Project Approach
We fully understand what it will take to plan, procure and construct Oaklawn Apartments. Please review our in-depth, comprehensive process below.
Preconstruction
We are very excited for the opportunity to be involved in the preconstruction and planning process. With an anticipated Q2 construction start date we feel that we have ample time to work with the project team and the design team to perform design assist services, value engineering, mock-ups, award the correct subcontractors, and dive into the details of the drawings to eliminate potential surprises and anticipate risk.
As part of a preconstruction agreement we will lead weekly or biweekly meetings with owner and design team until contract/GMP is established.
1. Value Engineering & Design Assist
Value Engineering is a key component which ensures the best value for precise project requirements and desires. NEC will not just price up options presented by the client and the design team; but will play an active role in looking at value engineering options over all scopes of work. We will dive into the drawings and work with the team to come up with cost saving alternatives by creating a budget control sheet that clearly outlines each option and the overall effect on the bottom line budget.
We look forward to developing a detailed site logistics plan with you.
2. Mock-Ups
Our team will complete mock-ups of key components, such as façade elements, wall assemblies and other integral components of the building to avoid constructability issues once we mobilize. We will be working with our subcontractors early on to ensure that this takes place.
3. Procurement Process
The procurement process is vital to the project success and we feel that there is ample time to ensure that the right subcontractors are awarded between now and our anticipated start date. This will ensure manpower commitments and schedule milestones are met. NEC will collaboratively work with all subcontractors to make sure coordination is flawless. The current construction market is very fluid (but competitive) especially post COVID-19 pandemic, and we at NEC know how to navigate and award the most qualified subcontractor with the most competitive pricing. We are skilled at managing quality and cost. We will hire the correct subs for the important trades on this project. Our approach ensures that we engage subcontractors that will deliver quality construction, adhere to the schedule AND provide a fair price! We can find and deliver the VALUE in the marketplace.
Risk Management
Mitigating and eliminating risk is what we do. NEC has and will continue to expose risk throughout the preconstruction process. Risk is constantly changing and we are laser-focused on staying a step ahead of it. Our process includes a quality control manager as well as our standard practices regarding in wall and envelope documentation.
We don’t view risk as negative. It is an opportunity to add value for our client, show what sets NEC apart from the competition, and challenge ourselves to be innovative and leaders in the industry.
Safety
NEC will ensure that safety always remains a #1 priority.
As a company focused on building indelible partnerships with fellow industry experts, New England Construction has teamed up with Constructors Risk Management (CRM) for additional project safety and compliance. CRM assists NEC to ensure every job site is safe and ready to build by providing on-site inspections, audits, and consultations as well as on-site, off-site and online safety training. CRM also supports in the area of OSHA consultation and representation.
In addition to CRM, NEC’s Safety Manager, Joe Teixeira provides direct supervision and support to our on-site team in the area of safety management. Daily inspections and weekly meetings conducted by the Superintendent on site support and reinforce our detailed safety program that we would be glad to share upon request.
Schedule
We will employ scheduling mechanisms and techniques that will ensure an effective, well–paced preconstruction and construction phases while meeting all expectations for functionality and quality. We will create a work plan that ties to the risk and decision matrix.
We utilize “Pull Plan Scheduling” which at its core is a visual way to schedule that makes it easier for the general contractor to make changes and invite subcontractor buy-ins. This is one of the first activities that takes place as a full project team and it is time well spent. By involving subcontractors in the scheduling process while they are gathered in the same place, it creates an environment where schedule driven conversations occur. This exercise generates conversations about when one contractor should start and the other should stop or even how to phase multiple trades that are working in the same area. All subcontractor feedback and contributions are posted on the “pull plan board” thus generating buy in to the schedule which absolutely results in a higher probability of accuracy.
Critical–path decisions are addressed and commensurate with the schedule by drafting an agenda for each team meeting, outlining milestones and action items. We emphasize focused discussions with the project committee and stakeholders to appraise options and confirm that time is focused on pursuing appropriate solutions. This procedure assures that the client team and design team members are accountable, focused on individual tasks, and aware of timeliness surrounding their decisions.
Our project team has put significant time against understanding the intricacies of this construction project and will provide a detailed project schedule early in preconstruction.
Procore
New England Construction will utilize Procore for the project management software on this project. Procore is a user friendly, collaborative project management platform designed to streamline communication between all team members, provide live time updates of project status, and document all information in one organized location. The program is cloud based and accessible wherever there is internet – at the office, at home, or on the fourth floor in one of the units we are building.
Procore allows the team to quickly create RFIs from marked up drawings, share new Addendums with subcontractors, manage contracts and finances, and provide daily reports and project updates. There is an unlimited amount of storage for the project and the data that will be available for Operations & Maintenance manuals. Procore’s mobile app makes it easy to view documents in the field, on a walkthrough or remotely. If there is a question in the field, our site Superintendent can quickly respond and access all of the drawings at his fingertips.
