Project Management View from Rail Transit Programs and Projects

S.R. Covey’s Habit 2 from The Habits of Highly Effective People is -  Begin With the End In Mind.   This habit in personal effectiveness can be equally applied to project management inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs. 

For an experienced rail transit project professional, the path to the project success can appear very obvious.  However project professionals with less experience, and lesser familiarity with the business responsibilities of an Owner in the transport industry, may not recognize the connections between project management silos, the needed coordination with adjacent projects, or the Owner’s managerial approaches, decision making and performance metrics.  

Due to the scope, size and complexity of mega projects, many construction managers and project management consultants supplement services with software tools to manage the volume of records and knowledge created by contracts.   Some project management software tools allow project professionals to separate management functions into silos and segregate the silos for efficiency in executing project processes and deliverables driven by established performance metrics.   While this may help to organize the project work, responsibilities and personnel assignments, and to expedite production, it will need to be aligned with the Owner’s means, methods, organizational operating assets and processes used for the transport business.   

Project Management Institute’s – Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMI-PMBOK) reminds project managers that the project is a temporary endeavor, and as so, project managers need to adapt and effectively use the organizations existing business structures, organizational process assets and organizational business systems.   Following the life cycle of processes, the integration management by the Project Manger (PM) consists of:

• Develop Project Charter
• Develop the Project Management Plan
• Direct and Manage the Project Work
• Manage Project Knowledge
• Monitor and Control Project Work
• Perform Integrated Change Control
• Close Project or Phase

In some software tools, the management functions include design, construction, safety, quality, commercial, operations, outreach and safety/security.   And the technical reviewer assignments are separated into broad scopes of expertise, such as civil and structures, track and systems, stations and garages, commercial, and safety and security.  The software can also allow for delegation to other reviewers as well as to the Owner’s technical representatives with organizational responsibility for the scope that is the subject of the submitted documents.   Based on the typical rail transit organization, this can create overlaps as well as gaps in resources to handle a large volume of work.  

Keep the End In Mind – All the project records and knowledge created by the PM, contractor and construction manager will be transferred to the rail transit company/Owner

In rail transit organizations, work on fixed assets is separated into track, power, communications and signals, and bridges, buildings and facilities.   Unless the software tools can be adapted to best align with the Owner’s organization and be accessible for all reviewers, the entire contract submittal and deliverables review processes will become more complex than intended as cross functions are determined or missed.  This may require unbudgeted resources to correct and make the process efficient and to assure the knowledge is usable for the Owner’s organization.   

Essentials for maximizing benefits from software tools:

• Administrators/Document Control Managers must be familiar with rail transit organization structures, division of work and the technical expertise within management silos
• Assigned leads using the software tools must understand their role as well as the scope jurisdiction of support staff for delegating reviews
• All reviewers must have direct access to the software tool and the digitized project documents
• All support reviewers must have dedicated hours to accomplish the assigned workload within performance criteria
• Coding and labeling of documents must align with the organization’s system for storing and retrieving project records.

Introducing the organization to the software tools used by consultants and contractors requires an understanding of the rail transit operating structure, division of responsibilities, labor jurisdictions for work, and how it fits into the established groupings of technical experts. 

The civil and structure scope encompasses facilities, buildings and bridges that support rail transit infrastructure such as employee facilities, station buildings, platforms, parking areas, signage, fire protection, vertical transport, landscaping, and safety and security.  This infrastructure directly and indirectly supports and integrates with the operation of rail transit systems contained in the track and systems.

The track scope encompasses constructing track, track foundation, sub-ballast and ballast and special trackwork, such as switches that form interlockings for crossing trains from one track to another.   The systems’ scope, which is significantly larger and involves more complex technology, encompasses constructing equipment and interconnecting infrastructure forming assets for operations including communications, signal, power, supervisory control, operation center integration, security, fire protection and passenger information.  

