Why this project now

• Tell me briefly why you initiated this project now.
• How many similar projects has your team managed in the last five years? Options: 0, 1-2, 3-5, 6-10, More than 10
• Who on your leadership team will be accountable for schedule and budget decisions? Options: VP of Development or Project Executive, Facilities Director, CFO or Finance Lead, Program Director, Board or Public Official, Other
• Describe the top three outcomes you must achieve at occupancy to consider the project successful.
• If the project misses your primary milestone, what is the immediate consequence that would force a change in plan?

Where schedule or budget is most fragile

• Identify the constraint today most likely to cause a cost overrun or multiweek delay. Options: Uncertain site conditions, Delayed long-lead procurement, Permit or regulatory delays, Financing timing, Incomplete design, Trade contractor capacity, Owner approval delays, Other
• When was the last time your team validated geotechnical, utility, or hazardous materials reports for the site? Options: Within 1 month, 1-3 months, 3-6 months, More than 6 months, No reports available
• Do you have an internal change-order approval threshold that triggers executive review? Options: Yes, under $50k, Yes, $50k-$250k, Yes, over $250k, No formal threshold, Not sure
• Walk me through a recent change order that escalated, what caused it, and how it was handled.
• Estimate the contingency you plan to hold, as a percentage of construction cost and in weeks of schedule.
• Name the single site or contract risk that, if realized, would stop the project immediately.

The other options you are weighing

• Identify the alternatives you are actively evaluating right now and which one looks most likely to win. Options: Keep current approach, Hire incumbent firm, Run internally with staff, Invite multiple construction managers, Use design-bid-build general contractor, Other
• Who is currently performing program or site management for the project? Options: No one assigned, Internal program manager, Existing consultant or PMO, Incumbent construction manager, Design team, Other
• Has anyone inside suggested running this with your own staff or an alternate contracting model? Options: Yes, run internally, Yes, a hybrid model, No, always outsourced, Undecided
• What would need to be true about your current approach for you to keep it rather than change to a new partner?
• Rank the importance of these selection criteria for your decision: cost, schedule certainty, past similar experience, proposed team strength, references, single point of accountability. Options: Cost, Schedule certainty, Experience on similar building types, Strength of proposed team, Reference performance, Single point accountability
• If a competing firm met your top two criteria perfectly today, what would make you still choose to switch to them this month?

The people who will carry delivery

• Who will be making day-to-day decisions on site that directly affect procurement, sequencing, or approvals? Options: Owner's project manager, Facilities lead, Design lead, Lender representative, Tenant rep, Other
• Which roles on your side have recent experience working with construction managers on fee-based delivery? Options: VP development or project executive, Facilities director, Procurement, Legal, In-house project manager, No one
• How confident are you that the proposed project leadership interview will be the deciding factor in selection? Options: Very confident, Somewhat confident, Unsure, Not confident
• For each key stakeholder, list their primary decision timeline and the fastest way to get their sign-off.
• Who else outside your organization, such as lenders or tenants, must approve material changes? Options: Lenders, Tenants, Municipal authorities, Program funders, Insurance carriers, Other
• Would any member of your executive team veto the preferred delivery model, and if so which one? Options: Yes, would veto, No veto expected, Unsure

What belongs in scope and acceptance

• Describe the one acceptance criterion that, if unmet at turnover, would prevent final fee release.
• Which preconstruction services are absolutely required for you to move forward? Options: Budget validation and cost model, Constructability review, Phasing and logistics planning, Value engineering, Long-lead procurement strategy, Schedule development, Other
• When do you expect to finalize measurable acceptance criteria relative to trade procurement dates? Options: Before trade procurement, During initial procurement, At contract execution, After mobilization, Not yet determined
• Do you require the construction manager to hold warranties or would you prefer direct warranties from trade contractors for critical systems? Options: CM holds warranty, Trade contractors hold warranties, Hybrid approach, Undecided
• List the tests, inspections, and certificates that must be delivered before you accept substantial completion.
• Name the single missing permit or inspection that would stop you from accepting substantial completion.

Operational readiness and constraints

• Identify any regulatory, financing, or site constraints that could delay mobilization by more than four weeks. Options: Pending permits, Funding or disbursement timing, Insurance or bonding gaps, Right of way or access issues, Utility relocation, Outstanding easements, Environmental remediation, Other
• When do you expect financing milestones, permits, and insurance to be complete relative to mobilization? Options: All complete before mobilization, Some complete and rest within 30 days of mobilization, Mostly after mobilization, Not scheduled
• Are as-built drawings and BIM models available in a shared format for the team to use? Options: Yes, current BIM files and as-builts, Partial set available, Only 2D drawings, No shared files available, Not sure
• Who owns utility tie agreements and site access permissions, and can they sign in the next 30 days?
• Estimate the number of long-lead items that must be purchased before mobilization and list the top three.
• Point to the single regulatory or financing gap that would stop mobilization outright.

