M&E MANAGEMENT PROCESS

(Base/Entry Level - This is the trainee starter pack not Ketley's format!)

Keep in-mind this is the absolute minimum base/entry-level, for any services management professional, in addittion to the 1% scoring matrix.

iBSM / Keevan’s Project Directory is vastly more in-depth, but there must be an entry/base level for the/any manager to start from, and build upon for themselves.

RIBA stages

Assistants should learnthe RIBA stages, in conjunction with BSRIA BG6 stages (aligned), to enable them to understand the "cradle-to-grave" side as well as grasp basic industry management.

Click on document to go to the RIBA webpage, and learn the available information.

BSRIA BG6 (Design Responsibilities)

Assistants should read this document, the BSRIA BG6 will aid your mindset in understanding the real demarcation of responsibility (CDP), between the design consultant and the subcontractor/trades, which is dependant on contract type.

Click on document to go to the BSRIA website bookshop.

Commissioning Guides

Click on documents to go to the BSRIA commissioning website bookshop.

RECOMMENDED/REQUIREMENT

BSRIA and CIBSE both have an excellent, and wide range of design, management and commissioning material guides/codes for you to review and learn. 

It is not only recommended, but a requirement that managers, start to read these early-on in their careers, and continue doing so and upon any revisions, and ensure you always have access to them when needed, in addition get access to "all" statutory guides, codes and building regulations.

They can/will be your foundations, regarding process and procedural practise, whilst you are learning to become an M&E manager, but remember and don't lose sight on the fact, you still need to learn management, physics, mathematics, project management, programming/planning, commercial management, design management, regulations, company procedures, form of contracts, and on-and-on-and-on-and-on...

It is not just reading guides/codes/regs and implementing them, you still have an absolute mass, of "on-site" life lessons (if training), in front of you to become your best self, which will largely depend on what company you choose to work for, and who mentors you, if you choose a poorly driven/process managed company, you will not become your best self (or in good normal time/wasting life), you will even become lazy, and think you're doing it right when actually not.

(This even may/will be unbeknown to yourself, unless for example you go to a college, and chat to others and discuss how they operate when at work/on-site, and the penny drops - you need to move on, to progress). 

This is unless you do alot of the hard work yourself, and then jump ship, which is often the case, and why the skills/abilities of managers, are so diverse across services management - and why iBSM project file/cradle-to-grave method is a good route/basis to use as a basis, in addition to everything else.

If you are being mentored, ask your mentor/lead or senior BSM where you can access these valued guides, within your/their company, and "YES" you should be allowed to read them during work time, as you are there learning, and as an assistant or trainee you are their asset, and should therefore be aided when/where needed, with all available/required information and assistance...

(In fact they should really be randomly quizzing you on them to help you just "think" - and remember it is supposed to be fun, and carried-out in such away, so don't stress, if you actually like, and are indeed built for engineering, you will enjoy it anyway, just remember it is all about the "mindset")

If doing any additional college, these are in the libraries usually anyway, or given access via web.

(These are all copyright protected, so cannot be provided/shared via iBSM website)

Pre-Contract Preconstruction Stage (Tender)
RIBA Stages 0-4 (Form of Contract/Appointment dependant)

The Building/Technical Services/M&E Project Manager is responsible for seeing that the engineering is undertaken satisfactorily and that at the end of the day the systems function correctly and are compliant to specification.

Their role is not to progress the installation of the engineering services, unless the subcontractor is failing in his contractual obligations to deliver on time, in this event the head BSM will aid assistance in progressing the works if he/she can offer any added assistance in addittion to the allocated BSM.

