Service Overview

Project Planning & Scheduling

Since forming in 1998 APC have gained experience supporting a wide range of industries including, Rail, Infrastructure, Nuclear, Semi-Conductor, Water and Pharmaceutical and Fine Chemicals. We have supplied quality individuals and experienced teams to clients developing a wide range of schedules ranging from integrated strategy schedules with a value of over £2b, LCP’s ranging from £1m to £100m to smaller large volume schedules of circa £50k to £200k. Our ethos is to work with clients bringing value whether optimising our internal PMO so work can be done quickly and efficiently using back office staff or placing resource into customers organisations to support their individual requirements. The Alba Planning Consultants approach is much more than providing a particular resource for an available role. We firmly believe that we can provide the best value to our clients through a more collaborative involvement, where we work hard to understand the specific needs of individual clients, whether optimising the benefits of our PMO or embedding our team within the client organisation to share our insight, best practices, knowledge, and experience.

Implemented a standardised approach to Project Management utilising a Project Management Framework adapted to the business/project needs.
Diligent administration of NEC 3 Contracts to ensure proper control of scope, cost and time.
Rigorous Change Control & Management to ensure the actual project status is fully understood at any given time.
Manage risk and opportunity to mitigate impact to projects utilising Primavera Risk (PRA).
Performance Management by ensuring that Key Measures are set and that effective reporting, monitoring and controls are put in place.
Implement a Resource management process utilising Primavera P6 to avoid of capacity bottleneck, resource conflicts and improve utilisation.

Project Controls

APC have provided a project controls service to numerous clients where we use our experienced resource to ensure schedules and baselines are managed, change control is recorded and reflected in a controlled manner in the schedule and schedule baseline. Contract conditions are adhered to whether using “Contractor Time Allowance” to the benefit of the contractor or evaluating the early warnings and compensation events and replying using appropriate clauses when representing the client. Where required risk is modelled and a risk register is created and implemented as a key working tool. Costs are aligned with the schedule and updates are scheduled so schedule information is updated, schedule is frozen then the cost position is used to measure true progress using appropriate data, physical percentage, spend to date and estimate to complete to give a true position of the project status.

Development of schedule and budget plan
Identification of key deliverables and milestones
Identify and management of project constraints
Early Identification of resource, equipment and materials
Ensure compliance to contract conditions

Programme Management (PMO)

APC joined the GLL framework in 2003. Initially we were seconded to provide a planning service to both support GLL internally and comply with the planning and reporting requirements of Scottish Water Solutions on the delivery of the Q&S111a and 111b programmes of work.

This work encompassed a wide range of projects and project locations from the Scottish borders to Northern Islands including Orkney. The projects were turnkey covering scope, design, procurement, construction and commissioning and varied from short pipework infrastructure or facility upgrades to new water and waste water stations built on green field sites.

Our original request was to set up a PMO to support this large portfolio of work and provide the appropriate resource to support this from Planning Manager to Senior Planners and Planners. Schedules had to be produced in Primavera software and reported against baseline complying with the SWS reporting calendar.

Due to the sheer volume of work APC framework was expanded to include further resource these included.

Detailed Scope and Estimating
Diligent administration of NEC 3 Contracts to ensure proper control of scope, cost and time.
Rigorous Baseline Change Control & Management to ensure the actual project status is fully understood at any given time.
Performance Management by ensuring that Key Measures are set and that effective reporting, monitoring and controls are put in place.
Implement a Resource management process utilising Primavera P6 to avoid of capacity bottleneck, resource conflicts and improve utilisation.
Production of integrated multi-level schedules, staged so controlled schedule maturity is implemented through formal change control for both master and detailed schedules
Creation of EPS allowing integration of sub contract schedules where applicable.
Management of the programme or portfolio using variance analysis & resolutions.
Manage risk and opportunity to mitigate impact to projects utilising Primavera Risk (PRA).

