Enabling Cost Controls for the Largest Public Works Project in the History of Minnesota

Summary: This podcast will focus on the Metropolitan Council’s approach to Project Controls in the delivery of the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit (CCLRT) project. The CCLRT project is an 11-mile corridor currently under construction with revenue service planned for 2014. We will explore best practices, strategies and lessons learned in establishing the Project Controls organization, developing systematic business processes, and employing technology to manage and mitigate risks. The Project Controls unit, a seamless integration of agency and AECOM staff, was established early in the project. Key aspects of the Project Controls unit will be explored, including: organizational structure, resources, skill sets and responsibilities. Change is inevitable; however, managing change through effective business processes has kept the CCLRT project on time and on budget. The Central Corridor Project Office (CCPO) established an initial baseline definition to measure changes against. As the project advanced, the baseline definition was refined through the evaluation of design alternatives and resolution of technical issues. Configuration management will be discussed as an effective means of controlling project scope creep. The CCPO leveraged technology from e-Builder to support the Project Controls unit. In addition to scheduling and estimating software, the CCPO implemented e-Builder, a web-based capital project management system, to support collaboration and streamline business processes. The paper will review CCPO’s early challenges, successes after implementation and lessons learned.