VM Projects
By the time work starts, the project had already begun…
Project Management
It is easy to believe a project starts with a spade in the ground. But we understand from first-hand experience that it takes a considerable amount of pre-construction work to get you there, usually while balancing workload from other projects that are running, in pre-construction, or close-out.
This is where we step in.
Bid-writing and estimation
In the past a contract was won on a competitive price and programme. But now there are expectations of consideration to quality, social value, and environmental impact which are all key parts of the bidding process. Many of our clients fall on their quality plans, social value policies, and environmental impact assessments, and have what is otherwise an excellent tender rejected.
We have experience with bid writing for projects issued by National Highways, the Environment Agency, Local Authorities, and other significantly sized clients. Our services include:
- Tender programme creation
- Methodologies
- Works specification reviews
- Risk and opportunity analysis
- TQ and RFI creation and raising
- Estimation and cost/benefit analysis
- Quality Management submissions
- Social Value submissions
- Environmental Impact assessments
- Pre-submission Green and Red Reviews
Pre-Construction Management
Often there is a grey area between tender approval and contract start of works. During this period it is usual to feel spread thin – more detailed discussions will be taking place around commercial terms and definitions, you will be firming up the construction programme, dealing with stakeholders, obtaining licences and permissions; all the while managing several other projects already on the ground. It can be a stressful time.
Our experience dealing with government agencies, local authorities, and utility undertakers means we can take this burden off your hands giving you more time to focus on critical tasks. During the pre-construction phase we can help you prepare:
- Construction Phase Plans
- Risk Assessments and Method Statements
- Quality and Environmental Management Plans
- Purchasing and commercial management plans
- Site Waste Management Plans
- Licence applications
- Road space bookings and Traffic Order applications
- Temporary Works designs
- Lifting Plans
- Clause 31 or the ‘master programme’
We can also provide you with Temporary Works Co-Ordinators and Appointed Persons for the remainder of the project should you require.
Delivery
Perhaps the spade is already in the dirt and work is getting underway but the project, as projects tend to do, has started to grow legs. We can bolster your site management team by offering high-level senior project management and client liaison that you can trust. Our project managers regularly represent our clients in meetings and we can offer you their support from the very start of the project through to demobilisation and close out.
During the delivery stage our Project Management team will be there to support you every step of the way with:
- Performance Reporting
- Client liaison
- Stakeholder liaison
- Site Management team coordination
- Documentation and process auditing
- Commercial dashboard management
- Contract management
We can also provide you with Temporary Works Co-Ordinators and Appointed Persons for the remainder of the project should you require.
NEC4 Programming
Possibly the most critical item in any Project Manager’s suite is a competent and reliable programme. VM Group offers programming and planning services with all our Project Management packages, or as a stand-alone item should you require it.
We are fully conversant with NEC3/4 Form Contracts, and JCT Master Programmes. Depending on your client’s requirements we can provide programmes in MS Project or Primavera P6, and as part of any planning or programming package we offer a full green and red review process before submission.
Pre-submission Adjudication
All tenders must be commercially sound, and achievable, all the while giving you the ability to control as much of the risk as possible. Balancing those key points with a competitive tender submission is the hard part – too little oversight can put you in at risk of financial penalties or cause reputational damage, too much oversight may price you out of the competition.
Everyone in our team is commercially minded and recognises that maintaining a strong commercial position while being competitive on duration and price is key to winning repeated work and stay profitable while doing so.
We can provide you with a “Red Team” to scrutinise tender submissions either in whole or in part. Our red teams are made up of people with depth of knowledge and broad experience to ensure we explore all angles and identify all risks or hurdles the project may face. Once the review is complete, we can guide and advise you on how to best proceed to get the most out of your bid.
Already have a red team but don’t know where to start? Let us provide a green team who will build your tender for you. Just ask about our bid-writing and estimation service.
Strategic Thinking.
Our project managers have years of experience managing major schemes and frameworks using NEC4 form contracts. We work with you and the designers to identify project risks, devise mitigations and efficiencies at the pre-construction stages – well before a “soft consideration” becomes a “hard fact”.
You’ve got the job. Let’s get it done.
To know where you’re going, you need to know where you’re starting.
You can rely on us to improve safety, raise standards, drive delivery, and manage your site effectively
Contact our team to understand how we can meet your exact requirements, discuss our various services and how we can manage your your site effectively.