Services - Government Solutions
Services
Agencies utilize construction managers as their principal agent to advise on or manage the process over the project regardless of the project delivery method used. The Construction Manager assumes the position of professional adviser or as an extension of Agency staff. The Construction Manager frequently helps the customer agency identify which delivery method is the best for the project. The construction management approach utilizes a firm (or team of firms) with construction, design and management expertise to temporarily expand the customer agency's capabilities, so that they can successfully accomplish their program or project. The Construction Manager also provides expert advice in support of the customer agency's decisions in the implementation of the project.
Project Design Phase: Our competency and capacity include the ability to execute design technical reviews; code compliance reviews; constructability reviews; analysis of Value Engineering proposals; preparation of cost estimates (including independent government estimates); energy studies; utility studies; site investigations; site surveys; scheduling; review of design scope changes (including analysis of schedule impact); scheduling/conducting/documenting design related meetings; and performing market studies (material availability, contractor interest, etc.).
Project Procurement Phase: Includes providing assistance to the Contracting Officer in contract procurement; answering bid/RFP questions; participating in site visits; participating in pre-bid conferences; preparing and issuing solicitation amendments for review and approval by the Government Contracting Officer; and performing cost/bid/proposal analysis.
Project Construction Phase: We can execute the full complement of capabilities from backroom support to onsite management that enables us to serve an Agency from groundbreaking to grand opening. Our capabilities include establishing temporary field offices; setting up job files and record keeping systems; maintaining organized construction files; scheduling and conducting preconstruction meetings; documenting actions taken and decisions made; monitoring the submittal review process; review and monitoring of project schedules for construction progress with emphasis on milestone completion dates, phasing requirements, work flow, material deliveries; assisting in problem resolution; maintaining marked up sets of project plans and specifications for future as-built drawings; performing routine inspections of construction as work proceeds, taking action to identify work that does not conform to the contract requirements, and notifying the contractors when work requires correction; compiling, through site inspections, lists of defects and omissions related to the work performed and providing these lists to the contractor for correction; review of construction contractor payment requests (including preparation of necessary forms for payment processing); monitoring project financial data and budgetary cost accounting; administration of construction contract change orders (issuing proposal requests, preparing cost estimates, reviewing cost proposals, assisting agency in negotiations, preparing change order packages for processing); scheduling, conducting, and documenting regular progress meetings to review project status, discuss problems, and resolve issues; scheduling, conducting, and documenting (prepare minutes, etc. for distribution) construction related project meetings; monitoring construction contractor compliance with established safety standards (note and report unsafe working conditions, failures to adhere to safety plan required by construction contract); monitoring construction contractor's compliance with contract labor standards; coordination of construction activities with customer Managers and occupying agency personnel; monitoring the design and construction clarification process and, when appropriate, reminding the A/E and other parties involved of the need for timely actions; participating in all "Partnering" activities during construction (workshops, meetings, etc.); preparing special reports and regular project status reports; providing for progress and/or final photographs of project work; provide assistance in obtaining permits; perform hazardous material assessments and monitoring of hazardous material abatement work; and provide cost estimating assistance.
Commissioning: Critical to contract administration and efficient operations, we are well-versed in systems commissioning services. These services may include providing professional and technical expertise for start-up, calibration, and/or certification of a facility or operating systems within a facility. The CM must be able to provide any level of commissioning need from total support to specialty services. Commissioning services may require start-up planning, forecasting start-up duration, estimating start-up costs, determining start-up objectives, organizing start-up teams and team assignments, testing building system components, conducting performance tests.
Testing: Government projects often require exacting standards. We have the capability, capacity and experience to ensure adherence to exacting requirements including: independent testing agency/laboratory to perform quality control testing and inspection services such as testing/inspection of soils, concrete, precast concrete connections, steel, steel decking, applied fireproofing, roofing, curtain walls/glazing, and elevator installations.
Claims: Any project requires multiple trades attacking multiple challenges in compressed time and often budget. Invariably conflict arises. Our firm has the ability to review disputes and claims from the A&E and/or construction contractor(s) and render all assistance that the Government may require such as: Furnishing reports with supporting information necessary to resolve disputes or defend against the claims; preparation and assembly of appeal files; participation in meetings or negotiations with claimants; appearance in legal proceedings; preparation of cost estimates for use in claims negotiations; preparation of risk assessments/analyses relative to claim exposures; preparation of findings of fact and any other documentation required by the Government.
Post Construction: Critical to client and tenant satisfaction is the closeout or punch-list. Our firm is adept at performing Post Occupancy Evaluations; assisting Agency in the formulation of lessons learned; providing occupancy planning including development of move schedules, cost estimates, inventory lists; providing move coordination, relocation assistance, and/or furniture coordination; providing telecommunication and computer coordination.
Why Select Us
The following features of our firm have proven beneficial to governmental agencies in the execution of design and construction projects. Our experience has enabled them to make well informed, sound decisions in the management of real estate assets and the execution of construction projects.
We have made governmental work a priority since 1983. Construction Management (CMa) services for the Government represent a large part of our ongoing business, around which we have built our firm and business model. We have provided fair and reasonable pricing under Schedules, IDIQ contracts and in open competition to numerous governmental agencies as a small business.
We have direct extensive similar experience. We have provided CMa services to the GSA Public Building Service continuously since 1993 under IDIQ and individual project contracts representing approximately one billion dollars in construction value, both completed and currently under construction.
We deliver on time and on budget. Governmental projects are far too often behind schedule and over budget. We are adept at executing these sometimes complex and difficult projects that are often designed and constructed under tight timeframes with limited budgets. We understand the importance of scalability and projecting into the future. We know where time can be gained and costs cut. We develop implementation strategies that maintain the existing users operations in an uninterrupted manner during construction.
We have a working knowledge of Governmental procedures and procurement processes. There is no learning curve with our firm and we will "hit the ground running" at the contract’s inception. We understand the importance of maintaining successful relationships with the user’s occupying Governmental owned and leased facilities. We even understand the "alphabet soup" of government acronyms.
We have an enviable record of client satisfaction. Our business approach is to develop long term client relationships. Our style is direct, personal and intensely hands on. We are quick, responsive and a force multiplier when we join a team. We take pride in our work and know how to meet our client’s expectations of cost, schedule and quality control.
GastingerWalker& is partnering with Marathon Digital Services “MySmartPlans” to offer a project information management system for design and construction projects. This project centric dashboard software organizes all project information during the entire construction lifecycle including drawings, specifications, RFI’s, ASI’s, submittals, schedules, correspondence, videos and photographs. This collaborative environment facilitates ease of communication between project team members and allows the review of design and construction documents. Typically, this project information management system is linked with BIM design and construction documents produced by the architect/engineer.
GastingerWalker& has used “MySmartPlans” successfully with clients such as the GSA, US Army Corps of Engineers Kansas City District and JE Dunn Construction Company on numerous projects. Currently, GastingerWalker& is using “MySmartPlans” for project information management system at the new $680 million National Nuclear Security Administration Security Campus in Kansas City. This management system is vital to link communication and project information between the Developer, General Contractor, Architect/Engineer and Government.