Enabling Cost Controls for the Largest Public Works Project in the History of Minnesota

This podcast will focus on the Metropolitan Council’s approach to Project Controls in the delivery of the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit (CCLRT) project. The CCLRT project is an 11-mile corridor currently under construction with revenue service planned for 2014. We will explore best practices, strategies and lessons learned in establishing the Project Controls organization, developing systematic business processes, and employing technology to manage and mitigate risks.

The Project Controls unit, a seamless integration of agency and AECOM staff, was established early in the project. Key aspects of the Project Controls unit will be explored, including: organizational structure, resources, skill sets and responsibilities.

Change is inevitable; however, managing change through effective business processes has kept the CCLRT project on time and on budget. The Central Corridor Project Office (CCPO) established an initial baseline definition to measure changes against. As the project advanced, the baseline definition was refined through the evaluation of design alternatives and resolution of technical issues. Configuration management will be discussed as an effective means of controlling project scope creep.

The CCPO leveraged technology from e-Builder to support the Project Controls unit. In addition to scheduling and estimating software, the CCPO implemented e-Builder, a web-based capital project management system, to support collaboration and streamline business processes. The paper will review CCPO’s early challenges, successes after implementation and lessons learned.

Enabling Efficient Capital Project Cost Controls - Part 1 of 2

Part 1 of 2, this podcast focuses on cost controls through a discussion with Mr. John Kavouris, Director of Construction at Columbia College Chicago. During the presentation Mr. Kavouris speaks about the challenges involved in managing construction of new facilities and renovations of historic buildings at the college.

Contingency Management Best Practices - 1 of 4

This podcast is one in a series of four where Mr. Joel King, Senior Director of Campus Project Management at the University of California San Diego, discusses his approach to managing capital project contingency. Joel talks about their project delivery method and how this impacts their use of contingency, as well as the requirements set forth by the State of California that also impact levels of contingency.

Construction Management Software for Owners

In this podcast, part of our ongoing series on best practices around construction contingency management, Joel King with the University of California San Diego talks about the need to use project management software to enhance financial cost controls for capital projects.