Too many organizations treat procurement as a back-office function—only pulling in technical or operational experts at the last minute, or worse, not at all.
Category: Construction
Industry Watch – Why the West Would Never Blacklist Like This (But Still Struggles with Delays)
I’ve long believed the construction industry places too much emphasis on schedule. Finishing early or on time might look good on paper, but if it comes at the expense of safety or quality, is it really a win?
Industry Watch – Why Construction Claims Happen and What Procurement can do about it.
Construction projects are fraught with risk. Increased cost, delayed schedules, site safety, property damage, and poor quality are just a few. Procurement is uniquely positioned to mitigate these risks. The key is knowing when and where these risks could arise and having the expertise to know how risks can be mitigated. The trouble with construction…
Best Practices – Managing Payments for Off-Site Construction
Managing payments in construction can be challenging, especially when dealing with off-site construction techniques like modular construction. Recently, I came across an insightful article on Lexology suggesting that developers or owners might need to pay for prefabricated modules before their delivery to the job site. While I certainly understand why this may be necessary, I…
Effective supplier relationship management
Owner’s who demand the highest standards of care and want to attract the best Suppliers are best served by more balanced contracts
Higher price & cost volatility; mitigating the cost effects of the current inflationary environment.
Material volatility coupled with ever increasing labor costs, have made navigating the current market extremely difficult.
Industry Watch – Payment Terms – Why Extended Payment Terms Could be Bad for Your Company and How They Hurt the Construction Industry.
Extending payment terms is not without consequence and we must be informed on these risks in order to make a sound decision.
Best Practices – The Post-COVID Office – How organizations are managing return to work
The following content was originally published July 2021 on IBM’s Category Newsletter. The Post-COVID Office – Our New Normal By Olivia L’Heureux Category Manager – Facilities With light at the end of the quarantine, Companies are preparing to bring worker’s back to the office. Offices are being reconfigured to promote new safety protocols and make…
Market Watch – How Procurement Can Become a Strategic Partner and Mitigate Supply Chain Disruptions
As we continue our recovery from the impacts of the pandemic, inflation rates across the globe are on the rise.
Commentary – The Master Builder – How The Role of Architects has Evolved and Where You Can Find the Modern Version of the Master Builder
The roots of the architect can be traced back to the times of the Ancient Greeks. The term architect, or arkhitekton in Greek, was the title given to the master builder who would oversee the design and construction
Industry Watch – Pay-When-Paid – A Common but Illegal Term that Exists In Most Construction Contracts.
General Contractor should not rely on the Owner’s contract to define the terms and obligations between the Contractor and his subcontractors. Rather, the GC should specifically state any and all of their sub-contractor terms (including payment obligations) independently of the Owner’s obligations to the GC. The Contractor should adhere to those terms independent of what may or may not be happening between the Contractor and the Owner.
Market Watch – The CoronaVirus – What Will the New Normal Look Like For Construction? How COVID-19 Has Changed Worksites and How Changes Could Impact Cost.
In an article posted on Lexology by the law firm of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, Brenda Radmacher a partner and construction law expert writes about the new jobsite safety measures that Companies will have to observe in light of COVID-19.
Radmacher does a great job of identifying the new norms, both on and off the jobsite, Workers will need to observe in order to avoid spreading the disease.
Some of these new norms are common widespread recommendations such as washing hands and observing social distancing, but some are very specific to construction and some are likely to impact costs and schedules.
I recommend reading Radmacher’s article, but I wanted to address a few specific recommendations.