The stations scope encompasses constructing buildings and waiting rooms, platforms and shelters, pedestrian overpasses and elevators, grade level parking, passenger information systems, and plazas, seating, walkways and landscaping.   The garage scope encompasses constructing multi-level parking, administrative offices, employee and equipment rooms, signage, fare collection, and landscaping.  

The safety scope encompasses constructing assets to mitigate job hazards and monitoring the means and methods used by consultants and contractors in performing the project work.   The security scope encompasses constructing assets with appropriate features, such as CCTV, intrusions alarms, structural barriers and hardening, to address threats and vulnerabilities from potential exposure to political and cultural environment in the area. 

Keep the End In Mind – PM's execution and delivery of assets and records must satisfy the rail transit company/Owner

The fixed assets in the rail transit projects are constructed, operated and maintained to support the operation of rolling stock, especially passenger cars and locomotives, for the movement of passengers between departing and destination train stations.  The fixed infrastructure and the rolling stock are interdependent to each other for moving customers safely, efficiently and comfortably, while meeting expectations for security, reliability and on-time performance.     

Good Practices for PMs to Improve Managerial Performance:

• Monitor and assess the quality of transactions from using the Document Control and  Project Management software tools, and undertake actions for improvements
• Review, identify improvements and actions based on published monthly, periodic and adhoc reports from Project Management Office (PMO), Consultant(s), Contractor(s), Oversight Consultant(s) and independent advocacy experts 
• Conduct and document monthly PMO/Project Quality Management System meetings
• Conduct and document monthly PMO performance meetings with the Owner
• Evaluate Lessons Learned for edits/improvements to existing Plans, Procedures/and Requirements
• Update/reaffirm Project Plans/Procedures on a semi annual or annual basis
• Monitor and undertake actions on recurring Non-Conformance Reports issued under the Quality Program.

TIP:   PMOs and Project Managers should continuously monitor processes and procedures, address inefficiencies, and reduce complexities that create avoidable delays in progress to production metrics and shortfalls in quality to requirements. 

TIP:   The quality of labeling and coding on contract submittals and deliverables directly influences the success for storing, searching and retrieving project records.   

TIP:   A comprehensive list of reviewers by technical scope should be consistently used to create primary and secondary assignments and work flows for commenting on the project documents.    

TIP:   Secondary assignments should include reviewers with technical jurisdiction on interdependent work and interfaces to the primary scope in the project documents.

TIP:   Document Control should monitor submittal content for correct titling and numbering convention to maintain threads on sequential iterations of documents from comment reviews and revision control on adjustments from new information during progress or changes in design and construction.

Since dirt roads with horse drawn carriages and wagons were replaced with rails, rail transit systems were built from the top of running rails (TOR) and centerline of rails (COR).  TOR is the interface for rails car vertical clearances with overhead structures, passenger car vestibule interfaces with station platforms.  COR is the interface for horizontal clearance between rail cars and structures along the Right Of Way (ROW.)

Rail transit industry evolved to steel rails and cars with steel wheels and axle sets.  From this foundation, operators continued to integrate technology and raise service standards by adding systems to improve the safety of train operations and comfort in passenger cars and fixed infrastructure.  Each improvement created more interfaces and the need for more extensive testing of interdependent systems assure operation to meet standards.    Some of the interfaces are:

• AC and DC electric motor propulsion and passenger HVAC comfort on rail cars
• 3^rd rail DC power and AC overhead catenary power to support passenger cars
• 110hz Ac powered signal systems for safest movement rail cars
• Communications systems for operations and customer information at stations and on-board rail cars.

As world events affected mankind, safety and security systems were incorporated for surveillance of employees, passengers and other customers in stations, terminals, facilities and passenger cars and monitor environmental conditions in terminals.  

The rail transit industry is always developing improvements for upgrading fixed assets and rolling stock systems.  The more recent improvements include providing real-time status on service on video displays and message signage in passenger cars, stations, and platforms.  Other improvements such as positive train control, and video monitoring of engineer status in the cab of passenger cars and locomotives are still being developed.  

