We spoke with Andrea S. Rutledge, CAE, president and CEO of the Construction Management Association of America, about the value trained and educated program and construction managers bring to projects, and how hiring the right pros can help improve U.S. infrastructure.
Andrea S. Rutledge, CAE
President and CEO, Construction Management Association of America
“A PM/CM professional’s mandate is to work with all parties to deliver the project or program within the owner’s schedule, budget, quality, and scope requirements.”
How does quality program and construction management help when it comes to building infrastructure?
Program and construction management professionals are responsible for managing a project’s (or program’s) full lifecycle (pre-design, design, procurement, construction, and post-construction), not simply managing the construction process. This view is becoming the norm among public and private owners and service providers, regardless of delivery method.
Program and construction management (PM/CM) is a professional service that provides a project’s owner(s) with effective management of the program or project’s schedule, cost, quality, safety, scope, and function. PM/CM services are compatible with all project delivery systems, including design-bid-build, design-build, CM at-risk, and public-private partnerships. PM/CM professionals are prepared to manage the entire project lifecycle, regardless of project type or delivery method.
What are some overlooked aspects of program and construction management?
A PM/CM professional represents the owner’s interest and provides direct oversight and management services for the entire project or program. A PM/CM professional’s mandate is to work with all parties to deliver the project or program within the owner’s schedule, budget, quality, and scope requirements.
For those investing in infrastructure (government bodies, private companies, etc.), what is important to know about program and construction management?
PM/CM professionals use industry-standard practices to manage projects or programs successfully. The CMAA Body of Knowledge and Standards of Practice both address all areas of PM/CM services across all project/program phases to achieve an owner’s required function and scope. These include:
- Time management
- Cost management
- Risk management
- Quality management
- Contract administration
- Safety management
- Sustainability
- Technology management
PM/CMs are uniquely qualified through combined education and experience to work with the owner, design professionals, specialized consultants, general contractor(s), and other stakeholders to determine the best possible sequence of operations from pre-construction through post-construction to ensure the owner achieves their optimal outcomes.
The Certified Construction Manager® (CCM®) certificate recognizes professionals who have chosen a career in program and construction management, and voluntarily met the prescribed criteria of the certification program with regards to formal education, experience, and examination.
The CCM is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI®) National Accreditation Board (ANAB) under the International Organization for Standardization’s 17024 standard.
CCMs are committed to excellence in their profession, career advancement, and the pursuit of knowledge. CCMs provide professional services that apply effective management techniques to the planning, design, and construction of a project or program from inception and completion, to control time, cost, and quality.
The purpose of the CCM is to improve the delivery of the built environment by identifying the professionals who are best qualified by education and experience to deliver professional construction management services with the highest quality and ethical conduct.
How can companies best utilize program and construction management professionals to get the best return on and see the most efficiency in their projects?
The most effective way for organizations to utilize program and construction management services is to encourage their staff to become certified, and to include preferences for CCMs in their RFPs and RFQs. State and federal agencies as varied as the U.S. General Services Administration, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the City of San Francisco Department of Public Works, and the DeKalb County (GA) School District all have preferences for CCMs.
