Annex A: 4. Real property project management services

Please note

Services relating to Real Property fall under the umbrella of services offered to other government departments by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) in its role as common service agency, as defined in the Public Services and Procurement Canada Act (see section 5 and subsection 6(f) for further information). It is therefore strongly recommended that PSPC's Real Property Branch be consulted before proceeding with any requirements that fall under Stream 4: Project Management for Real Property.

The required services may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Assisting project team in management activities including financial, planning and contracting aspects
• Providing financial administrative support to suit requirements
• Assisting with security clearance process
• Establishing project administration procedures
• Providing administrative and technical support of a clerical nature as required to a project team; Developing document and records management system and control process for project teams; Receiving incoming mail (both hard copy and e-mail), prioritizes and assesses urgency of mail and sets deadlines
• Acting as the first point of contact in a "hot-line" situation by accepting incoming calls, logging calls, attempting to resolve simple problems and following established procedures for more difficult problems
• Participating at project meetings, preparing/distributing minutes and records of decision
• Providing comprehensive project planning and monitoring, reporting using project plan format
• Maintaining and updating relevant project information in manual and/or electronic files; project information might include such things as project activity schedule, status reports, correspondence
• Communicating with project management on administrative matters related to the project
• Assisting with the review of project requirements with specialists, other jurisdictional authorities and stakeholders
• Assisting in the preparation and coordination of documentation in response to scheduled and unscheduled reports to update management of project progress; Providing technical writing support for written reports and presentation decks
• Assisting in managing request for information (RFI) procedures
• Providing support to tendering and contracting processes as requested; Supporting start-up construction process (preparation & meeting) by assisting in managing construction logistics: forecast, coordinate work, avoid disruptions to occupants
• Providing support in the preparation of timely and accurate Contemplated Change Notices (CCN's) and Change Orders (CO's) for approval, tracking and communications
• Supporting post-construction services and post-construction evaluations
• Developing project scope, requirement documents, statement of work, participating in client discussions, analysis of functional and operational requirements of the client
• Preparation of project approval documents (for example business cases, feasibility studies, Treasury Board submissions) required for funding or project approval
• Planning and coordinating the activities of project personnel, contractors or other support providers, including the preparation of preliminary time schedules for project design and implementation
• Managing architectural/engineering and associated specialists teams, reviewing project costs and resolving variances with predetermined budgets by recommending action and resolving conflicts
• Planning, directing and coordinating a project management office and its activities within time and cost parameters
• Preparing formal work breakdown structure and compliance charts
• Producing draft plans and sections for incorporation into Project Plans
• Contributing to the organization's strategic and business planning initiatives (for example, identifying strategic goals and implementing initiatives to achieve them (such as through policy development, standards development and program review)
• Recognizing and taking action on opportunities to combine professional resources through partnering arrangements (for example, multi-disciplinary practices)
• Planning facilitation workshops that address strategic planning, teambuilding, positive-centred learning or conflict management, conducting stakeholder interviews. Preparing workshop material, facilitating the workshop, and on-going partnering process management
• Preparing or managing of project documents, such as project charter or plan, client statement of work, investment analysis report, feasibility study, terms of reference, value engineering, lifecycle analysis, commissioning plan or lessons learned
• Establishing and reviewing project and construction implementation strategies including, lump sum, phased, construction management, design-build and public-private partnerships
• Coordinating consultants retained separately to ensure an integrated design (for example, geotechnical, seismic and environmental designs, functional program and fit-up/office planning)
• Briefing consultants and contractors on roles, responsibilities and guidelines for contract administration and on-site behavior
• Developing an updated Project Plan, noting constraints, assumptions, inclusions and exclusions after review with stakeholders
• Coordinating Value Engineering exercises or other strategies aimed at integrated design solutions and cost management; ensuring the review and implementation of outcomes from these processes
• Maintaining the design change management process that records changes to the scope of work
• Monitoring the design, implementation and operations of the project against established goals
• Reporting progress of the project on an ongoing basis
• Assisting in the preparation of recommendations to engage or commission consultants, preparing consultant Request for Proposal (RFP) documents and reviewing and evaluating consultant proposals
• Reviewing monthly progress claims from consultants for compliance with consultant agreements and recommending payments
• Analyzing project schedules including contractor or consultant deliverables and determining whether corrective action is required to meet deadlines
• Attending construction site meetings, providing input on interpretation of contract plans and specifications while ensuring that consultants or contractors fulfill their responsibilities under their respective agreements
• Preparing plans, charts, tables and diagrams to assist in analyzing or displaying problems
• Managing and planning moves, including furniture coordination, cabling and signage procurement and verification
• Coordinating and preparing documentation in response to scheduled and unscheduled reports, returns and observations to update management on project progress
• At substantial completion, participating in inspections or acceptance boards: inspecting the work, evaluating amounts withheld due to deficiencies, accepting the work on behalf of client, recommending issuance of the interim certificate and payment to the contractor
• Incorporating final reports into the Project Plan, including details of outstanding issues, warranties and obligations of consultants or contractors, posting project reviews and lessons learned
• Ensuring that deficiencies and incomplete work are identified, managed, corrected and accepted as complete promptly; recommending issuance of final completion certificate
• Developing and maintaining various systems for the management and control of the project in a manner compatible with client standards and guidelines. This includes financial, approval tracking, change management, communications, and security protocol for project staff and records management system.
