b'BEATING ESCALATION WITH EARLY MOVES PROCUREMENT METHODS Were not forcing the contractor to absorb the risk but committing to deal together if it happens. with them collaboratively Linda McCuskerWith inflation and supply-chain pressures still affecting construction, owners emphasized proactive planning over reactive claims. Shared Health is approving early procurementShared Health: Stephanson said the CCDC 5B of long-lead items when it helps de-risk a project, while theconstruction management model lets design Province is bundling and buying materials at scale acrossand construction overlap, creating predictability multiple builds. At WSTP, escalation and tariff clauses are nowand speed. From the owners perspective, it standard to share volatility fairly, and SkyAlynes program modelallows us to get started early and get working captures savings by sourcing steel, concrete and equipment foron projects and provide some certainty from a several facilities at once. cash-flow perspective, he explained.Province: The Province is seeing similar success TRUST, DATAAND SAYING IT IN THE ROOM shifting from design-bid-build to construction management. Early construction start, overlapSurprises shouldof phases bulk procurement economies of scale, said Spry. We feel the CM delivery be left for birthdaymethod is proving to be better value and faster than DBB. I want to preface, DBB has a placemitigate early.Im not saying that theres no place for DBB.presents. Identify and Steven Spry NEWPCC / WSTP: McCusker said their billion-dollar projects are using a progressive design-build approach that allows the owner and contractor to collaborate through an open-book Despite differences in mandates, each panellist returned to thedevelopment phase before finalizing scope, same point: relationships determine outcomes. Spry stressed thecost and schedule. Youve got to be prepared need to front-load risk, from market soundings to environmental[for the possibility] that what you thought your due diligence, while Stephanson spoke of cultivating a wefirst design might be, wont be what you end up problem mindset. McCusker urged owners to bring contractorwith, she explained.experience onto their teams and to speak plainly in projectSkyAlyne: Boyechko described a single national meetings: If theres a problem, I cant do anything unless you tellcontract built on collaboration across multiple me. Even artificial intelligence entered the conversation, withagencies and partners. Its a really good model, Sparrow and Boyechko noting its potential for predictive analyticshe said, but when it comes to decision-making, and real-time risk registers. sometimes it slows down the process.WHO WILL BUILD IT? Manitobas next challenge is workforce. With billions of dollars in projects on the horizon, every organization on the panel Success is built on smart is investing in people. Spry highlighted apprenticeships and Indigenousprocurement, innovation, partnerships built into provincial programs. Both Shared Health and WSTP are hiringallcollaboration. skilled people andabove former contractors to bridge perspectives between owners and builders, andTom SparrowSkyAlyne has committed at least five per cent of program value to Indigenous engagement. When it comes to people, Sparrow reminded the room, attraction and retention is everybodys business.Issue 4 | Winter Edition | 2025 BUILD MANITOBA 27'