Why the need for an Owners Rep?

1. Scale and scope of the project is outside the capability and expertise of the current staff and leadership.
2. Time commitment to manage and lead the process from idea to commissioning and occupancy is significant and requires a fully dedicated position/person/team assigned to lead and manage.
3. The role is only needed for the duration of the project, thus a full time employee is not required unless these types of projects will become the norm for the organization.

What is the role the Owners Rep?

1. Lead and Manage the process through which the project will be delivered including:
   1. Confirm the scale and scope of the project.
   2. Develop the “Story” or the “why” for the project!
   3. Develop the internal Project Champions(PCs) across the organization but specifically in the areas of:
      • Environmental Approval
      • Value for Money analysis
        1. Identifies preferred delivery approach
      • Land Use
      • Infrastructure
      • Market Analysis
      • Program
      • Design
        1. Master Plan
        2. Landscape
        3. Environmental
        4. Buildings
        5. Specialty Structures and Areas
      • Construction
      • Finance
      • Operations and Maintenance
      • Legal
      • User Stakeholders
      • Other areas specific to the organization or project
   4. Communicate early and often about the project and the process being undertaken to the internal and external stakeholders.
      • Important to emphasize to internal stakeholders that their jobs nor job responsibilities are being taken from them.
   5. Engaging the PC’s and appropriate staff, identify the expertise needed to develop the procurement documents required by the organizations process and requirements.
      • RFQ
      • RFP
   6. Assess the capability and availability of the owner’s staff in providing items identified in #5.
   7. Develop an RFQ/RFP for a Development Services Consultant team to provide the expertise identified in #5.
      • It may be decided that separate RFQ/RFP’s be released for Technical, Financial and Legal.If this is decided, it is recommended that the RFQ/RFP’s be released, evaluated, scored and the consultant selected at the simultaneously.
   8. Simultaneous with the development of the DSC Procurement Documents recruit through market sounding or a similar approach, groups that have the identified expertise that is being requested in #5.
   9. Per the “process” required by the organization and included in the RFQ/RFP:
      • Release RFQ/RFP(s) for DSC and/or other teams
      • Engage respondents in pre-bid meeting
      • Accept bids
      • Determine finalists
      • Interview finalists
      • Select DSC and/or other team(s).
   10. Engage DSC
       • Develop scope and schedule with DSC to deliver the information for the RFQ and RFP to engage the Development Partner for the project. The scope will generally follow the items identified in 1c above.
       • Establish Minimum Qualifications for:
         1. Equity/Development entity
         2. General Contractor
         3. Sub-Contractors
         4. Design Team
            • Architects
              1. Master Plan
              2. Specialty Buildings and Areas
              3. General Buildings
              4. Landscape
              5. Infrastructure
            • Engineers
            • Environmental Consultants
         5. Operations and Maintenance Entity
       • Establish minimum Contractual Terms
       • Establish Evaluation and Scoring Criteria
   11. Release RFQ to market
       • Engage proposers in pre-bid meeting
       • Follow the evaluation process outlined in the RFQ
         1. Respond to questions via conference call at pre-bid meeting and subsequent email submissions.
         2. Accept SOQ’s
         3. Interview each of the responding teams or the number identified in the Evaluation process.
            • If it is the number identified in the Evaluation Process follow the process identified in the Evaluation Process to select those being interviewed.
         4. Following scoring and evaluation process select a list of no less that 3 and no more than 4 proposers to be shortlisted and enter the RFP process.
   12. Release Draft RFP to the selected shortlist as soon as reasonably possible after selection of the shortlisted proposers

 

 

 

 

 

THE PROJECT CHAMPION

The true advocate for your project

The Project Champion is the person within the organization implementing a project who takes on the responsibility of ensuring all internal and external stakeholders involved are on board and behind the ultimate success of the project.

Being the main project advocate, the project champion is the liaison between the project manager, upper management, external stakeholders and the audience of the project.

