seeking federal projects, replaces SF 254/255 and emphasizes qualifications-based selection for the procurement of A/E services.
- USACE Project Managers Guide
- USAF Project Management Online Handbook
- VA Project Managers Handbook
Publications
- Building Construction Handbook Virginia: Reston Publishing Co., 1993.
- CM: The Construction Management Process by James J. Adrian. Virginia: Reston Publishing Co., 1981.
- CM: Developing, Marketing, and Delivering Construction Management Services by Charles B. Thomsen. McGraw-Hill, 1981.
- The CM Contracting System - Fundamentals and Practices by C. Edwin Haltenhoff. Prentice-Hall, 1998.
- Capstone: The History of CM Practice and Procedures by Construction Management Association of America. McLean, VA: 2005.
- Construction Bidding: Strategic Pricing for Profit, 2nd Edition
by Park and Chapin. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1992.
- Construction Contracting: A Practical Guide to Company Management, 7th Edition
- Construction Dictionary by National Association of Women in Construction. Arizona: 1989.
- Construction Management, a Professional Approach by Kavanagh, Muller, O'Brien. McGraw-Hill, 1978.
- Construction Management: Law and Practice by Michael C. Loulakis, Jon M. Wickwire, and Thomas J. Driscoll. Wiley Law Publications, 1995.
- Construction Management Standards of Practice (Fourth Edition) by Construction Management Association of America. McLean, VA: 2002.
- Contract Administration Procedures by Construction Management Association of America. McLean, VA: 2001.
- Contractor's Guide to Change Orders, Second Edition by Andrew M. Civitello Jr. Prentice Hall, 2002.
- Guide to Federal Procurement by the American Institute of Architects. 2005.
- National Construction Law Manual by James Acret, Esq. BNI Publications, 1996.
- Outsourcing Management Functions for the Management of Federal Facilities Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems. 2000.
- Professional Construction Management (Third Edition) by Donald S. Barrie and Boyd C. Paulson. McGraw-Hill, 1992.
- Problem Seeking: An Architectural Programming Primer, 4th Edition
by William M. Pena and Steven A. Parshall. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2001.