Each subsequent improvement creates more interfaces and the need for more extensive testing of interdependent systems assure operation to meet standards.   

In rail transit – TOR and COR remain a constant datum for the interface between passenger cars and system infrastructure.    It is also a baseline criterion for developing scope, technical criteria, and design, construction and testing requirements for capital projects.   The project scope, execution method, cost and duration are a function of the business case category.  

Common business case categories are stated in the New York MTA Capital Program Plans for planning projects and they are:

• State of Good Repair (SGR) projects renew assets that have surpassed their useful life, to achieve SGR. 
• Normal Replacement (NR) projects renew assets that are nearing the end of their useful life, to preserve SGR
• System Improvement (SI) projects enhance the network, providing new capabilities and a better customer experience  \
• Network Expansion (NE) projects extend the reach of the MTA network, expanding the service offering

Unlike air travel, water travel and roadway travel, the rail transit passenger cars and infrastructure are always physically constrained by the characteristics and features of the fixed assets and the rolling assets.  As a result, the design, construction and testing for commissioning and use of projects require all the parts to be tested together after all tests are completed on individual systems.

Wayside systems and rail car interfaces include:

Track:              Rail gage – distance between rails and switches, COR spacing with adjacent tracks, and TOR and COR clearances with structures along the ROW need to align with spacing of axle wheels sets for movement of rail cars and on-rail vehicles.

Power:             Substation and signal power equipment, positive cables and negative return cables needs to supply adequate power for wayside and rail car propulsion and to supervisory monitoring system, and the 3^rd rail TOR and COR such as height needs to align with rail car contact shoe.

Signals:            Signal generators for coding running rails need to support rail car cab signals, wayside signals for aiding operating engineers in determining and controlling speed, and for correlating track conditions with scheduled train routing.                      

Structures:       Wayside structures need to provide proper vertical - TOR and horizontal – COR clearances for dynamic movements of rail cars at the maximum operating speed for the track geometry and topographic (civil) conditions.

Facilities:         Equipment and tools need to provide TOR and COR clearances matching the outline of rail cars and rail-borne vehicles for inspection, maintenance and repair.

But the linchpin interface for connecting the systems to form a fully integrated and functional transportation system is:

Communications:  

• Radio systems and network coverage throughout the system connecting qualified operating employees at train operation centers and local control towers, on rail cars and on-rail vehicles, and wayside facilities, including interfaces with positive train control.
• Cable network connecting telephone and data lines to substations and motor generators; signal huts, equipment and wayside signals; customer information service displays and signage
• Cable network connecting to traffic safety and security systems, including CCTV and other features for video analytics such as recognition technology for persons, idle packages, vehicle tags and crowding of persons
• Cable network and wifi equipment to connecting business operating systems, fare collection and ticketing systems, and mobile technology systems to customer cellular applications.

The International Council of Systems Engineers (ww.incose.org) describes the integrative approach through the engineering lifecycle as:

The integrative approach has long been used in systems engineering and usually involves either interdisciplinary (e.g.. integrated product teams) or multi-disciplinary (e.g.. joint technical reviews) methods. The integrative approach by itself can be adequate where the situation is not overly complex and there are smaller numbers of stakeholders potentially impacted. The integrative approach can be used when dealing with a highly precedented situation that has been encountered before and a path to the solution can be readily identified and understood (albeit there will still be many challenges along the way, technical and otherwise). The integrative approach includes the traditional multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary approaches commonly used in systems engineering practice. The transdisciplinary approach may be needed in unprecedented situations or where there is a significant degree of complexity involved. See Madni (2018).

System Integration Testing (SIT) commences after all the individual systems are tested and commissioned for alone operation.   The integration scope will encompass all wayside and rail cars working together in unison to verify that all systems are operating as designed and in accordance with Owner and regulatory requirements, such as Federal Transit Administration.  