• Assessing the organization's capability to undertake and successfully deliver a project in the context of the overall program or portfolio priorities through strategic planning
• Specifying the general requirements of the project: developing, verifying and gaining acceptance of the project scope, budget, schedule and scope change control
• Assisting in the prioritization and assignment of projects within a larger program or portfolio of projects
• Managing several Senior Project Managers, each responsible for an element of the project or program or portfolio and its associated team (for example project and financial management)
• Identifying and assigning project roles, responsibilities and reporting relationships, developing work plans, ensuring adequate human resources, and developing a productive team environment
• Providing advice and leadership in the development and assessment of potential options on project development, recommending a preferred option and developing an implementation strategy through the preparation of a business case or feasibility study
• Meeting, negotiating and gaining support from internal and external organizational stakeholders (for example senior government executives, private-sector interests, municipal interests, community groups, etc.)
• Developing project alternatives and identifying their administrative, organizational, economic, or technical feasibility
• Assisting in obtaining required project approvals from relevant stakeholders (internal approval, zoning, heritage, etc.) including the review and interpretation of municipal by-laws
• Undertaking due diligence activities for the acquisition or disposal of property (for example highest & best use studies, site selection studies)
• Developing real property master plans, detailed site development plans or land use plans analyzing development initiatives (for example transportation or servicing studies, analysis of traffic, parking, pedestrian activity, transportation demand management or other urban planning issues)
• Preparing offer call documents to be used in property acquisition or disposal
• Examining and making recommendations concerning land title issues
• Identifying, obtaining and managing environmental approvals, permits or licenses
• Managing the implementation of a project or program to identify, analyze, plan, track and control progress on a continuous basis
• Reviewing and accepting (or requesting changes to) the overall planning, design development and implementation process, including feasibility, environmental, infrastructure, conceptual designs, the associated class of cost estimate, project scheduling project changes, issues management and approval documents
• Preparing life-cycle cost estimates using the discounted cash-flow method and sensitivity analysis
• Managing program changes in accordance with the change management process
• Developing risk management plans
• Managing safety as an integrated part of the construction project following accountability frameworks and documentation to ensure consistency of practice and due diligence
• Developing a Communications Plan that outlines the claims resolution process
• Developing a Communications Plan, press releases and questions and answers to media lines of inquiry
• Assisting in organizing media events or building tours for the public or senior management
• Producing camera-ready graphics of communication material or information panels for on-site exposition
• Identifying project activities and creating and maintaining the project schedule, establishing a time control system, monitoring progress (including cost and schedule controls) and responding to variances
• Formulating and maintaining master schedule of all activities and resources by defining deliverables, identifying key milestones and deadlines, reviewing project progress, and engaging in ongoing risk management. Identify (seasonal, site or client) specific impacts on timelines, timelines for work processes and approval periods to master schedule
• Developing detailed cash flows as the project progresses to illustrate the sequencing of work and the inter-related activities
• Communicating verbally and in writing with the Project Manager and with stakeholders to input modifications to the project schedule or the project Work Breakdown Structure
• Visiting the site and providing timely input to update the Master Schedule Plan
• Preparing an optimized project schedule, using Critical Path Methodology, to identify measures to shorten total project duration
• Reviewing and monitoring overall project schedule on a regular basis using information provided from the project team; mitigate schedule delays as required.