Project Benefits include:- Increased collaboration
- Streamlined efficiency
- Quick responses
- Accurate live project updates
- Real time visibility into the projects health
- Increased accountability for the team
- Reduces risk
- Cohesiveness between the field and the office
Budget & Cost Management
NEC will dedicate a Senior Project Manager who will be the common conduit from which information flows throughout the preconstruction phase. In addition to serving as the primary point of contact for Gilbane Development and all involved design consultants, he/she will manage the subcontractor agreements on the project and be responsible for updating the master project schedule. The Senior Project Manager will also keep Gilbane Development apprised of all aspects of the budget and any potential cost impacts to the project. By onboarding your builder early, changes are minimal. The preconstruction effort and collaboration by owner, architect, builder and all consultants minimizes the risk for changes. In the case of an owner-directed change to the program, NEC will quickly evaluate and communicate all potential cost and/or scheduling impacts. We are a relationship-focused firm with a reputation of being fair and equitable in all of our relationships. We will leverage our subcontractor relationships to negotiate a fair price. Our primary objective is to treat our client’s money like it is our money. We maintain a change order log and potential change order log that is updated weekly.
We feel that NEC is the perfect size for this project and delivery method. We are large enough that we have the horsepower to successfully manage large scale redevelopments and ground up construction, yet small enough where each project we execute has executive oversight from our firm President and CEO and Director of Operations. We will give careful consideration to project cost versus construction cost in order to make sure that both meet the overall project budget. As a merit shop, we have the flexibility to address this by using the proper subcontractor in each trade regardless of union or non-union status.
NEC Advantage
- Extensive local multi unit experience.
- Affordable Housing Experience
- Experienced with Cranston permitting process.
- Relationships with key local authorities.
- Highest quality local subcontractor base to draw from resulting in most competitive pricing while maintaining quality
- Experienced project team from top to bottom
- High quality and accuracy of our budget analysis led by Steve Sluter
- Advanced leadership experience in driving pre-construction activities
- Passionate commitment to safety and quality
- Embracing a collaborate partnership
Corporate Policy for MWBE and Other Diversity/Equity/Inclusion Programs
We remain committed to supporting local woman and minority owned businesses. We take pride in putting together bid invitations to a diverse field of qualified subcontractors. In an industry where less than 10% are women NEC proudly boasts an internal team that includes 35% women including two women on our Senior Leadership Team.
Creating a More Diverse & Inclusive Workspace
The following is an excerpt from a January 2021 blog published by our Vice President, Kim Sluter. Prior to sharing this publicly NEC rolled out specific initiatives across the organization at our Companywide Annual Meeting. We revisit our initiatives and track progress on a quarterly basis. We know we have a long way to go to achieve our desired results.
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2020 exposed a country divided. The racial inequality highlighted during the pandemic, the protests, and the election season forced all of us to look within, question what we know, how we operate, and how we can be better. While reflection is helpful to kickstart change, real initiatives need to be instilled in order to make our workplaces more diverse and inclusive. At NEC, we don’t just want to question – we want to take the steps to actively become a better organization.
NEC took the second half of 2020 to develop specific areas for improvement. We are steadfast in our efforts to create a safe and unified workspace at NEC. As we think about our values and who we want to be as a company, it's clear we have an opportunity to extend ourselves in new ways and set the standard for what NEC represents to our NEC family, clients, network partners, subcontractors and the real estate and construction industry.
Our Pillars
Employee, client and network partner feedback will be essential in this process. Our anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion strategy is focused on four pillars, and each of our new goals aligns with one of those.
- Talent
- Education
- Culture
- Service
Our Current Initiatives
To be successful, a commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging needs to be felt across all levels and aspects of our company. Every person who walks through our doors or onto one of our job sites needs to feel welcome and respected. That’s why we're revisiting our practices and the training resources we offer to ensure they include anti-racism and anti-bias content. NEC will also provide all of our stakeholders, including employees, clients, network partners, and subcontractors, with opportunities and space to connect, share their stories and learn to act as allies.
To lead and drive this work, we're adding this initiative to our accountability chart and appointing a Diversity Officer. Kim Sluter, Vice President, will champion developing, implementing and measuring programs that drive our anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion strategy. Regular updates will be reported at all quarterly meetings and each department will focus on developing department-specific anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion rocks in their quarterly meetings.
We know that we can’t do this alone, which is why we plan to partner specifically with organizations focused on anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion as we work to make NEC and the industry at large a better place.
We'd be remiss if we didn't acknowledge our responsibility to be active corporate citizens. One way we can do that is by using our platform to encourage our employees, customers and communities to vote. Voting is both a privilege and a responsibility, and we strongly encourage all NEC employees to maintain an active voter registration and vote in all national, state and local elections.
We know we have a lot of ways we can improve as we strive to be a better, more inclusive and anti-racist company for you, our customers, partners and communities. These concrete actions represent the next phase in our journey, not the finish line. We continue to be committed to doing the work, being transparent about our progress along the way and holding ourselves accountable. We ask that you continue to help us by giving feedback, sharing ideas and challenging each other to grow and evolve.