Per Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Oversight Procedure 54:

System Integration Testing SIT validates that all fixed facilities, systems, and equipment perform as intended, both individually and as an overall system when integrated. The process also confirms that all personnel have the management capacity and capability to provide safe and dependable service, and that emergency drills have been completed prior to revenue operations. For a well-managed project, SIT is integrated into the project master schedule with time-phased activities showing the inter-dependencies between various activities and project milestones.

SIT for projects that are State of Good Repair and Normal Replacement (and some System Improvements) may be adequately covered by a series of Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), which may include a burn-in period to monitor performance and compatibility.  Most of these type projects use the Owner’s existing and well proven specifications and approved products.  And many railroad systems, such as signals, require extensive pre-testing to support cutovers that are conducted with the system shut down for testing with trains operating without customers to run every possible train route.  As a result, the exposure to risks on these type projects is relatively low impact to the Owner’s existing system and operating plans.  These tests may be sequenced incrementally over several weekend outages to minimize impacts to weekday service plans.

SIT for projects that are System Improvements and Network Expansion, System Integration Testing is larger scope that builds upon FAT and SAT.  These projects can vary from first time applications of new systems or new technology, or are a completely new type infrastructure to the Owner’s existing system or new startup.  Each scenario presents exposure risks on practices and processes for operation, inspection, maintenance and repair.   As a result, SIT will require a larger testing scope.  These type projects have a larger exposure to risks with higher impacts on the commissioning and startup, operating processes, and manpower loading and skills.   This may require longer period of testing to assure all risks are mitigated

SITs will test, measure, analyze and verify compliance to expected results for a comprehensive list conditions that replicate all potential operating scenarios including train routes, train density and passenger car loading.  While dependent on project scope, below is a sample list of SIT test attributes:

Track:              Reliability and durability of switch operations

Power:             Third rail voltage drops and substation/motor generator breaker operation and trip setting

Signals:            Switch point and rod operation, switch position integrity, indications for wayside signal aspects and cab signal speed aspects, and positive train control

Structures:       ROW clearances with dynamic envelopes for rail cars and on-rail vehicles, and operations of vertical transport and building systems

CCTV:    Camera field of view, analytics and indications

Ops Center:     Remote operation of track switches, electrically operated power switches and breakers, camera panning, PA announcements, information message displays, intrusion alarm indications, radio communications with train engineer/conductors, towers, employee facilities, and ROW inspectors and maintenance work crews. 

TIP:    The scope, complexity and duration of SIT is a function of the project classification, scope, division of work between contractors and in-house forces, work conditions and the Owner's experience with similar FTA (government) funded projects.

TIP:    SIT processes, procedures and documentation should be tailored to the Owner's existing organization, quality management system, safety and security program plan and operating plans and procedures.   

TIP:    If the Owner has completed similar projects before, they will be a good source and judge on the SIT completeness and realism of the execution schedule.

TIP:    Owner’s input is essential to assure the SIT is not under-scoped on complex projects or over-scopes on projects that contain well documented and previously used testing processes, procedures and schedules. 

TIP:    SIT schedules need to be consistent with the work conditions in the Contract, which may restrict work hours, require services modifications and shut downs, and need protective services to support the testing.

TIP:    For work performed by in house forces, the SIT, final inspection and determination if the work is safe for service is designated to the on-site qualified and responsible person (s).  The processes, procedures and documentation is well established by the Owner and in compliance with Federal Railroad Administration (government) regulatory requirements for railroad operation.  

