Partnering Project Success Case Study

In a truly collaborative fashion, competitive engineering firms, CH2M Hill and Black & Veatch, involved on three different contracts with Pizzagalli, agreed to meet together at the quarterly sessions.

Team Evaluation Process (Internal Customer Satisfaction Survey): As a supplement to the Executive-Level sessions, a separate rating tool called the Team Evaluation was administered and compiled by FMI on a quarterly basis for each of the five contracts. Similar to the goal assessment format, this tool asked project and on-site supervisory personnel a different set of questions to the project and on-site supervisory personnel. Results and comments generated by the surveys were reviewed at the quarterly Executive-Level session. A graph of the combined results of this evaluation on the major contracts is displayed in Exhibit D.

Early Commissioning and Start-Up Session: In August 2005, approximately one year after the initial partnering sessions and once all contracts were up and running, the team held an "all projects, all hands" session attended by all supervisory personnel from all projects. The intent of this session was to generate collective input from the considerable expertise in the room on everything to be considered to properly commission and start-up the plant across the five separate contracts. The foresight of project leaders made this session more than two years before the scheduled completion of the project. The result of this session was the initiation of a Commissioning and Start-up Team comprised of representatives from all business organizations. The team took the initial input from the August 2005 session, developed an initial strategy and then met on a regular basis for the duration of the project.

The above comprehensive partnering effort involved a total of 31 sessions and 24 Team Evaluation conference calls over 3½ years.

There were a number of factors that contributed to the successful completion of this project. The use of this partnering model demonstrates that a structured approach to collaboration based on consistency and accountability can assist a multiple-contract program, especially when the partners demonstrate good character and leadership from all levels. For Loudoun Water customers, it meant a quality facility built on time and within budgetary constraints to meet the needs of the surrounding community for many years to come.

Bill Spragins is a director of FMI, management consultants to the construction industry. He has worked with a variety of construction organizations and projects of all sizes since joining FMI in 1987. Bill’s consulting engagements have included the development of project-specific collaborative team processes, organizational evaluation and development, and field productivity improvement.Contact Bill via e-mail at:bspragins@fminet.com