When/once a tender is approved by the preconstruction team the following process carried out as a basic level:

1) Preconstruction manager discusses the tender with the BSM.
2) The tender is assigned to an operations team.
3) The services manager/engineer whom usually works within this team will initially be allocated to the tender supported and managed 
by the BSM within the preconstruction department.
4) In the event that current operational commitments cannot release anoth free time to participate in the tender it will be allocated to another
manager/engineer should it not be possible for the BSM to tender it.
5) The commercial aspects will be supervisored and checked by the BSM but carried out either by the BSM or the newly appointed MEP estimator/surveyor (when appointed), whom will also be responsible for the production of subcontractors bid lists and enquires.
6) The engineer/manager will educate himself in the deliverables of the tender as much as possible throughout the tender life-cycle and shall also attend interviews where possible/necessary.
7) The write up of the tender will follow a format drafted by the BSM and adapted by the engineer/manager to make it bespoke to the tender and once complete it will be proofed by the BSM for both grammar and correctness/compliance.
8) Should the tender be successful the engineer/manager will take the project forward with the support of the BSM and the project will be given its own MEP project file to be implemented and supported by the BSM.

The preconstruction folder for each tender/project will follow a format similar to below (base level shown):
1. Tender Launch
2. Bid Pack
3. Subcontractor enquires
4. Commercial and Technical Adjudication
5. Subcontractor Tenders
6. Subcontractor Correspondence
7. Subcontractor Pre-Start Interview
8. Subcontractor Scope Document
9. Subcontractor Pricing Summary
10. Subcontractor POMM (pre-order minutes document)
11. Mid-Bid Interview Write-Up
12. Main Tender Document Write-Up
13. Internal Hand Over
14. Tender Programme

(Contract) Preconstruction Stage (On-Site)
RIBA Stage 3-4a/i,b/ii,c/iii (Form of Contract/Appointment dependant)

The Building/Technical Services/M&E Project Manager is involved in the planning and procurement processes liaising closely with the project team leader and operations director providing advice and recommendations.
 
Deliverables will consist but not be limited to the following:

• Prepare at the pre-construction phase the Project Strategy Plan in conjunction with the Team Leader/Nominated Manager
• Review any existing base build services/interfaces with the new installation.
• Arrange commissioning checks and propose conditions surveys  as appropriate
• Audit the results and compare with O&M data (not applicable to New-Build), assess impacts on new works
• Review the technical services procurement strategy. (Bundled/Unbundled etc.)
• Evaluate design information, reviews drawings and specifications
• Identify information outstanding
• Advise on buildability and product selection
• Identify Long Lead items or trades
• Assist with the procurement process, and technically validates tenders
• Assist with Contractor selection
• Attend Contractor selection meetings
• Assist in start up and progress meetings
• Agree programmes and information release schedules with Contractors
• Build relationship with Services Consultant
• Comment technically on the temporary services scheme
• Prepare the commissioning plan
• Identify the preferred drawing management & co-ordination procedure
• Develop an interface schedule
• Undertake necessary inspectios, prior to the commencement of the works
• Provide input in the design & construction programmes
• Provide input in the project risk review
• Undertake a VE study


Whilst ensuring their project file is kept current and open items are tracked and closed out...

Construction/Operations Stage
RIBA 5

The operations team once the contract has been awarded will now be in the best place from an MEP position as the engineer/manager has captured the necessary knowledge required to start the project without the need for an in-depthhandover meeting which would take place in the event the engineer/manager wasn’t the person who tendered
the project.

The project will be managed by utilising the MEP toolkit and supported/supervised where necessary by the BSM, it will
not be possible for the BSM to visit each site due to his commitments in preconstruction but will attempt to visit the more
critical/complicated projects to ensure any early warnings can be identified and dealt with.

The engineers/manager will provide project reports on a regular basis which will be sent to both the site team and
BSM for review/comment, any issues will be tracked to ensure they are closed out correctly.