For more information, visit:

Procedure 54: https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/OP54%20Readiness%20for%20Revenue%20Operations%20-%20Sept%202015.pdf

Lessons Learned – Sun Rail (New Start)

https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/implementation-systems-integration-testing

MTA Capital Program

https://new.mta.info/capital/2020CapitalProgram

International Council for Systems Engineers

www.incose.org

Recently a colleague in a leadership position on a rail transit project said, they do not understand the importance of testing.    This came after a project meeting, where incorporating more activities for Commissioning Acceptance and Maintenance Plan (CAMP) into the Detailed Contract Schedule (DCS) was discussed.   At the meeting, the feedback from the contractor’s Project Controls leader indicated that activities for inspection, testing and CAMP deliverables should not be in the DCS.   

In a previously posted article regarding Best Practices for Commissioning Acceptance and Maintenance Plan (CAMP), the Commissioning component was described as:  

Commissioning:   This is the pre-requisite activities and deliverables for starting the CAMP package and deliverables for Acceptance, and it is the Buyer’s (Owner) process for verification of project/contract scope and the Seller’s (Contractor) compliance with requirements.    The activities typically include Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), On-Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), In-progress Inspections, Start-Up and Burn-In.   Commissioning activities should be integrated into Project Control schedules and Quality Plans, which contain quality control inspection and test plans.

This article expands on the Commissioning element of the CAMP process and deliverables and it describes the importance on rail transit projects.   The project assets typically include track switches and machines, signal systems, traction power systems, signal power systems, communication systems and security systems.      

Commissioning-Inspection and Testing

Inspections and testing of the contract product and deliverables is essential for demonstrating the work meets the contract and is ready for final acceptance.   The inspection and testing requirements are defined by the Owner or its designated Designer of Record (DOR) in the contract documents and in project plans.

• Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT):   FAT is applied to high value, long lead, and critical assets that require extreme confidence that the asset will work when installed and interconnected to other products in the project to create an integrated system.    These type assets are usually supplied by specialty contractors to prime contractors for interconnecting all conduits and cables at the project site for operation.   The FAT is performed by the specialty contractors and it is usually witnessed by the prime contractor and other technical experts on the project.  FAT tests can range from several days to nearly a week or more depending on the complexity of test procedures and an action to correct problems.   FATs that require additional time may impact scheduled progress and require adjustments to interdependent activities in the DCS.
• On-Site Acceptance Testing (SAT):  SAT is the successor to FAT.  SAT replicates much of the FAT and focuses on added testing for verifying operation with interconnected conducts, cable and supervisory systems.   The SAT is performed by the prime contractor and it is usually witnessed by the specialty contractor and other technical experts on the project.   Specialty contractors often provide on-site technical assistance to the prime contractor.   Due to the amount of preparatory pre-testing, SAT tests are usually several days and may require an Owner to make operational changes to accommodate testing.   SATs that require additional time may impact scheduled progress and require adjustments to interdependent activities in the DCS.
• System Integration Testing (SIT):  SIT  is testing of several critical assets after the pre-requisite predecessor testing, including FAT and SAT.  SIT encompasses verifying asset operation within the overall rail transit system under conditions required to support its service plan, including train movement, passenger movement, customer information and announcements, safety and security monitoring, and central operating centers.   SITs that require additional time may impact scheduled progress and require adjustments to interdependent activities in the DCS.
• First Article Inspections (FAIs):   FAIs involve testing to prove out design and functionality of components before mass production.   FAIs are usually applied to projects with retrofit scope involving the installation of equipment fleet-wide or system-wide to meet legal, statutory or regulatory requirements.    FAIs are performed at the specialty contractors’ facilities and may be followed by prototype installations on Owner property.   FAIs will create schedule hold points in DCS before specialty contractors will be released for production and delivery of the component.
• Special Inspections (SIs):   SIs (and testing by independent testing agencies) are applied to project elements of construction such as steel, concrete, masonry, wood, soil, fire resistant materials, mastics, and smoke control, which bridges and buildings.   The SIs scope includes soil conditions, concrete rebar and formwork, concrete condition and strength, welding of structural members, bolting of structural members and fire proof insulation and coatings.   SIs will create schedule hold points in DCS for verifying test results meet requirements before work can proceed. 
• Inspection and Testing Plans (ITP):   The ITP complements the SIs and covers the full scope of the project as described in the contract drawings and specifications.      ITP consists of the more routine inspections and tests that are part of the project Quality Management Program, which includes the Construction Quality Plan for overseeing the contractor’s workmanship, quality of materials, and compliance with contract drawings and specifications.   ITPs may create hold points in DCS for substantial completion and construction completion milestones, and to CAMP processes and deliverables until non-conformances are repaired, corrected or accepted under conditions by Owner or DOR.