Decision drivers, authorization, and next steps

• If the preliminary budget and schedule hold, who can sign authorization to mobilize within seven days? Options: CEO or President, VP of Development or Project Executive, CFO or Finance Director, Board or committee, Program sponsor, Other
• List the internal approvals remaining and typical lead time for each.
• Would you accept a phased mobilization tied to milestone-based fee draws, or do you require full authorization upfront? Options: Phased with milestone draws, Full authorization required, Open to either, Undecided
• How soon after contract execution do you expect to see a verified schedule and cost baseline? Options: Within 1 week, Within 2 weeks, Within 4 weeks, More than 4 weeks
• Are there contract terms for dispute resolution, liquidated damages, or bonds that are mandatory for you? Options: Yes, specific requirements, Preferred but negotiable, No mandatory terms, Not sure
• If we deliver an agreed baseline in writing tomorrow, what remaining barrier would stop you from authorizing mobilization within 14 days?

• Project Team & Oversight Walkthrough

• Confirm the current state and its cost
• You confirm that the proposed team structure and governance directly resolve the oversight gaps that led to schedule slippage and cost growth.
• Deliver a tailored oversight RACI, sample weekly schedule lookahead, and a sample pay-application review template within 5 business days.
• You confirm that the demonstrated schedule and cost controls will materially reduce change-order exposure and protect milestone dates.
• Walk through the proposed project team and governance
• Provide resumes for the proposed project manager and superintendent for review prior to the follow-up session.
• Prove the schedule control workflow
• Provide the current project schedule baseline and the top 3 immovable milestones and constraints.
• You agree on the specific evidence and deliverables required before recommendation to authorize mobilization.
• Prove the cost control and procurement controls
• Draft a refined cost-control clause and change-order approval flow for inclusion in the contract draft before the authorization meeting.
• Prove the quality control and acceptance checkpoints
• Validation question
• Agree next steps and decision evidence

• Project Team & Oversight Solution Experience
• Project Team & Oversight Deck
• Project Team & Oversight Brief

• meeting
• slides
• document

• On-site Owner's Representative
• Daily Field Supervision
• Trade Contractor Procurement and Bid Management
• Construction Schedule Tracking and CPM Updates
• Pay Application Review and Certification
• Change Order Management and Negotiation
• Submittal and RFI Coordination
• Quality Control Inspections and Punchlist Management
• Safety and Regulatory Compliance Oversight
• Cost Tracking and Forecasting Reports
• Coordination of Permits and Inspections
• Project Closeout, O&M Manuals, and Handover

On-site Owner's Representative

• Do you require a full-time on-site owner's representative during construction (daily presence versus periodic site visits)? Options: Full-time daily presence (5 days/week), Part-time (3 days/week), As-needed site visits only, No on-site representative required
• Which decision authorities do you expect the on-site representative to hold relative to contract administration (approve change directives, sign minor change orders, approve subcontractor substitutions)? Options: Approve minor change directives, Sign subcontractor substitutions, Approve payment recommendations, No signing authority
• How will you integrate the representative into your governance and reporting cadence (steering committee distribution list, monthly executive package, direct daily reporting)? Options: Daily distribution to project team, Weekly executive summary to steering committee, Monthly consolidated report, Ad-hoc as requested
• What reporting package do you require from the representative (daily logs, weekly cost and schedule dashboard, monthly risk register)? Options: Daily log + photos, Weekly cost/schedule dashboard, Monthly risk and change register, Custom package
• Who on your team will be the primary contact for assigning scope and making day-to-day decisions with the on-site representative?
• Will you require the representative to review and sign off on trade scope packages before bid issuance for critical long-lead items? Options: Yes, for all long-lead items, Yes, for selected critical trades, No, we will handle pre-bid approvals

