Ritter Project Management, Inc. will tailor their project management consulting to meet the Owner’s needs.

Since it’s easier to embark on a project properly than it is to rescue a project that is out of control, Ritter should be called in at the very beginning, when a project is first being considered.

Functions that Ritter will perform for the Owner as they work together to deliver a successful project:

1. Programming - Team Selection & Contract Negotiation: Includes the preparation of RFQ / RFP / Scope of Service documents, evaluation of qualifications and proposals, contract and fee negotiation, and preparation of final contracts for signing. Ritter develops contracts that are integrated, coordinated, and consistent with one another, utilizing contract language that meets the specific needs of the project and the parties involved.
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2. CPM Project Schedule Development: Ritter meets with the necessary persons, reviews available documentation, and prepares a detailed timeline for the project. This timeline will focus on Master Planning and Design and on the local, state, and federal jurisdictional and permit application procedures. Ritter takes steps to clearly understand all codes that apply to the project so review processes occur without surprises. Construction is initially represented in general terms, but will provide the structure for future schedule development and phasing decisions. Ritter will update and maintain the schedule during design, and will expand and maintain the schedule through construction as a ‘third party’ scheduler, or will provide the schedule to the builder for them to update, report, and maintain for the project team.
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3. Site Master Planning - Team Selection & Contract Negotiation: Ritter leads the selection of the site master planning team. This task may include some or all of the following consultants: architectural, civil, geotechnical, surveying, traffic engineering and environmental engineering.
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4. Budget Review: Ritter leads the selection of an independent cost consultant to validate budget information prepared by the programming and design teams.
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5. A/E and Other Consultant Selection & Contract Negotiation: Ritter leads the Owner’s effort to procure the A/E consultant team of architect, interior design, structural, mechanical, electrical, geotechnical, civil, signage, medical equipment, telecomm / IT / low voltage systems, kitchen, heliport, code compliance, acoustics / vibration and building vertical transportation / material management. This work is done consistent with the level of service previously described in the Programming – Team Selection & Contract Negotiation section.
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6. Builder Selection Process: Ritter leads the Owner’s effort to select the builder. The level of service is consistent with that described in the Programming – Team Selection & Contract Negotiation section.
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7. Plan Check Consultant: Ritter procures a Plan Check Consultant and manages the process of creating a Plan Check Report that works to coordinate the design drawings and discover errors and omissions.
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8. Value Engineering: Ritter will arrange for a Certified Value Specialist who leads the project team through a value engineering / value management process. Ritter also recruits key peer design review consultants to participate in the process. The process generally includes two value engineering workshops, a limited one at the end of Schematic Design and an intensive one at the end of Design Development. A third value engineering workshop at approximately 50% Construction Documents may prove beneficial, depending on the project’s development.
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9. Evaluation of Organizational Structure and Board Education: Ritter evaluates the Owner’s organizational structure and makes recommendations of changes or additions Ritter sees necessary to support the project. Ritter educates the Board and/or senior administration and departmental leaders about the project concept / design / construction / occupancy process.
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10. Existing Facility Options Analysis: Ritter will make recommendations on the process for procuring an appropriate firm. Planning for the existing facility should begin as early as planning for the new facility.
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11. Initial Contractor Construction Schedule Review: Ritter reviews the contractor’s baseline schedule for compliance with scheduling best practices, adherence to established schedule parameters, completeness, and timeframe and duration reasonableness. Ritter prepares a report documenting its findings and presents this to the Owner. Ritter works with the contractor to resolve issues that arise from Ritter’s review.
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12. Ongoing Contractor Construction Schedule Oversight: Ritter reviews the contractor’s monthly schedule submission, which includes the electronic schedule file, from the start of construction through completion. Ritter reviews the schedule for content, progress, logic, and changes since the previous update. Consistent with the initial schedule review, Ritter submits a report documenting its findings and resolves issues arising from its review. This effort focuses on avoidance of claims, mitigation of impacts and proactive solutions.
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13. Develop Budget Control Systems: Ritter will apply its proprietary budget control tool on the project.
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14. Document Control: Ritter sets up and maintains a project document control system to log the project documents flowing into and out.
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15. Procurement Management of Owner Purchased Items: Ritter will administer bidding and negotiation of FF&E contracts, coordinating Owner-purchased item delivery and installation, and managing the work of others responsible for these services. Ritter provides management support to the equipment planning consultant, including determining the relative responsibilities of Owner and the consultant, delivery time frames, use of mock-ups, training, and key decision points in the schedule.
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16. Maintenance of Budget Control Systems, Review of Pay Applications: Ritter reviews and recommends for payment the monthly invoicing submitted by consultants on the project, prepares a Pay Application Package report from which the Owner will make disbursements to consultants, and tracks the recommended payments versus budget and committed costs within the budget control system. Ritter successfully performs this on many projects, freeing the Owner’s project management staff to focus on day to day issues.
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17. Cost Estimate Review: Ritter reviews the design-phase cost estimates and reconciles them against the budget and previous estimates. A report is then produced and made available to the project team.
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18. Contract Administration: Ritter establishes service and invoicing expectations during the consultant procurement process. This ensures that consultants’ delivery meets the expectations established through the procurement process.
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19. Change Order & Time Extension Evaluation: Ritter evaluates time-related change orders and contract time extension submittals, delay claims, and other specific project administration issues. Ritter evaluates all time-related issues internally while using the resources of a professional cost consultant to review the cost-related merits of change orders.
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20. Cash Flow Projections: Ritter generates cash flow projections from the CPM schedule. This includes the initial set-up of the cash flow parameters and reports. Schedule revisions and other significant changes to the construction program will alter the cash flow projections.
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