This relatively new yet very ambitious general construction project manager (PM) was given an assignment for a repeat industrial client. The project was bid lump sum at PhP 50 million by a staff estimator. It was the largest lump sum project ever undertaken by the GC at that time. There was a PhP 1,000,000 bid error. The officer in charge (OIC) directed the PM to get every change order possible. The PM was not to worry about the possibility of future work with the client. During the one year of construction, the PM lost his project engineer and was not allowed to replace him with any experienced help. He had to hire from outside. He also did not receive any home office supervisory help. The OIC would meet him for lunch once a month at a remote site.
Why did the OIC distance himself?
Why assign this project to a new PM?
The PM worked seven days a week – sacrificing health and family time to bring the project back into the black. The project was ultimately brought in with a clear fee of Php 600,000, but relations had been damaged; the GC did not get to work with the client again. Later in the PM’s career with other contractors, he was not welcomed back on this client’s site.
The PM did what he was asked to do, didn’t he?
He was successful, wasn’t he?
Did the PM make any errors?
What would you have done?