Construction Manager as Agent (CMa)

project management
1

A construction manager is hired to advise a large company during the initial design phase of a complex facility. The construction manager coordinates construction trades for the project. The construction manager’s services are provided for a fixed fee, and there is no risk for final construction cost. Savings or overruns are passed to the owner.

Which construction delivery method is most applicable?

The correct answer is marked as Construction Manager as Agent (CMa)

I answered Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc) because in my opinion there’s no indicator in the question that the Construction Manager being depicted couldn’t ALSO be the Constructer.

Also, my understating of CM as Agent is that the owner contracts with them to handle the Architect as well as the Contractor. The phrasing of “The construction manager coordinates construction trades for the project.” Leads me to believe they are the contractor managing their own trades, which would mean they are the ones contracted to do the work. An agent would just have a contract with the contractor performing the work, they wouldn’t have direct “say so” over the individual sub-contractors, correct? Please provide some insight on this topic.

@coachpierceallston @coachbriannakeller

2

Hey there!

I would recommend looking at pages 514-515 in the AHPP to help clarify these definitions a bit more.

The CM as Agent provides early consulting and may act on behalf of the owner in assembling and coordinating the construction traders both prior and during construction. CM-agents typically provide their services for a fixed fee and assume no risk for the actual construction costs themselves but pass on both the savings and overruns directly to the owner.

The CM-C delivery method typically involves a “GMP” which is a commitment by the CM-C to build the project for a specified price based on early design documents. This places the CM-C at risk for the construction cost of the project if the project is over-budget - they absorb those added costs, not the owner.

Let me know if this helps to clarify!

  • Coach B
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