• Maintaining schedule tracking and change management records
• Documenting issues and resolutions related to the project schedule
• Communicating with the Project Manager, management team or stakeholders regarding project status and deliverables using logic diagrams, bar charts and narrative reports; Contributing to the development and management of process and procedures used in operations
• Preparing a cost and cash flow estimate (eg., identifying the resources, levels of effort and related costs) required for the project
• Forecasting costs for specific activities such as: direct project costs, project support overhead, corporate or administrative overhead, costs of products and services, leasing costs
• Assisting with cost control using problem solving techniques such as life-cycle analysis, value engineering, risk analysis or early estimation (elemental cost analysis)
• Analyzing trends in the real estate or construction markets and forecasting the impact of such trends on project costs
• Monitoring actual or expected costs against previously budgeted costs and preparing variance analysis (for example analyzing and reporting on costs to complete projects and actions to be taken to stay on budget including the state of risk allowances, reserves or contingencies)
• Preparing discounted cash-flow analysis including sensitivity analysis
• Preparing value-for-money calculations using Monte Carlo Simulation
• Preparing historic or pro forma financial statement or ratio analysis (based on financial, employment, spatial or other data)
• Providing a review of a financial analysis prepared by a different party
• Evaluating financial management procedures
• Reviewing submissions prepared by consultants or contractors relevant to financial activities
• Developing business plans or financial plans
• Providing input to update the Master (baseline) Cost Plan through:
  • Site inspections
  • Assessing the project design and budgets
  • Ensuring a common understanding of all contingencies or allowances
  • Comparing and reconciling previous project budgets with the current budget.
• Providing approved budget, forecast, variances, actuals, billings, payments
• Assisting with cost planning including:
  • Participating in cost planning of project options and "what if" scenarios
  • Providing advice on cost planning in order to coordinate ongoing project procurement activities with information within the organization's financial system
  • Identifying and quantifying potential risks and making contingency recommendations in order to minimize negative cost impacts
  • Identifying, forecasting and analyzing project related risks focusing on the presentation, documentation and use of risk allowances or risk reserves or general contingencies.
• Developing a detailed worksheet of sub-project annual funding, forecasts, value of work done over the life of the project
• Reviewing and monitoring overall project budget on a regular basis using information provided from the project team
• Highlighting variances and possible mitigation strategies to bring project costs back into budget
• Providing regular reports of project cash flow, including forecasted requirements on an as-required basis
• Evaluating or applying governmental or industry (that is Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) methods in financial decision making as they relate to real property
• Analysis of external economic, land use and real estate market trends (environmental trends)
• Examine and interpret the local and community policies, plans and by-laws
• Identifying the impact of anticipated environmental trends on an organization's real estate portfolio
• Developing building or space accommodation standards for an organization
• Developing organizational policies concerning the use of real property
• Identifying future space requirements of an organization and analyzing alternative solutions to meet such requirements
• Preparing profiles of existing building or portfolio condition, performance and utilization
• Identifying any potential problems a real estate portfolio presents in meeting organizational goals (eg. strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/threats analysis)
• Comparing the performance of a portfolio or real property organization with its past performance, private-sector industry or government comparables
• Developing real property strategies to meet the organization's goals, accommodation requirements or real property "custodial" responsibilities
• Developing strategies to rationalize or dispose of a group of real property
• Prioritizing numerous real property projects (eg. maintenance, renovation/retrofit, tenant improvement, disposal, acquisition) in keeping with an organization's strategic goals and abilities
• Preparing real estate development strategies and real property master plans
• Preparing land use studies analyzing development initiatives or opportunities (eg. examining transportation and servicing issues)
• Developing a Communications Plan to public and media lines of inquiry
• Reviewing and analyzing project background data and reports with respect to contract issues, that is claims, change orders, schedule reports, delays analysis, disputed issues, etc.
• Providing a complete detailed analysis of the monthly project schedule submissions commencing at the beginning of the project construction
• Reviewing contractors As Built Critical Path Schedule and compare to the original Baseline Plan/schedule
• Analyzing where schedule delays occurred and define critical/prime issues and causes (delay events) affecting the end date; impact of extension of time; identify concurrent delays
• Providing a detailed project Delay Analysis
• Identifying causes, circumstances and responsibilities (that is Contractor, consultant, PSPC) leading to delays and potential claims
• Completing a change order analysis, including a review of Contemplated Change Notices (CCN) & Change Orders (CO). Include a history of each CO and identify if delays were caused, the extent and impacts on the end date
• Establishing costs incurred by the Crown as a result of contractor-caused delays
• Analyzing delay impact and associated costs resulting from the cumulative effect of numerous change orders
• Assisting the Project Manager in determining why a contractor is claiming for additional costs that have not been covered by change orders; and
• Providing support in preparation for potential mediation.