With exception of ITPs, all of the inspections and tests require integration with interdependent construction activities to determine baseline dates.  As construction progress is updated in the DCS, changes in dates for inspections and testing may occur.

Best Practices - Commissioning

• Projects must have a Project Management Plan covering construction monitoring and quality management with descriptions of scope, personnel, processes, and deliverables (sample Forms).
• Contractor must have written procedures and deliverables for inspection and testing activities, and a process for monitoring performance and periodically updating plans to reflect scope changes and adjustments due to DCS.  
• Owner must have a written plan to support contractor inspection and testing plans and with processes for monitoring Commissioning performance and implementing project and contract improvements.  
• Owner’s project manager, with appropriate support staff, must focus on oversight of the contractor/subcontractors and provide direction to reinforce effective and integrated Quality processes across managerial silos.
• Owner’s project representatives, or designated consultants, must be very familiar with the Organization and the responsible parties for obtaining and documenting technical feedback on the various inspections and testing for project elements.
• Owner’s processes for travel arrangements must be flexible and responsive to changes in FAT and SAT dates.  This may be accomplished by implementing advance approvals for baseline dates that contain provisions to change dates without resubmitting arrangements. 

TIP:   Requirements for Project Management Plans can be found at several resources including www.transit.dot.gov [Federal Transit Administration] and www.PMI.org [Project Management Institute.]

TIP:    On large projects, FATs, SATs and FAIs need to be coordinated to avoid conflicts and to assure personnel and travel arrangements can be available for inspection and testing dates.

TIP:   FATs and SATs require advance review and approvals of the scope and procedures.  At least 60 days notice/submittal reviews prior to the anticipated dates should be shown on the DCS.

TIP:    For project work on system expansions, most of the SIT can be done while maintaining operations on other parts of the system. 

TIP:   For project work that is performed on an operating system, the SIT will need detailed staging and require an Owner to make operational changes to accommodate testing.     

The broad scope of integration includes understanding processes and interdependencies, verifying process durations, assuring logical sequencing of project schedule activities, and interconnecting processes across organizational silos to assure alignment of managerial areas with the project scope, schedule and budget.

On rail transit projects, integration includes linking management across organizational silos, including design, construction, contract administration, operational coordination, quality and safety, and tailoring processes, deliverables and approaches to the Owner’s business and, if available, its established Project Management Office (PMO.) 

Project management integration crosses all the knowledge areas, which are defined by the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) – Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).   PMI knowledge – project level areas include: scope, schedule, cost, quality, resources, communications, risk, procurement, stakeholders, claims, safety, environmental and finance.

An Owner’s rail transit business management typically includes engineering, maintenance of equipment (mechanical), transportation, passenger services, procurement and logistics, materials management, business systems, fleet management, human resources, legal, safety and security, and CEO leadership team.   For projects, the Owner’s traditionally assign representatives from essential groups to the support the Project Manager with assistance from the PMO.   Typically, the PM will work closely with engineering, transportation, passenger services, procurement and logistics, legal, and safety and security.

For most rail transit projects, the PM is always responsible and ultimately accountable for integration across all the management functions.  The PM's skills and experience on projects will determine the approach and success of the integration.

