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Working With Consulting Engineers

Working With Consulting Engineers (GSC) From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 5

April 25, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest post by Jon Earle, PE, ENV SP

Working With Consulting Engineers (GSC) From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 5 -  Consultants

Part 5: Maintaining Relationships With Consultants

In the fifth and final part of this blog series, I will be discussing the importance of maintaining relationships with engineering consultants while working in the public sector. Previously, I walked through the project life cycle and the importance of strong collaborative relationships. In this article, I will discuss how this experience will help both the owner and engineer in future projects.

The Project Is Over … Now What?

Even before the project is complete, both the public works engineer and consultant will likely be working in the design phases of future projects. Therefore The experience of working with a consultant allows an engineer to experience the strengths and weaknesses of a consultant, along with what went well and what didn’t on a project. So, a project debriefing meeting benefits all parties involved in a project and can help in a more efficient means of project delivery for future collaborations.

Successful and unique collaborations can sometimes lead to professional growth opportunities. In my own personal example, I recently co-presented at the state and regional level on a river intake and raw water pump station project that was recently completed. This was a great opportunity to develop my public speaking skills while discussing specific project details with other engineers and water operators to help their professional growth.

Learning From Consultants

As mentioned previously, a primary reason for hiring an engineering consultant is to leverage technical skills and experience not available with in-house staff. Successful utility engineers should take these opportunities to develop technical skills in other engineering disciplines. Having improved working knowledge of project design criteria and other deliverables will enhance future projects by having clear expectations and understanding of the goals of a project from the owner’s perspective.

Working with consultants: Future Opportunities

In Maine, the engineering community is a small group. Many engineers like myself have worked in both the public and private sectors and have worked with colleagues in both roles. As a utility engineer, working with consultants may present an opportunity to make a change or career growth. There are many opportunities for this in the current job market, as many consultants are looking to grow and add staff to handle current and future workload.

Working closely with consultants provides an engineer an inside look into how a firm operates, their culture, and the people they would be working with if they were to make a change. Conversely, these project collaborations allow the consultant to see firsthand the personality and skills of a potential future hire beyond a traditional hiring process.

Final Thoughts

Many projects require outside assistance to the owner or agency in order to be successful. Knowing what to expect from the owner’s perspective is a key skill for an engineering consultant. In addition, consultants hired for a specific expertise are invaluable for more complex and multiphase projects. In the end, these collaboration are necessary for delivering the infrastructure solutions our residents and customers expect and have entrusted in us.

Previous Articles in This 5-Part Series

Working With Consulting Engineers From the Owner’s Perspective
Working With Consulting Engineers From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 2
Also Working With Consulting Engineers (GSC) From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 3
And the fourth place Working With Consulting Engineers (GSC) From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 4

About Jon Earle, PE, ENV SP

Project Completion - Jon EarleJon Earle graduated from the University of Maine with a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering and has completed graduate coursework at the University of Southern Maine in Public Administration. He currently serves as the Supervisor of Engineering Services for Maine Water Company. Jon is responsible for capital project delivery and oversight in 12 public water systems serving approximately 32,000 customers across the state of Maine. In addition, Jon has served on his local planning board and is currently a board member of the Maine Society of Professional Engineers.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s post by guest author Jon Earle, PE, ENV SP. If you’re interested in your firm possibly joining the Civil Engineering Collective, please contact us here or call us at 800-920-4007.

I hope you’ll join us.

Anthony Fasano, P.E.
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success

Filed Under: Civil Engineering Tagged With: career growth, Consulting Engineers, Future Opportunities, improved working knowledge, Jon Earle, Learning From Consultants, leverage technical skills, Maine Water Company, Maintaining Relationships With Consultants, opportunity to make a change, phases of future projects, professional growth opportunities, project from the owner’s perspective, public and private sectors, unique collaborations, Working With Consulting Engineers

Working With Consulting Engineers (GSC) From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 4 Project Completion

January 4, 2022 By EMI

This is a guest post by Jon Earle, PE, ENV SP

Working With Consulting Engineers (GSC) From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 4 Project Completion

Part 4 – Project Completion, Closeout, and Documentation

In Part 4 of the 5-part blog series, I will be discussing the last steps of a project’s life cycle. These steps include project completion, closeout, and documentation. Again, having a General Service Contractor (GSC) as part of the project team can greatly enhance the success of a project and address any final issues with the contractor.

Project Completion

As a project nears its completion, it is important to have oversight of the schedule and costs to hold the contractor accountable for delivering on the contract requirements. For example, if it’s becoming evident that the project will not be completed on time, a proactive GSC will identify this and collaborate with the owner to discuss how to handle it. A GSC who is involved in construction oversight can also begin to develop, in conjunction with the owner, a punch list of items that the contractor needs to address before a project is deemed complete.

Additionally, having a consultant support construction oversight and administration can assist with identifying and recommending change orders brought forward by a contractor. Having this daily presence on the job site can help with identifying unknown site conditions such as ledge and unsuitable soils and can recommend design modifications to the owner that can save significant time and money.

[Read more…] about Working With Consulting Engineers (GSC) From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 4 Project Completion

Filed Under: Civil Engineering Tagged With: administration, Closeout, construction oversight, Documentation, GSC, Jon Earle, Project Completion, project life cycle, schedule and costs, Working With Consulting Engineers

Working With Consulting Engineers (GSC) From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 3

November 30, 2021 By EMI

This is a guest post by Jon Earle, PE, ENV SP

Part 3 – Developing and Executing Projects with GSCs

In Part 3 of the 5-part blog series, I will be discussing the development of specific project scopes of work once a general services consultant (GSC) has been selected. In my experience, having a GSC in place and leveraging this relationship is critical for project success from the beginning.

Developing Capital Budgets

One of the key roles of any municipal engineer is the development of multi-year capital improvement plans (CIPs) that outline future projects, a schedule for delivery, and anticipated project costs. The GSC can provide support by reviewing project scope, schedule, and most importantly, budget based on their experience working on similar projects within a geographic area. A GSC can also provide some preliminary design support and graphic presentation materials for discussion with the local governing bodies (town/city councils or select boards).

[Read more…] about Working With Consulting Engineers (GSC) From the Owner’s Perspective – Part 3

Filed Under: Civil Engineering Tagged With: Bidding and Construction Phase Support, capital improvement plans, construction administration, Consulting Engineers, Developing Capital Budgets, Executing Projects, Executing Projects with GSCs, general services consultant, Jon Earle, municipal policies and procedures, project success, Task Order Development, Working With Consulting Engineers

Working With Consulting Engineers From the Owner’s Perspective

July 20, 2021 By EMI

This is a guest post by Jon Earle, PE, ENV SP

Part 1 –Request for Qualifications and General Service Agreements

This blog is the first of a five part series that discusses working with consulting engineers from the public sector perspective. This series will serve to give consulting engineers a look into the perspective of the government employees they work with, to help them communicate more effectively with these professionals.

Engineers who work for public works departments are often tasked with determining when an outside consultant is needed to deliver certain aspects of a project. These tasks can include producing bid/contract documents, construction administration and construction oversight. Consulting engineers are typically hired by the public sector for one of two reasons.

[Read more…] about Working With Consulting Engineers From the Owner’s Perspective

Filed Under: Civil Engineering Tagged With: communicate more effectively, Consulting Engineers, General Services Agreement, GSA, Jon Earle, Maine Water Company, Owner’s Perspective, perspective of government employees, public sector perspective, public works departments, Public works engineers, Request for Qualifications, RFQ, Working With Consulting Engineers

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