Experience Matters

On behalf of an owner, analyzed EPC schedules for an $880 million coal-fired power plant. Evaluated schedule metrics, reviewed schedule logic, and assessed the reasonableness of the critical path.

On behalf of a contractor, reviewed eight Requests for Equitable Adjustments on U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force projects concerning differing site conditions, electrical design deficiencies, and owner-directed changes.

Prepared main contractor’s claim against employer for extension of time for completion with additional payment for the Dubai Maritime City Project. Prepared Statement of Claim for extension of time with quantum for time-related and non-time-related additional costs. The dispute concerned construction delays due to multiple reasons that were attributed to the employer, such as delay in review and approval of submittals, excessive variations, lack of access and obstructions to site, and delay in issuance of IFC drawings.

Performed a prudency audit of a large nuclear power plant including the evaluation of the justification and causes for scope and cost growth as well as the origin, components and reasonableness of $1.3 billion of start-up and commissioning cost overruns.

On behalf of an owner of an LNG plant, assessed an EPC contractor’s expert’s quantification of costs incurred at the module fabrication yards and the contractor’s quantification of its management personnel costs during the delay period. Prepared two expert reports submitted as part of arbitration proceedings.

Assessed delays concerning the construction of a multi-story residential building in Chicago, Illinois, on behalf of a prime contractor, who was seeking delay and other damages against one of its subcontractors. Provided delay analyses and opinions regarding issues that the contractor identified that caused impacts to the project’s final completion milestones and that the subcontractor allegedly caused. The assessment identified which delays were attributable to the subcontractor’s actions or inactions and quantified the number of days for which the prime contractor was entitled to related damages. Based on the damage categories that the prime contractor identified that it suffered as a result of the delays its subcontractor caused, performed analyses and quantified the overall damage amounts, including direct and indirect costs.

Reviewed change orders, schedule delays, and pending disputes between a major U.S. chemical company and its mechanical contractor on a methanol plant in Texas. Advised the client as to its exposure regarding the technical issues involved in these issues for purpose of settlement negotiations.

Analyzed a $50 million delayed start-up claim on a 500 MW power plant. Evaluated project delays and cost impacts related to the Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) collapse.

The executive management of this EPC contractor desired to make its project financial forecasting more robust after suffering a number of project write-downs. After verifying that these write-downs were more than an accounting exercise, the EPC contractor wanted an independent third party to evaluate its bidding and execution practices, benchmark them against industry practices, and develop an integrated project risk management/project governance system that executive management could rely upon. Engaged to evaluate the written procedures and practices of each of the four divisions against industry practices. After the steps required to make those procedures and practices more robust were defined, the team worked with the client to revise the procedures and adjust its practices to make the output of the bidding and execution processes more reliable and transparent to management. This work also involved developing a client custom project governance program to identify high-risk bids and projects during execution and define the tools/staff needed to address these high-risk situations.

On behalf of an EPC contractor, analyzed delay and acceleration claims on the EPC of an ammonia plant project.