PMI defines the PM’s role “when performing integration on the project:

• Project managers play a key role in working with the project sponsor to understand the strategic objectives and ensure the alignment of the project objectives and results with those of the portfolio, program and business areas.  In this way, project managers contribute to the execution and integration of the strategy.
• Project managers are responsible for guiding the team to work together to focus on what is really essential at the project level.   This is achieved through the integration of processes, knowledge and people.”

Unfortunately, many project organizations today, do not define a Project Manager position.   However there may be a collection of leads for various silos including design and engineering, construction, construction management, scheduling, estimating, reporting, contract administration, budget administration, operational support, safety management and quality management. 

Through years of experience and training, and regardless of the scope, value or duration, a PM is required.  As built into the PMI-PMBOK, a PM is always responsible and accountable for the overall project performance, whether he/she was a direct contributor or hands-off manager.   If a contributor failed, the PM failed.   As a result, the PM learned every team members’ role, responsibilities and deliverables and as needed, he/she could step in or delegate to a qualified person to fill a gap and support the team without missing critical milestones or delaying project progress.  

On large rail transit projects, the Project Manager’s focus is frequently redirected to responding to Board governance, numerous oversight consultants, funding partners, government influencers, and community advocates.   As a result, the PM will surround himself with Assistant Project Managers that can focus on managing progress to schedule and as needed, contributing equally to estimates, schedule updates, reports, contract administration, quality, safety, security -  IE Integration.  And as the leader of the project, the PM provides direction to the team based on institutional knowledge and cultural perspective of a rail transit organization.  

If the project organization does not have a dedicated PM, the integration will likely be spread by default to other members of the team.   This leads to no-one member being accountable for the project – as a result no-one member is responsible.  This situation will create managerial ciaos and an endless search for a manager that is accountable for decisions and performance.   Without a PM, the project team will simply delegate to a responsible party in an organizational silo.  This situation makes management integration difficult.     

PMI states “The project manager should strive to become proficient in all the Project Management Knowledge Areas.   In concert with proficiency in these Knowledge Areas, the project manager applies experience, insight, leadership, and technical and business management skills to the project.  Finally, it is through the project manager’s ability to  integrate the processes in these Knowledge Areas that makes it possible to achieve the desired project results.”

A superior knowledge and understanding by project leaders with integration experience on projects needs to be balanced with experience in the domain, such as rail transit projects.   This may require assigning or hiring PM personnel that have broad experience with projects that have similar as scope, regulatory and statutory requirements, industry suppliers of products, government or developer funding sources and division of labor to execute the project. 

Good Practices for Project Management Integration

• Verify the schedule logic is appropriate for work sequences; means, methods and durations; defined interfaces to predecessor and successor activity, and for interdependencies in the WBS
• Validate Division of Work is consistent with the Owner’s organization and internal labor force and collective bargaining agreements
• Monitor the activities and progress of cross-connected management silos by project producers including design contractor(s), construction contractor(s), Owner, PM team quality, PM team project controls, and PM team contract administration
• Confirm alignment and timing of material purchase processes, durations from PO to delivery, and the adequacy of float to schedule installation or construction activities
• Validate site access and work hours can support the scheduled performance milestones at the contract level and project level
• Assess the durations for manufacturing and fabricating processes for materials and systems are within industry capabilities and practices
• Establish and monitor Owner’s staffing levels are adequate to support the design and construction activities as defined in contract Division of Work.

Other considerations:

• Identify a PM or an Integration Manager role for reporting and monitoring interdependencies of work across functional groups and with authority to provide direction
• Assure assigned PM from in-house candidates or a consultant PM has demonstrated project management skills and expertise; project experience matching the current project scope; and demonstrated knowledge of the Owner’s operations and management culture
• Provide the PM with the autonomy and authority for allocating resources and implement decisions equal to the level of accountability on the project
• Create a Matrix that identifies the interdependencies between functional silos and the critical path on the schedule

TIP:   The PM or Integration Manager must be an avid reader with the ability to see hidden threads in content across managerial silos and PMI-PMBOK knowledge areas.

