Return on Investment - Does the Owner's Advisor Add Value to your Project?

New regulatory standards, demands on existing infrastructure, and the need for new infrastructure continue to drive new construction in the water/wastewater industry. The availability of substantial funding for water/wastewater projects has also served as a significant catalyst for the industry and has allowed many communities to execute critical projects for their customers. However, the low-cost funding options and the various market drivers have resulted in a high volume of water/wastewater projects. As a result, many manufactures have struggled to keep up and have experienced long lead-times on their product due to demand and material shortages. Additionally, many construction contractors are extremely busy and limited contractor availability has been an issue in some areas. These conditions have proven to be significant challenges for many communities meeting their funding schedule requirements. To address various industry-wide challenges related to schedule, cost escalation, material availability, and labor shortages many communities have started utilizing collaborative delivery methods, such as Progressive Design-Build and Construction Manager at Risk, to implement their projects. Although the use of collaborative delivery can help with the above-mentioned issues, many communities are also faced with limited availability of experienced in-house staff. Utilizing an Owner's Advisor (OA) is another way that resource limited communities can help manage and deliver their projects. An OA can provide a wide range of specialized services including experienced professionals who can support project owners throughout all phases of project delivery. With a focus on aligning project goals with the owner's vision, the OA assists in strategic planning, team selection, risk management, quality control, and conflict resolution. Serving as a communication bridge between the owner and the project team, the OA ensures that projects stay on schedule, within budget, and meet desired quality standards; ultimately contributing to the successful delivery of projects that fulfill the owner's objectives. In this presentation, we will convey Owner's insights and opinions on the role, value, and importance of an OA during project delivery. These general insights are based on survey results from a pool of fifteen (15) Owner's in North Carolina. The Owners include small, medium and large utilities, and have varying experiences with both the quantity of collaborative delivery projects delivered and the delivery type itself. This presentation will also include specific Owner feedback on the value of OA services for two of North Carolina's largest collaborative delivery projects in the water/wastewater industry. The two projects are the Stowe Regional WRRF, which is a new 15 MGD wastewater treatment facility and the Yadkin River WTP, which is a new 12 MGD water treatment facility.