Daily Field Supervision

• Which level of site supervision do you want assigned to daily field oversight (dedicated superintendent, rotating supervision across projects, assistant superintendent support)? Options: Dedicated superintendent on site, Rotating supervision across projects, Assistant superintendent support only, No dedicated supervision
• Which site coverage window do you expect for supervision (standard business hours, extended day shifts, night/24-hour coverage for critical activities)? Options: Standard business hours (approx. 8 hours), Extended day shifts (10-12 hours), Night or 24-hour coverage for critical work, As-scheduled per activity
• How should daily field records be produced and shared with your team (daily log with photo attachments, mobile RFI/submittal updates, attendance and equipment logs)? Options: Daily log with photos, Mobile RFI/submittal updates, Attendance and equipment logs, All of the above
• What coordination activities do you expect the field supervision to run weekly (trade coordination meetings, short-interval schedule look-ahead, subcontractor performance reviews)? Options: Trade coordination meetings, Short-interval look-ahead, Subcontractor performance reviews, Site safety briefings
• Which field supervision metrics would you like tracked to monitor effectiveness (schedule percent complete vs baseline, open RFI count, subcontractor attendance rates)? Options: Schedule percent complete vs baseline, Open RFI count and aging, Subcontractor attendance and man-hours, Safety observation counts
• Are there specific site protocols you require the superintendent to enforce (vendor access controls, designated laydown areas, lockout/tagout procedures)? Options: Yes, vendor access controls and sign-in, Yes, designated laydown and staging areas, Yes, enforce LOTO and hot work permit, No special protocols

Trade Contractor Procurement and Bid Management

• Which procurement model do you prefer for trade contracts (competitive sealed bidding, qualifications-weighted scoring, negotiated subcontracting for select trades)? Options: Competitive sealed bidding, Qualifications-weighted scoring, Negotiated for select trades, Hybrid
• How many trade packages do you anticipate issuing for bid based on current design development (rough count of packages tied to MEP, finishes, envelope, civil, specialty)? Options: Fewer than 10, 10-20, More than 20
• Do you want bidders prequalified on criteria such as recent project experience, bonding capacity, insurance limits, and safety record? Options: Yes, full prequalification required, Partial prequalification for critical trades, No prequalification required
• What bid documents will you provide for procurement (issued-for-bid drawings, project manual/spec sections, allowance schedules, site logistics notes)? Options: Issued-for-bid drawings, Project manual/spec sections, Allowance schedules, Site logistics notes
• Which bid evaluation output do you want delivered to support award decisions (consolidated bid tabulation, qualification scorecards, value engineering alternatives)? Options: Consolidated bid tabulation, Qualification scorecards, VE alternatives summary, Recommendation memo
• Do you require the procurement team to manage bidder questions and addenda distribution on your behalf? Options: Yes, fully managed, Managed with buyer review, No, buyer will manage

Construction Schedule Tracking and CPM Updates

• Do you require a cost-loaded CPM baseline before mobilization tying budget to the critical path schedule? Options: Yes, full cost-loaded baseline, Cost-loading for critical milestones only, No cost-loading required
• How often should schedule updates and variance reports be issued to your team (weekly look-ahead, biweekly updates, monthly re-baseline)? Options: Weekly updates and look-ahead, Biweekly updates, Monthly updates, Milestone-triggered updates
• Which schedule deliverable formats do you need for review and archive (native CPM file, PDF Gantt, narrative time-impact summary)? Options: Native CPM file for review, PDF Gantt export, Narrative time-impact summary, All formats
• Which critical milestones must be maintained as hard constraints in the CPM (substantial completion date, certificate of occupancy milestone, tenant move-in)? Options: Substantial completion, Certificate of occupancy, Tenant move-in, Long-lead procurement dates
• How should schedule delay analyses be presented when impacts occur (time impact analysis with concurrent delay assessment, float consumption summary, or executive-level delay narrative)? Options: Time impact analysis with concurrent assessment, Float consumption summary, Executive-level narrative, Other
• Who on your side will approve baseline schedule changes and extensions to contractual milestones?

Pay Application Review and Certification

• Which pay application format will you require for submittal and certification (schedule of values with backup, invoice with lien waivers, electronic pay app package)? Options: Schedule of Values with backup, Invoice with lien waivers, Electronic pay application package, Other
• Are monthly pay applications to be certified against percent complete reported on the cost-loaded schedule or by subcontractor-supplied percent complete? Options: Certified against cost-loaded schedule, Certified by subcontractor percent complete, Hybrid approach
• Who will be authorized on your team to sign certified pay applications and approve release of retainage?
• What supporting documentation must accompany each pay application for your review (subcontractor invoices, supplier receipts, inspection sign-offs, lien waivers)? Options: Subcontractor invoices, Supplier receipts, Inspection sign-offs, Lien waivers, Other
• Which retainage policy do you prefer we enforce during certification (standard percentage retainage, milestone-based partial releases, no retainage)? Options: Standard percentage retainage, Milestone-based partial releases, No retainage
• What evidence will validate that a pay application is acceptable for certification (photo-verified inspected work, signed inspection reports, percent complete on CPM tied to SOV)? Options: Photo-verified inspected work, Signed inspection reports, Percent complete on CPM tied to SOV, Supplier invoices and delivery receipts

