Commercial
Commercial Construction Management in Ottawa
Construction management is a delivery method where GCO manages the construction process on the owner’s behalf, often awarding trade packages progressively as design completes in stages, rather than carrying a single fixed-price contract for the whole project from day one. It gives owners more visibility and involvement in trade selection throughout the project, in exchange for carrying more of the cost and schedule risk until each package is awarded.
Discuss your commercial project
In short
What this work involves.
As construction manager, GCO coordinates scheduling, trade procurement and budget tracking for the owner, acting as agent or at-risk depending on the agreement, while the owner holds more direct involvement in awarding trade packages than under a single lump-sum general contract.
Who this helps
- Owners who want visibility into individual trade pricing rather than one bundled contract price
- Fast-track projects where construction starts before design is fully complete
- Owners with internal project management capacity who want an active role in trade decisions
- Public or institutional projects where competitive trade tendering is a requirement
Scope
Work this can include.
Typically included
- Developing a procurement strategy and sequence of trade packages
- Soliciting and evaluating trade bids, with recommendations to the owner
- Scheduling and sequencing trades across the project
- Budget tracking and reporting against each awarded package
- Site supervision and quality coordination across trades
- Progress reporting to the owner at regular intervals
Optional or project-dependent
- Fast-tracking select trade packages ahead of full design completion
- Value-engineering input during design development
- Guaranteed maximum price arrangements, where agreed with the owner
Boundaries
- Construction management does not include design services; a separate design professional contract with the owner is assumed
- Under agency construction management, trade contracts are typically between the owner and the trades, with GCO acting as the owner’s agent, not the contracting party
- Final total cost is not fully known until all trade packages are awarded, which is different from a single fixed price agreed up front
- GCO does not assume design liability for drawings produced by the owner’s consultants
Decision aid
Comparing commercial delivery models
| Model | Who holds the design contract | Who holds trade contracts | When price is fixed | Owner involvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design-bid-build | Owner, directly with architect/engineer | Owner, directly with general contractor | After design is complete, via competitive bid | High: owner manages two separate relationships |
| Design-build | GCO, or novated to GCO | GCO, with trade subcontracts | As design reaches an agreed completion level | Moderate: single point of contact, fewer direct contracts |
| Construction management | Owner, directly with architect/engineer | Owner, through the construction manager as agent or at-risk | Progressively, by trade package, as design completes in stages | High: owner involved in trade award decisions throughout |
Before a proposal
What we assess before proposing the work.
- Whether a design professional is already engaged directly by the owner
- Project schedule pressure and interest in starting construction before design finishes
- Owner capacity and appetite to be involved in trade award decisions
- Whether agency or at-risk construction management suits the project and risk tolerance
- Procurement requirements, such as competitive tendering obligations
- Budget certainty needs versus flexibility to adjust scope as packages are awarded
Arrangement
Management arrangement and authority
GCO acts on the owner’s behalf to plan, procure and supervise construction, with the specific authority to commit the owner to trade contracts defined in the construction management agreement. Under an agency arrangement, trade contracts usually sit directly between the owner and each trade; under an at-risk arrangement, GCO may hold the trade contracts while reporting openly on costs.
Trade sequencing coordinated under a construction management arrangement
Procurement
Procurement and reporting
Trade packages are typically bid out individually as design for each scope reaches a sufficient level of detail, allowing construction to begin on completed packages while design continues on others.
- Package-by-package scope definition and bid solicitation
- Bid evaluation with a recommendation to the owner, not a unilateral award
- Open-book cost reporting against each package
- Schedule updates reflecting package award dates
Distinction
How this differs from general contracting
General contracting under design-bid-build usually involves one fixed price agreed before construction starts, covering all trades. Construction management spreads pricing across multiple trade awards over time, giving the owner more visibility into each trade’s cost but less budget certainty at the outset.
Visual reference
Spaces and details to consider.
Office project delivered under a construction management arrangement
Trade package sequencing on a larger commercial project
Cost
What shapes the cost.
GCO does not publish price ranges; each proposal reflects the actual scope and site.
- Number and sequencing of trade packages
- Market pricing conditions at the time each package is tendered
- Design completeness when each package goes to bid
- Schedule overlap between design and early construction packages
- Owner-directed changes to packages already awarded
- Site conditions discovered once work begins
Timing
What shapes the schedule.
- 01
Procurement planning
Define the package breakdown and bidding sequence with the owner and design team.
- 02
Early package awards
Site preparation and long-lead trade packages are tendered and awarded first.
- 03
Rolling construction
Later packages are tendered as design completes, with construction proceeding on awarded scopes.
- 04
Closeout
Final packages complete, inspections occur, and the project closes out trade by trade.
Coordination
Who handles what.
GCO coordinates
- Developing and updating the procurement schedule
- Running competitive bid processes for each trade package
- Reporting costs and schedule status to the owner regularly
- Supervising trades on site and resolving sequencing conflicts
- Coordinating with the design team on package readiness
Qualified others provide
- Design professional: issuing drawings package by package
- Owner: reviewing and approving bid recommendations
- Trades: bidding and executing individually awarded packages
- Permit authority: inspections aligned to the construction sequence
Process
How this kind of project moves.
01
Engagement and planning
Confirm the construction management arrangement, authority and reporting format.
02
Package development
Define trade package scopes aligned with design progress.
03
Bidding and award recommendations
Solicit bids and present recommendations for owner approval.
04
Construction and reporting
Supervise trades and report costs and schedule through to completion.
Ottawa
Local context.
Trade packages on Ottawa projects still require the applicable City of Ottawa permits and inspections, which are sequenced alongside the construction management schedule rather than bypassed by it.
Public-sector and institutional owners in the Ottawa area may have their own procurement policy requirements for competitive trade tendering, which should be confirmed before the package breakdown is finalized.
Service areasFAQs
Questions before you enquire.
Is construction management the same as general contracting?
No. General contracting under design-bid-build typically carries one fixed price for the whole project; construction management awards and prices trade packages progressively.
Does GCO act as agent or take on construction risk directly?
Both arrangements exist; which applies is set out in the specific construction management agreement for the project.
Do I need my own architect?
Yes, construction management assumes a separate design professional contract held by the owner; it does not include design services.
When do I know the total project cost?
Cost certainty builds progressively as each trade package is bid and awarded, rather than being fixed before construction starts.
Can construction start before design is finished?
Yes, that is one reason owners choose construction management — early packages such as site work can proceed while later design continues.
Who selects the trades?
GCO solicits bids and recommends a selection, with final award decisions made according to the authority set out in the agreement.
Is a standard contract form used?
Contract forms vary by project; standardized documents such as those published by the Canadian Construction Documents Committee exist as a reference, but terms are agreed per project.
Related
Related commercial planning.
The next conversation
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