They focus more on addressing obstacles, issues brought up in the feedback received from internal and external stakeholders and obtaining resources than on making decisions or planning the steps that will make the project move forward. The champion is not the project manager but has a close working relationship with the project manager. They will meet regularly to discuss the project, any obstacles, the solutions to those obstacles and communicates the information from those meetings to the stakeholders.

A project champion’s position will often provide him with a broad view and understanding of the various concerns, goals and objectives within the stakeholder groups.  This allows him to communicate effectively across all stakeholders groups as to the background behind decisions that are made and maintain a congruent relationship between the project team and its stakeholders.

The project champion provides updates on the project’s development and issues to upper management. The project champion also relays messages from the stakeholders to the project team relating to concerns or simply questions about the project’s status and progress.

They are typically a member of the senior management team, are well respected and trusted within the organization, are someone whose suggestions are usually considered, are familiar with organization politics and are someone who may possess unique and critical expertise in an area necessary to the successful delivery of the project.

Areas of responsibility may include:

• Defining and communicating the project’s strategic objectives or the Project’s “Why”.
• Identifying and recruiting the resources necessary to form the project team.
• Keeping everyone focused on the “Why” that will be realized through the successful implementation of the project.
• Ensuring that the vision for the project is translated into a scope, program, design, schedule and budget that address the “Why” by the project manager and the project team.
• Identifying and eliminating internal and external issues that may threaten the project’s program, design, schedule and budget.
• Identifying and communicating with the project manager the project’s phases and the deliverables necessary to move the project from one phase to the next.
• Providing regular updates to all internal and external stakeholders.
• Holding the project manager accountable for the timely delivery of their deliverables.

Some other items that are qualifications for the Project Champion are:

• Ability to understand all elements of the project.
• Possesses a relationship with senior management.
• Ability to motivate, mentor and inspire a team.
• Ability to negotiate with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to address obstacles and solve problems as they come up.
• Ability to keep all stakeholders and team members focused on the “Why”!
• Ability to hold all team members accountable.
• Ability to communication with all stakeholders regarding status, schedule and budget.
• Ability to adjust schedule and budget as the need arises.

What are some other qualifications that Project Champions should have from your experience?

 

 

THE STORY

All projects need a “story” to tell about the project!  The “Story” is the unifying factor that keeps everyone, internal and external, engaged and moving forward from pre-concept through delivery.  It’s the reason the Project is being built.

It’s what’s used when you speak to those responsible for authorizing the project moving forward, in market sounding meetings and in all internal and external stakeholders interactions.

It provides consistency of message and makes sure everyone is informed of what the message is!

Here’s what the Story’s content should cover:

• What’s driving the need for the project?
• Why is it necessary?
• How will it be delivered?
• What works needs to be done to develop the content for the “Story”?
• The “ Story” is not the Business Case!

Let’s dive a little deeper!

1. What’s driving the need for the project?
   • What is the sense of urgency?
   • What problem/need does it solve/meet?
   • How did the problem/need come about?
2. Why is it necessary?
   • What happens if nothing is done?
   • What does maintaining the status quo look like?
     • Schedule?
     • Financial?
     • Operations and Maintenance?
     • What is the vision for the project?
3. How will it be delivered?
   • How would we currently deliver this project
   • Are there opportunities in the market outside the “status quo” for delivery?
   • What are the benefits to the community of the “opportunities”:
     • Schedule
     • Risk Transfer
     • Life cycle costing
   • Financial
   • Design/Construction
   • Operations &Maintenance
4. How do you develop your “Story”?
   • What work needs to be done to develop the content for the “Story”?
     • Form internal and external team of project “Champions”!
     • Develop data, research and analysis that informs and supports #’s 1, 2 & 3 above!
     • Communicate with key internal and external constituents regarding the story, the project and analysis.
     • Accept feedback and make decision to move forward as planned or modify project and “Story” based on feedback to address any concerns.
     • Communicate on a broader level to gain internal and external feedback and support.