Project & Construction Management

APC have provided both Project and Construction Management services. APC have a strong network of experienced and skilled personnel. APC have integrated team members into clients organisations supporting a wide range of projects and industries. On working with clients we can identify the most suitable resources, in many cases we provide teams where we have project managers, construction managers, planners and QS’s who have worked together for a number of years negating the normal early stages of forming of teams. The benefit of this model is we hit the ground running.

Our Management Team provide the following:

Management of the project based on agreed contract conditions
Management of subcontractors
Management of all project interfaces throughout project lifecycle
Support the Development of robust schedules
Identify and manage both risk and opportunity
Support material and equipment material plans
Manage safety though out the project lifecycle
Ensure quality of work is maintained
Optimise the use of operational and outage windows
Manage project finance
Manage the construction and commissioning phases of work
Close out project documentation

Management Reporting

APC’s ethos is to report the truth and make sure this is underpinned by fact. We develop our reports so data is measurable, in time, cost and physical progress. Baselines are created and managed using the best industry standards and change is implemented in a clear and controlled manner. Alba have created customised dashboards at project and department level based on cost, schedule, safety and quality. Delays are quantified and reasons for delays are clarified. Dashboards are clear and easy to read so information can be processed quickly and actions can be identified and implemented.

Dashboards are customised to suit the clients business needs. Alba works with the client and any stakeholders to identify the output required from the reports then we use our expertise to reverse engineer the most cost effective way of generating the reports.
WiP dashboards are generated and can be subdivided by Area, Project management or business stream. This report highlights any possible bottlenecks that could limit project delivery as work passes through each chronological phase. It will identify early where department or individuals are overloaded and can run a month on month percentage comparison.
APC originally used excel to produce our dashboards. We have now moved to Power BI and have a Power BI specialist within our team who designs and implements our reporting dashboards. We chair an interactive development session with customers, identify the required output then design the most time and cost efficient way of generating the dashboards.

We have provided three main dashboard models:

For inclusion in monthly project reports showing performance against last approved baseline as well as a month on month comparison of physical progress as well as date and float comparison.
Major and local Shutdowns where dashboards are monitored in a daily or shift basis giving team leads, customers and site directors a clear visual presentation of schedule progress, risk and risk mitigation, a record of delays internally and by external contractors and performance against production start-up milestones.
Area, Department and Project Managers WiP report (Work in Progress) where we can identify bottlenecks as the project progresses though the lifecycle. Identify department workload as well as individual project managers workload.

Forensic Planning

APC have been requested to complete Deep Dive forensic examinations on individual projects where delays have occurred. The output clarifies and quantifies reasons and impact of delays. This includes analysing variance to contract, variance to baseline. It covers both internal and external activities. It challenges changes in schedule logic and cost variance. We also analyse change control, early warnings and compensation events.

Training & Mentoring

APC have experience of over 20 years in training provision, coaching and mentoring on joint ventures, partnerships, individual companies and individuals. Alba have a proven track record of success where trainees who have completed the APC basic or advanced training have developed into roles such as; Programme Manager, Lead Planners, Planning and Project Controls Managers. Other trainees have advanced to Change Control Managers, Project Managers, Project Controls Managers and Construction Supervisors roles where the stable planning background learned through APC training modules has helped underpin their transition.

APC develop bespoke training packages for each company, we work with key stakeholders ensuring training is applicable to their resource, industry and technical requirements. The benefit APC brings is we teach people how to plan then how to use planning software so they understand the basics fully and the impact a schedule will have on project delivery, contract adherence and performance.

APC provide the following:

Interactive session with stakeholders to agree training deliverables
Production of a training map so customers can assess training outcomes at each stage
Training schedule where timescales and deliverables are agreed and measured against
Training package showing each phase of training including testing on both planning and software skills
Training is set up to cover, Appreciation, Basic and advanced modules
On going support and mentoring of trainees as they gain experience

Other Services

Document Management and Control
Production of O&M Manuals
Auditing of Data
Forensic Planning
Risk Modelling
Advanced Purchasing