Change Order Management and Negotiation

• Which change documentation format should be maintained for the project (formal change order log with cost/time impacts, change directive register, or informal change notices)? Options: Formal change order log with cost/time impacts, Change directive register, Informal change notices only, Hybrid
• Will you set pre-authorization thresholds for owner-directed changes by dollar amount or time impact? Options: Yes, specific dollar threshold, Yes, time-impact threshold, No pre-authorization threshold
• Which pricing basis should be used when negotiating changes (negotiated lump sum, time and materials with not-to-exceed, unit price application)? Options: Negotiated lump sum, Time and materials with NTE, Unit pricing, Hybrid
• Who on your team will perform commercial approval for change orders that exceed the agreed threshold?
• Do you require contingency and allowance usage to be reported separately in each change order report? Options: Yes, report separately, Only on request, No
• Describe any contractual risk allocations that must be preserved during negotiations (differing site conditions, design error responsibility, force majeure treatment).

Submittal and RFI Coordination

• Which submittal register structure do you prefer (master submittal register by spec section, separate by-trade registers, or electronic submittal workflow)? Options: Master submittal register, By-trade registers, Electronic submittal workflow, Other
• Are maximum review turnaround times required for shop drawings and samples, and if so what maximum turnaround will you accept (e.g., 7 calendar days, 14 calendar days)? Options: 7 calendar days, 10 calendar days, 14 calendar days, Priority turnaround for long-lead items
• Which parties must review and sign submittals before acceptance (design engineer, manufacturer's rep, certification lab)? Options: Design engineer, Manufacturer's rep, Third-party reviewer, Other
• How should RFIs be prioritized for response to protect the critical path (priority by critical-path impact, by safety risk, by budget impact)? Options: By critical-path impact, By safety risk, By budget impact, First-come first-served
• Do you want a consolidated weekly RFI and submittal status report distributed to your design and procurement teams? Options: Yes, weekly consolidated report, Only for long-lead items, No consolidated weekly report
• What evidence will validate an accepted submittal (stamped review from designer, transmittal record with responses, revised shop drawing revision logged)? Options: Designer/stamp review, Transmittal record with responses, Revised shop drawing revision logged, Material sample approval

Quality Control Inspections and Punchlist Management

• Which quality approach do you prefer for major systems (in-house trade inspections, third-party commissioning for MEP/envelope, or combined approach)? Options: In-house trade inspections, Third-party commissioning for critical systems, Combined approach, No special commissioning
• Which inspection schedule do you need for hold points and coverage (spec-driven hold points, architect sign-off, owner-required inspections before cover-up)? Options: Spec-driven hold points, Architect/engineer sign-off, Owner-required before cover-up, Mixed
• How should punchlist items be tracked and verified closed (online punchlist platform with photo evidence, weekly verified walkthroughs, signed completion certificates)? Options: Online punchlist platform with photos, Weekly verified walkthroughs, Signed completion certificates, Combination
• What defect acceptance thresholds do you want at substantial completion (zero critical items, maximum number of minor items, response times for priority items)? Options: Zero critical items allowed, Maximum minor items threshold, Response-time SLA for priority items, Other
• Who will be authorized from your operations team to accept closed punchlist items during closeout walkthroughs?
• Which commissioning reports or system test certificates do you expect to be retained in the project record (HVAC balancing report, fire suppression hydrostatic tests, building automation startup logs)? Options: HVAC balancing reports, Fire system test certificates, BAS startup logs, Other system test reports

