Advising on infrastructure projects

Your expert for questions

Christian Elsholz
Partner for Capital Projects and Infrastructure at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 1511 6770951
Email

“From Strategy through Execution”

How we support you in executing your infrastructure projects

Whether transport, energy, water or communications, infrastructure projects are essential for a functioning society and economy. However, they are complex, politically sensitive and heavily regulated. The pressure to plan and execute quickly is increasing in the current context of climate change, geopolitical changes and scarce resources.

Time and cost overruns often occur owing to the scarcity of resources and the associated unmet demand for qualified workforce and specialists, the high level of project complexity and the large number of people and interest groups involved.

With comprehensive market knowledge, a strong network and many years of experience, we can support you in executing your infrastructure projects. Our diverse team of experts from various disciplines offers a wide range of expertise throughout the value chain of infrastructure projects.

“In order to implement sustainable infrastructure programmes, partnerships are necessary that optimally share their members’ skills and mitigate risks together. We support our clients in achieving their goals and executing large projects on time, budget and up to standard.”

Christian Elsholz,Partner for Compliance, Capital Projects and Infrastructure at PwC Germany

Our approach: tailor-made and forward-looking

Transparent project status

Based on structured project reviews, we support you to gain transparency in complex project situations and help you to optimise your projects with regard to your schedule, cost, scope and quality goals.

Efficient execution

We will support you to develop your organisation and skills – both strategically and operationally. Operational development includes implementation of efficient and digital decision-making structures along with processes based on proven principles and methods.

Smooth realization

Our experts take on responsibility for individual business processes or entire functions in integrated project teams – with the full support of our network in periods of stress.

Complete digitalisation

Efficient infrastructure planning and construction require end-to-end digital solutions. We offer you applications for gathering and managing information, including work package structure, costs and schedules, contracts, risks and changes.

Success factors for project management disciplines

Integrated programme control

When it comes to complex, large-scale projects, reliable planning and coordination are just as important as precise project control by everyone involved. Successful projects focus on the following success factors:

A central project structure which serves as the basis of integrated processes and systems
Developing and tracking a holistic project baseline
A holistic and integrated view of schedules, costs, scope and quality
Proven governance structures, role descriptions and an integrated process framework
Reliable planning, coordination and project control by everyone involved in the project
Establishing and operational implementing change management
Establishing an integrated and transparent reporting
Proactive stakeholder management and communication
Managing the various contractors and suppliers with an aligned baseline for deadlines, scope and costs
Identifying and managing measures to accelerate the project, and proactively dealing with obstacles

Commercial project management

Solid commercial project management also serves as an effective early warning system which can signal issues to leadership. Forward-looking project control is key.

The interdependency/correlation of costs and activities along the timeline of a project is an important factor for keeping focus on costs, as is monitoring opportunities and risks. Greater cost sensitivity also leads to economic doing/actions. Forward-looking project controls can be achieved by:

Developing a detailed and structured cost baseline,
Carrying out cyclical cost planning and forecasting, involving the respective departments,
Using a continuous cost breakdown structure, and
Comparing and analysing planned/actual costs against performance

The following success factors are essential for reliable risk management:

Established processes for detecting risks in a structured manner
Getting specialist departments involved in risk assessment early on
Clear responsibilities for risk monitoring and mitigation
Regular statistical simulations of potential scenarios

Supply chain management

Strategic purchasing and effective supplier management are essential guarantees of success for ensuring that demands are met in compliance with the law in terms of costs, quality and time. Key success factors include:

Early involvement of purchasing in all relevant tendering and procurement processes
Strategic demand planning with all relevant stakeholders and clear definition of responsibilities
Ensuring and optimising the award of contracts schedule as well as preparing all documents relevant to the tendering process
Determine, coordinate and implement suitable strategies for supplier, negotiation and procurement

Optimal (preferably digital, KPI-based) process control from demand to payment

Contract and claim management

The approach to contracts should be geared to the requirements of the project and market in question to enable robust management of contracts and change request. The following aspects are of particular importance:

