Project Management

Union

An organization of workers who have joined together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions and higher wages.

Supplier (vendor)

a company that manufactures, distributes, or supplies products and services to a contractor.

Second-tier subcontractor

a contractor hired by a subcontractor to perform specialty work on a project. These contractors may hire their own specialty contractors.

Prime contractor

a contractor who has a direct contract with an owner.

Specialty contractor (trade contractor)

a contractor who performs specialized activities.

Construction Management (CM) delivery method

a delivery method in which a contract manager is hired early in the process and acts as the owner's representative.

Design-build

a delivery method in which the owner has one contract with a single construction design firm.

Fast-track

a job in which construction starts before the design process is complete. Projects that have this trait have compressed schedules and therefore can be completed faster than those that use sequential construction.

Zoning Ordinance

a law that describes what uses are allowed and what restrictions apply in a specific zoning jurisdiction.

Subcontractor

a person who has a contract with another contractor. In construction these contractors are specialty trade contractors.

Commissioning

a practice that involves a formal review of all parts of a building's systems to ensure that the project meets certain energy objectives.

Bidding

a process in which several contractors compete to get a job.

Building information modeling (BIM)

a process of gathering and managing information that uses virtual models as a tool for design, construction, and facilities management. This software enables information on systems, costs, and scheduling to be incorporated so that design, budget, and installation assumptions can be extensively evaluated and tested prior to construction.

Integrated project delivery

a project delivery method in which all primary team members are brought on board at the same time (during design) and, using sophisticated computer modeling and information sharing are able to collaborate in unusually effective ways.

Multi-prime contract

a project in which the owner has contracts with several prime contractors.

First-tier subcontractor

a specialty contractor hired by a general contractor to perform specialty work on a project.

Agency construction management

a type of construction project delivery method whereby the CM, who is hired early in the process, works as the owner's agent but does not do any of the physical work.

At-risk construction management

a type of construction project delivery method whereby the CM, who is hired early in the process, works as the owner's agent during pre-construction and as the general contractor during construction

Project

a unique activity that has a beginning and an end, uses resources, is not routinely done, and requires managing.

Design-negotiate-build

a variation on design-bid-build in which award of the general contract is made following negotiations between several general contractors and the owner.

Authority having jurisdiction (AHJ)

an agency with designated authority to provide compliance inspections and approval for a project.

General contractor (GC)

an individual or firm hired by and responsible to an owner for coordinating the completion of a construction project. This person also hires subcontractors and suppliers.

Owner

an individual, organization, corporation, business, or public agency that comes up with a project concept or idea, establishes the time and budget constraints, provides the site, figures out how to pay for the project, and hires many of the people who will help make it happen.

Deliverable

an outcome; something specific that needs to be accomplished.

Design-bid-build (Traditional)

delivery method in which the GC is hired at the completion of design.

Program

document that provides design objectives and requirements as guidance to a project's designer.

Contractors

individuals or firms that agree to construct something in accordance with contract documents.

Designer

licensed professionals who provide planning, design, and construction administration services for a project. Architects are typically the designers of buildings; engineers typically design infrastructure and complex commercial and industrial projects.

Estimator

one who calculates the probable cost of something.

Project manager

the member of the construction team who is responsible for the business end of a project, in contrast to the superintendent who is responsible for production.

Delivery method

the organizational structure for completing a project.

Pre-construction

the period between award of the construction contract and the start of construction and marked by intense planning by the contractor.

Bidding period

the period of time during which contractors develop bids.

Foreman

the person responsible for direct supervision of a contractor's workers.

Superintendent

the person responsible for the production of the project.

Close-out

the process of completing the terms of a contract. In construction this includes completion of the physical work, completion of fulfilling the terms of a contract and final evaluation by the contractor.

Construction Management

the process of coordinating, monitoring, evaluating, and controlling a construction project; also a project delivery method; not to be confused with the specific delivery method known as Construction Management.

Programming

the process of identifying specific project goals and objectives.