TIP:   On a mega project, an effective way to improve integration is to breakdown the mega-project into a program of individual projects that can each be executed by Project Managers in a PMO environment.

TIP:   Regardless of assignments created by software tools, experienced rail transit persons should monitor all incoming transactions and review the titles and content of Submittals and Requests For Information-RFIs.  As needed within individual accountabilities and expertise, contribute technical and managerial comments to complete integration of comments across silos. 

TIP:   Design management integration topics include consultant management, processes and deliverables for construction specifications and drawings, design criteria, project business case and value engineering to provide best value to the Owner.

TIP:   Construction management integration topics include contract documents, inspection and testing, quality control, quality assurance, performance management, change control, risk management, project records management, and knowledge transfer to the Owner.  

TIP:   Communications on project progress and actions can vary frequently based on changing conditions.  When communications create different messages, project leadership must take immediately steps to  resolve the different messages by providing clear direction.  

This article complements the previous articles “What are good practices for Commissioning Acceptance and Maintenance Plan (CAMP)?” and Questions and Answers to CAMP – Parts 1 and 2.  Here are Questions and Answers to CAMP – Part 3.   

Are the CAMP requirements different for design bid build (DBB) and design build (DB) project delivery?

No.    Since the CAMP process spans the design and construction phases of a project, the requirements are the same.   However, the execution of the CAMP process is different.  In DBB, there are separate contracts for Designer/Engineering of Record to create the construction contract, and for a Contractor to furnish/construct the product.   In DB, there is a single contract where the EOR and Contractor are part of the same team with the design and construction phases proceeding in parallel.   

If there is no CAMP in Div 1, where are the requirements found?

Commissioning, Acceptance and Maintenance Plan requirements may be spread throughout the general provisions and the technical specifications in the contract.   As a result, the Buyer and Seller will need to work together to extract and consolidate the activities and documentation into a cohesive set of deliverables.   In some cases, Buyers may label CAMP differently such as Integrated System Test Plan (ISTP) or System Test Plan, which may include Factory Acceptance Testing and Site Acceptance Testing.   

On a project, is CAMP one package at the end of the project?

There can be one CAMP Package if the project consists of a single construction contract and there is no incremental acceptance of construction by the Buyer for operational use ahead of the substantial completion or construction completion as defined in the performance.   Larger projects may include multiple contracts/subcontracts with scope that can be constructed and put into use independent of other contracts/subcontracts on the project.   As a result, multiple CAMP packages will be required for each contract or subcontract.   This may require the Project Management Plan incorporate a CAMP [Management] Plan  to management the processes and deliverables.  

What happens when the Buyer accepts the Sellers CAMP Package?

Based on typical contract requirements, the Buyer’s acceptance of the CAMP Package constitutes construction completion and the start of the Warranty period management by the Seller.   During this period, the Buyer is responsible for periodic inspection and maintenance of the product, including consumable items.  However failures and breakdowns of the constructed product is covered by the Sellers management of the established Warranty Plan.   This normally includes Sellers labor and materials to repair the product to operational use. 

What actions can the Buyer take to focus the Seller on completing punchlist work?

Creating an agreed upon punchlist is a co-predecessor to the contract milestone for  Substantial Completion (SC ) and for issuance of certificates for occupancy.   Finishing punchlist work is a predecessor to achieving the contract milestone for Construction Completion (CC).   In order to focus the Seller on completing all  work, the Buyer must carefully evaluate the Seller’s payment applications and assure the value of the remaining work is estimated and used by the Buyer to reduce the total earned value of verified work completed by the Seller.    Under the General Provisions of the standard contract form, the Buyer can  withhold the estimated value of remaining work from the invoice amount presented in the Seller’s payment application.     In some contracts, the Buyer can reduce the Seller’s payment application amount by 2 times the estimated cost of remaining work. 

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