Exponent’s construction consultants represent a multidisciplinary team that offers Project Advisory Services to support your project from the programming and design phase, through project planning, throughout the course of construction, and to project completion and close-out. Our Project Advisory Services include but are not limited to:
Critical Path Method (CPM) Schedule — Preparation and Review
Exponent provides Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling services, including baseline schedule and update preparation. These services also include CPM schedule reviews to ensure conformance with contract specifications and other project requirements.
Project Team, Documentation, and Process Evaluation
Successful construction projects are the result of multiple decisions made by contrasting team members. Exponent has the experience and tools to evaluate the project team and its decision-making, operational, and administrative processes, to enhance its probability of succeeding. Industry studies have shown that the final cost and schedule of a project are strongly influenced by the quality and effectiveness of the project team.
4D Modeling/Design Conflict Analysis
Exponent has specialized expertise in 4D modeling, which combines a 3D model of a project design with the project schedule and/or cost and resources in order to create a “virtual” project model. 4D models help your project team become more effective in communicating, planning, analyzing, and optimizing project scope and schedule. Exponent also provides 3D design conflict analysis services, which can be applied during the project’s design phase to identify potential design errors and omissions (E&O) or constructability issues that could lead to delays and/or increased project costs. These services eliminate the tedious manual checking of 2D drawings to significantly reduce the expensive consequences of incomplete and inaccurate design. Exponent can also provide after-the-fact E&O design conflict analysis services for use in dispute resolution.
Change Order Evaluation
With our broad experience and background in the construction industry, Exponent assists our clients with the preparation, review, and evaluation of change orders to determine and quantify changes with respect to scope, time, and/or price. These services ensure that a client is fully considering the effects of a change on both the contract price and time.
Time Extension Evaluation
In addition to our CPM scheduling services, Exponent provides time extension evaluation and Time Impact Analysis (TIA) services in the case of project delays and/or impacts, appropriately allocating the associated responsibility and cost for such delays and/or impacts.
Cost Recovery Audit
The construction industry continues to find itself challenged by the administration and resolution of unexpected changes and claims. An alternative to the more traditional methods of dispute resolution is a “cost recovery” process that blends the positive aspects of these traditional dispute resolution methods and attempts to reduce or eliminate some of the more unpleasant aspects of those methods. Exponent’s Construction Consulting professionals have the experience and expertise to assist in developing, implementing, and managing a Cost Recovery Audit.
Fraud Consulting, Investigations, and Internal Audit Co-Sourcing
Exponent’s staff has the ability to assist in the development of project controls, including ways to avoid fraud, waste, and abuse. The use of appropriate controls, verifying to see that controls are properly implemented, and effective project team communications can minimize losses in this area. This experience also assists in the effective implementation of Sarbanes-Oxley procedures. Exponent engineers and accountants can also manage or assist internal audits with investigations of the project operations as a whole, or with specific allegations, if necessary.
Contract Compliance Reviews and Contract Closeout
Modern-day construction contracts incorporate many requirements, from material specifications to MBE compliance reporting to specific costing and billing processes. Exponent can enhance owner efforts to determine whether or not the work bargained for was installed or invoiced in compliance with contract documents. Our geotechnical, structural, civil, and building technology engineers and auditors can enhance an owner’s capacity to monitor these issues. This service can be performed at project end or on an interim basis.