Who We Are: Management, Cost and Tenders

Nowadays, the construction and Real Estate development sector faces increasing challenges and complexities due to emerging demands. Investors and developers aim to quickly achieve their goals with more robust projects and adjusted returns. Therefore, the traditional management approach must evolve to meet these new goals. 

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It is in this new context that the role of Management, Cost and Tenders emerges—a professional who carries out a service related to implementing, planning, and distributing all the actions that take place during the life cycle of a project, coordinating among the various disciplines and teams involved in that cycle, and working intensively to achieve objectives.

In this article, we share our perspective on the Management, Cost and Tenders area within the firm, how it integrates with the rest of the areas, and what benefits the client perceives from this complementary service to the design, execution, and development of each project.

Risks, timelines, and costs

Before the emergence of Management, Cost and Tenders, the responsibility for fulfilling the contract of each project—in terms of costs, timelines, and materials—fell solely on the construction company. This entity was in charge of, among other tasks, supervising the achievement of objectives, documenting the different stages, and coordinating with external stakeholders and suppliers.

In this structure, all decisions and responsibilities were concentrated within the contractor company. As a result, the developer experienced reduced control over the project and had limited capacity to negotiate and supervise. This model often led to delays in delivery dates and increased costs due to unexpected changes, adjustments in objectives, and the direct management of subcontracts and supplies by construction companies.

Faced with this scenario, the role of Management, Cost and Tenders is integrated into the preliminary stages of the project, participating in its development, anticipating the execution method, and contracting strategies.

Management, Cost and Tenders focuses on meeting the technical and aesthetic quality standards of the project, acting as a manager who equally considers the client’s budgetary and scheduling needs, as well as compliance with the contracts established with the construction company, subcontractors, and suppliers.

Learn more: Who we are – Construction Management.

While Site Supervision is the area responsible for ensuring the constructive quality of the project, both in technical and aesthetic requirements, Management, Cost and Tenders is responsible for meeting the stipulated cost and timeline objectives.

For reasons of resource efficiency and effectiveness in achieving objectives, it is necessary to have a special synergy between both areas, with very high levels of scheduling and coordination. At the same time, to maintain a healthy balance between the cost/timeline objectives and the quality objectives of the project—which at times may be at odds—it is advisable that Management, Cost and Tenders and Site Supervision fall under different areas and people, aligned with the common goal of project success, but with clearly differentiated roles and responsibilities.

Management, Cost and Tenders at GP:

Due to the increasing complexities and scopes of the aforementioned projects, the role of the area adapts according to the requirements that arise from the very first moment the client expresses their intention to carry out the project.

Starting with the conception and feasibility stage, moving through the execution phase, and ending with the project closure period, Management, Cost and Tenders plays a key role in each of these stages.

From acting as a liaison and coordinator with public agencies to ensure the project’s viability, to managing the resources provided by the client, Management, Cost and Tenders actively manages costs and meticulously plans the project. Likewise, it carries out the necessary activities for the successful completion of the project, always keeping in mind the goal of meeting the established cost, timeline, and quality standards.

Within the firm, the Management, Cost and Tenders area integrates all tasks and activities through four main guiding processes:

• Project Launch Process coordinates the tasks prior to the project’s start. It precedes the beginning of construction and accompanies the study phases. Management, Cost and Tenders and the Project Manager team work together from the outset, facilitating and anticipating actions so that the project is operational.
• Budgeting and Tendering Process aims to guide the necessary contracting for the start of construction. The management team defines with the Owner the execution method and contracting strategy. They seek comprehensive management of all project contracts, adding value according to strategic needs.
• Management Control and Administration Process focuses on the economic and financial control of the project. It encompasses administration and project monitoring tasks. For the management team, this is essential, as without this control, the desired objectives would not be achieved.
• Construction Monitoring, Planning, and Coordination Process seeks to ensure compliance with production planning and scheduling. The goal is to create a plan with all project stakeholders, considering its complexity. Physical planning is used to establish short, medium, and long-term plans according to the project. Methodologies such as Last Planner® are also used, providing technological tools that facilitate construction planning.

What characterizes a good Management, Cost and Tenders professional?

Sebastián Barreiro, civil engineer and area manager, noted: “From the very first moment, trust and ethics must permeate every action taken. A good manager must, first and foremost, have a deep knowledge of the construction industry and direct experience in project execution. In addition, they must establish themselves as an efficient interlocutor among the companies involved, the client, and the other areas of the firm.

Finally, it is essential that they have a conciliatory profile, work intensely towards objectives, and be able to skillfully maneuver among the various requirements and interests of all parties involved in the project. They must have the ability to discern the best solution in the shortest time and at the lowest cost. It is imperative that they are an unwavering ally both for the client and for the project being managed.”

To successfully face the future of the construction and Real Estate development sector, it is essential to foster synergy, coordination, and a focus on clear objectives among the stakeholders involved in a project. At Gomez Platero, we face these challenges with passion from the outset, always seeking, through committed and innovative management, to play a decisive role in the realization of projects and in meeting our clients’ needs.