Base-Level Minimum - Keevan's is alot larger but there needs to be a base-level...
1) Site Start Up Check List and Report
2) Site Temps
3) Statutory Services
4) Specifications & Drawings
5) Design Management
6) Design Responsibility Checklist
7) Programmes & Procurement
8) Meeting Agenda and Planned Meeting Schedule
9) Meeting Minutes & Report
10) Client Meeting Reports
11) MEP Internal Review & Audit
12) Variations / Change Orders
13) RFI & Open Item Schedules
14) Technical Submittals & Register
15) Logistics & Plant Access Strategy
16) Benchmarking Schedule & Quality Samples
17) Subcontractor resource Tracker
18) Precommissioning Checklist and Strategy
19) Commissioning Checklist and Strategy
20) Testing and Commissioning Certificates
21) Void Closure Inspections
22) Access Demonstration Tracker
23) Closing out Plan
24) Defective works / Snagging Schedule
25) Client Training
26) Handover Document
27) Building Log Book
28) O&M Manuals

Construction/Operations Stage  (Continued)
RIBA 5


The Building/Technical Services/M&E Project Manager is involved in the following activities at the very least:

•  Assist with monitoring of technical services contractors’ performance. 

•  Assist with the regular progress meetings with Trade Contractors 

•  Review progress of design inc. program management (BSM/M&E PM's should be able to write, adapt, track and report on programs)

•  Liaise with the clients and their own design team(s)

•  Identify and solve engineering problems ("No-Problems-Just-Solutions" attitude)

•  Address problems with engineering, design, construction, quality, and progress and implement solutions

•  Analyse drawings for correctness, commercial advantage, builders work requirements and potential service or service/building clashes

•  Develop specialist packages and commissioning plan c/w programmes with/for Trade Contractors, Planners,  and managers within team

•  Manage and witness commissioning (not be part of it, but completely understand it)
•  Confirm completion of work and arrange final inspections

•  Assess/review/approve engineering and O&M manuals/record information for compliancy

•  Arrange and manage client training inc. facilitating a witnessing and training matrix/schedule

•  Manage the services handover


EXAMPLE FILE FORMATS

These are a scaled down example, which are vastly larger when the folders are opened/expanded, shown, and stated as a base-level that should exist and be in-use!

To make them easy to use, it is the intention that the "COMM_TS" program is managed by the BSM/PM and links added in the program (under "Admin") taking the reader to the in-use file within these libraries and tracked/updated by the program dropline at the same time, so the editor doesn't need to navigate through them thereby making needless hard work, but just to simply click on file pathways/links in the program hence making it very easy to manage/update/report and track.

The idea to demonstrate a library of documentation to use when and if needed as different projects and companies will deliver differently, but knowing the basics and then adapting to your environment is the aim. This also means you need to learn mechanical and electrical engineering principles, design and understand how things work, its ok to be good at admin, but you need a knowledge of physics and how the design is implemented, to achieve the ER's.

If someone is prepared to learn that a good start, but if they have a love for physics, engineering principles inc. installation principles and have an elevated level of detail in all they do, you are onto a real winner...

It is advisable to also create your/their own library of industry standards and codes, to read and learn as much as possible, it may not be important to memorise as much as to have ability to source what's needed when it arises/is needed, no one can remember everything but if you are able to find answers to questions thata a valuable quality in itself.

Interesting fact that students/assistants, should keep in mind when learning M&E, and having trouble remembering detail:

“Never memorise what you can look up in books” is a quote often attributed to Einstein, though what he actually said was somewhat different. He was asked, but did not know the speed of sound as included in the Edison Test. When this was pointed out, he said, “[I do not] carry such information in my mind since it is readily available in books. He also said, “…The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think”...  (Ketley)

IBSM PRECON EXAMPLE FILE

Base-level file to develop on a project-by-project basis.

IBSM CONSTRUCTION EXAMPLE FILE

Base-level file to develop on a project-by-project basis.

Note - This is actually a condensed version to teach/mentor the cradle-to-grave within, inside each folder are more subfolders, but via the program, they are cross-linked together, thus managing the folder is much simpler than initially envisaged.