Safety and Regulatory Compliance Oversight

• Are daily safety briefings and documented toolbox talks required and should they be tied to OSHA standards or your internal safety program? Options: Daily toolbox talks tied to OSHA, Daily tied to internal safety program, Weekly briefings only, No formal briefings required
• Which regulatory permits and compliance items must be tracked throughout construction (building permit, confined space permits, hot work permits, stormwater controls)? Options: Building permit, Confined space permits, Hot work permits, Stormwater controls, Other
• Will you require contractor safety prequalification including review of EMR (experience modification rate), safety program, and recent OSHA recordables? Options: Yes, full safety prequalification, Yes, for high-risk trades only, No safety prequalification
• How should incident and near-miss reporting be delivered to your risk or legal team (immediate notification plus incident report, weekly summary, only recordable incidents)? Options: Immediate notification plus full report, Weekly summarized report, Only for recordable incidents
• Do you want periodic third-party safety audits on critical activities or rely on contractor self-audits with documentation? Options: Periodic third-party audits, Contractor self-audits with documentation, Mixed approach
• Will you need assistance coordinating regulatory inspections (building department, fire marshal) and logging sign-offs for your compliance records? Options: Yes, full coordination, Assistance as needed, No, we will coordinate

Cost Tracking and Forecasting Reports

• Do you require a baseline cost model tied to the estimate and schedule (cost-loaded schedule) with monthly updates? Options: Yes, monthly updates to cost-loaded schedule, Update at major milestones only, No cost-loaded model required
• Which financial reports are required for your stakeholder reviews (cost-to-date, forecast at completion, earned value analysis, contingency usage)? Options: Cost-to-date, Forecast at Completion, Earned Value Analysis, Contingency usage report
• How often do you need cash flow forecasts aligned to financing milestones (monthly, biweekly, or milestone-triggered)? Options: Monthly cash flow forecast, Biweekly cash flow forecast, Milestone-triggered forecasts
• Do you want contingency and allowance usage reported separately from committed subcontractor costs? Options: Yes, separate reporting, Only on request, No separate reporting
• Who will approve forecasted budget changes or request reallocation of contingency on your behalf?
• What backup documentation will you require to accept a forecast (signed subcontractor change proposals, supplier quotes, updated buyout logs)? Options: Signed subcontractor change proposals, Supplier quotes, Updated buyout logs, Other

• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Fee Schedule & Compensation Agreement
• Notice to Proceed / Authorization to Mobilize
• Insurance, Bonds & Certification
• Change Order & Scope Amendment Agreement
• Trade Contractor Procurement & Delegation of Authority
• Regulatory Compliance & Procurement Addendum
• Termination & Suspension Terms
• GMP Amendment (if applicable)

• Initial Occupancy Health Check
• 30-Day Performance Measurement
• 90-Day Warranty Review and Remediation Closeout
• Quarterly Warranty and Operations Review

• Document any long-lead warranty repairs and include them in the capital planning queue if outside current warranty scope.
• Update the warranty ticket workflow to address identified SLA failure points and document the new process.
• Deliver any outstanding O&M manuals and record confirmation of receipt in the shared project folder.
• Restate Project Scope acceptance criteria
• Produce a definitive list of remaining warranty and punchlist items with committed completion dates.
• Confirm the verification method for each closed item so there is no ambiguity at final handover.
• Publish the 90-day closeout log that records each remaining item, its remediation date, and verification step.
• Schedule any required follow-up site inspections tied to the remediation timeline.
• Confirm the shared warranty communication channel and escalation path for post-closeout issues.
• Warranty trend review
• Ensure warranty ticket volume and average resolution time remain within Project Scope targets or have a corrective plan in place.
• Prevent recurrence of top defect categories through agreed preventive actions or design modifications.
• Create a prioritized continuous improvement backlog with target implementation windows.
• Schedule operator refresher training and update O&M documentation where gaps were identified.
• Re-confirm transition success criteria and owners
• Confirm facility is safe for operations and critical systems meet baseline performance needs.
• Create a list of immediate remediation actions with owners and target dates.
• Publish the initial occupancy checklist and circulation plan for verification comments.
• Log all early warranty issues into the shared warranty channel and tag severity levels.
• Schedule any required emergency site visits to address safety or life-safety defects.
• Present 30-day performance metrics
• Determine whether punchlist completion rate and average warranty response time are on track to meet Project Scope targets or require escalation.
• Agree a timebound remediation plan for the top unresolved punchlist and SLA failures.
• Publish the remediation plan for the top 10 open punchlist items with target close dates.
• Critical systems verification
• Present outcome data by criterion
• Recurring defects and preventive actions
• Root cause analysis for outstanding punchlist items
• Operational readiness and training refresh
• Warranty ticket SLA review
• Occupant onboarding and training status
• Document remaining warranty items and owner responsibilities
• Continuous improvement backlog and next steps
• Finalize remediation timeline and verification checks
• O&M documentation and training completeness
• Early warranty tickets and on-site defects
• Agree immediate remediation actions
• Agree short-term remediation plan