I'm excited to share our insights from the Construction Management Association of America's recent CMAA2024 Conference, which was held in vibrant San Francisco from Sunday, October 27, through Tuesday, October 29. The event brought together industry leaders, practitioners, and experts, offering a rich platform for networking and knowledge sharing.
At Markon, we pride ourselves on our deep understanding of critical infrastructure, business operations, and enterprise technology within the federal government sector. We were pleased to contribute to the event with our presentation, “Defendable Data Driven Decisions: Making the Most of Facility Budgets.” The conference sessions, which focused on innovative project delivery methods, best practices in program management, and emerging technologies, aligned with our core competencies and reinforced our commitment to delivering exceptional consulting services.
Key Takeaways and Insights
Diverse Representation and Focus Areas
The conference showcased a diverse mix of construction management, program management, software solutions, and representatives from county and municipal sectors. While we noted a significant focus was placed on water, wastewater, and higher education projects, particularly from the West Coast, we were still able to forge meaningful new connections and catch up with existing industry contacts in alignment with our federal-focus.
Federal Insights from GSA and USACE
The General Services Administration (GSA) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) highlighted their substantial portfolios. They shared how they leverage consultants, emphasizing the need for early construction and program management involvement in the project lifecycle. Both agencies face a staffing shortfall of about 25%, underscoring the critical role of consultants in their operations.
Emerging Trends in Project Management
One particularly hot topic was the increasing popularity of Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP), also known as "not-to-exceed price" contracts or construction manager at-risk contracts, with some discussions on delaying GMP lock-in to reduce modifications and claims while better understanding project scope and budget.
A few recurring themes included:
- Ownership of risk
- Cooperation
- Stakeholder alignment
- Trust-building
Innovative Contracting Methods
Progressive Design-Build, which leverages a two-stage procurement approach to help mitigate risk, and other non-traditional contracting methods were frequently mentioned.
Highlights included connections to:
- GMP
- Risk management
- Stakeholder cooperation
Markon's Role and Commitment
As the official Wi-Fi sponsor of the CMAA Conference, Markon was proud to facilitate seamless connectivity, enabling attendees to fully engage in the event’s dynamic sessions. Our participation underscored our dedication to supporting the construction program management community and fostering environments where collaboration and innovation thrive. The conference offered invaluable networking opportunities, reinforcing our belief in collaboration as a key to tackling complex federal projects.
Our presentation, "Defendable Data Driven Decisions: Making the Most of Facility Budgets," highlighted the importance of leveraging data analytics to optimize facility management and budget allocation. By focusing on data-driven insights, we demonstrated how to make informed decisions that enhance operational efficiency and resource management. We left the conference energized and equipped with new strategies to enhance our service delivery.
The insights gained at CMAA2024 will help shape our future strategies. We are committed to integrating the knowledge gained to deliver even more superior results for our clients and continue to enhance the quality of our services. With a renewed focus on innovation and collaboration, we are ready to tackle future challenges and embrace new opportunities.
For more details about the event, visit: markonsolutions.com/cmaa