IBSM "X" FILE EXAMPLE FOR COLLABORATION

Base-level file to develop on a project-by-project basis.
This is a behind the scenes/house-keeping file, between services disaplines used for agreements and MMR's, Not to be confused with document control/cloud-system based project management systems such as 4Projects, Aconex and alike.

Post-Construction Stage/ Handover
RIBA Stage 6 & 7

The BSM / TSM /M&E PM or aftercare manager, is responsible for resolving any defects reported by the Client during the defects period, relating to
Engineering services.

•       Seasonal commissioning and soft landings

•       Hand over building in line with Plan for Use Strategy

•     Undertake review of Project Performance

•     Undertake Seasonal Commissioning

•     Rectify defects

•     Complete initial Aftercare tasks

•     Post Occupancy Evaluation

•     Soft landings and fine tuning to occupants’ requirements

https://www.bsria.com/uk/consultancy/project-improvement/soft-landings/guides/

Continuous Improvement

The BSM will continue to build into the services department better processes / procedures and documentation to enhance and ease the process of services management in both preconstruction and construction stages.

The BSM should also carryout/be involved in the following important aspects of their role - But not limited to:

• Build relationships with consultants and clients
• Build relationships with key manufacturers
• Carry out continuous improvements to services management procedures/practises
• Provide support to other service’s managers whilst they are out on-site (less experienced)
• Target and track areas where improvements are required and implement change
• Generate training plans for the team (lead/principle manager)
• Manage MEP workload resource requirements

2014 Example
(Shown to display that for over a decade, Keevan has been implementing services management systems of practise)

A blast from the past recently found on server produced back in 2014 as a starting point for one company (intended as a short concise overview), shown here purely as an example as an out-dated format that even today would be advanced for most services management departments.

BSM / M&E PM Project Reporting

One of the things Keevan always does during an Interview is ask the candidate to demonstrate a recent project file, this shows admin level, control, tracking, scheduling, programming, and reporting ability.

One story/example Keevan would add:

On one particularly difficult project with a mass of interfaces, he was asked and partly incentivised to cease skydiving or any adventure/dangerous sport(s) during the handover and commissioning phase, due to the fact his employer was concerned if he injured himself outside from work, all the information in his head be lost and in any event only understood by him, so it was important to remain healthy until PC. (funny looking back...)

"The team agreed; they would need to either video link him from hospital or even worse lose the information/detail forever..."

Hence the benefit of updating a management file and it being understood by others, this is why Keevan developed his MMR document because it formed both a report update on every aspect of the project, in addition combined/collated the latest "minutes of meeting(s)" including external links to relevant documents, so in the event of another services manager assisting/taking the project over, they would have a detailed starting point more than the norm, being shown a program and a brief site-walk, which is often the case.

Keevan compiles these folders where needed in the background in collaboration at times with the trades and consultants byway of a folder dubbed folder "X”, he will also in addition complete the employing companies standard proformas/filing systems on their shared drives, as well as the industry and/or clients standard cloud site management system(s), examples being: 4Projects, Aconex and alike/in use on the project(s).

Byway of the BSM/M&E PM compiling/creating said information in this manner, he/she will by default already be taking in/learning the required information, both in terms of understanding and managing the project.

Makes sense...

This is usually the case, because not all companies manage services as professionally as they should/could, nevertheless the manager should still if even only held/saved externally, compile detail for his/her use even if only for reasons relating to defending oneself, safeguarding oneself from blame due to actions/decisions of others.

One example could be where commercially the wrong decisions were made against the advice of the manager and yet the manager is still either blamed for issues and/or asked to work longer hours to bridge the gaps made by said decisions, then at least it can be used as an audit trail.

It is still the case, that unfortunately there is a blame culture created byway of a lack of management, process, experience and communication.

Si vis pacem, para pactum...

IBSMCoE - Code for MEP Services Management

IT IS NOT WHO YOU ARE, BUT WHAT YOU DO, THAT DEFINES YOU