Using nationally and internationally recognised and common contract standards (e.g. FIDIC) – with a focus on suitable approaches for complex infrastructure projects (e.g. EPC)
Using digital solutions (e.g. BIM or CCM tools) to optimise processing times and effectively control interfaces, especially when managing change orders
Integration of proven conflict resolution mechanisms to find solutions quickly and constructively among the parties involved (e.g. partnering mechanisms, IPA, dispute resolution)
Establishment of a digital information exchange system to process and document facts in cases of conflict
Tracking quality deviations using a digital defect management process

Legal securement of land

Efficient planning that takes the regulatory framework into account and anticipates possible planning difficulties at an early stage is of great importance. In particular, the following aspects should be considered for smoother, faster progress:

Performing necessary preparatory work early on and in a coordinated manner (subsoil investigations, archaeology, mapping, explosive ordnance, soil protection, early compensatory measures)
Timely, exhaustive, legally compliant and amicable acquisition of all necessary property rights
Structured, digital and legally compliant handling of public and private objections
Clear understanding of the legal requirements, and of potential for acceleration by reducing or dispensing with environmental and/or land use planning assessments

Real estate and property management

Suitable logistic spaces and offices are necessary when implementing large-scaled infrastructure projects. In order to ensure careful and professional design of project offices and logistic areas, the focus should be on the following aspects:

Early analysis of space requirements for each user, based on defined requirements
Using market analyses to help with site selectionand identifying potential areas
Conceptual development and professionalisation of structures for each location
Timely planning and control of implementation as well as handover to users in due time
Use of service providers and landlords to ensure operation

Logistics and site management

Close cooperation between all relevant stakeholders and careful coordinationof materials, machines and resources are the cornerstone of successful coordination of logistics and construction activities. The following are fundamental:

Transparent provision of all information necessary for coordinating the various parties involved along the supply chain (construction supervision, rights of way,permission of construction, civil engineering) regarding the status of deliveries and materials
Flexibility and room for manoeuvre in logistics plans in order to nip delays to the construction process in the bud
Close communication with project management to ensure that plans for heavy and oversize loads comply with the law and are made on time
Use of both traditional and agile planning tools (lean construction) to enable quick responses to changes and local events
Consideration of health and safety aspects in day-to-day business by ensuring a smooth cascade of information, including raising awareness through tailored and target oriented work instructions

Digitalisation

Digitalisation plays a crucial role in implementing infrastructure projects more efficiently. The following points are important for a successful project:

Specifying a complete and standardised data model for the overall project
High level of integration of the necessary expert systems
Data governance and quality assurance systems
Agile platform development to implement emerging functional and system requirements
Ensuring high usability (UX) for all users

How we support you with your infrastructure projects

Your experts for questions

Christian Elsholz
Partner for Capital Projects and Infrastructure at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 1511 6770951
Email

Rebekka Berbner
Partner for Capital Projects and Infrastructure at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 171 7836364
Email

We support you in setting up and implementing integrated project and programme management. Integrated management considers both the planning and the implementation of the relevant parts of the project in the overall context – for example, scheduling, expenses, risks and technical scope.

Our services

Integration combines the following disciplines:

Scope/change management: we document a scope baseline to depict the entire scope of work, develop a change workflow and process the changes to the scope of work on an operational level.
Scheduling: this involves creating, updating and managing integrated schedules, including regular schedule analyses (DCMA, MTA, CPA); we also carry out progress planning and measurement, and use these results to plan and coordinate detailed work packages.
Reporting: here, we develop and maintain a central project reporting system using interactive online dashboards to integrate various data sources, along with preparing and moderating report discussions.
Commercial project management: see next tab for details

Your experts for questions

Martin Zündorf
Director at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 1517 2737321
Email

Omke Daumer
Senior Manager at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 1609 7232868
Email

We create trust with transparent cost management and forward-looking risk management for proactive instead of reactive action. This is the foundation for achieving goals together.

Our services

Project control:

Organisation of commercial project management functions and development of project-specific cost planning
Integration of SAP and cost control tools such as the Construction Hub, in alignment with established systems and processes
Automated target/actual comparisons based on key figures using the reporting system
Operational implementation of cost management processes, with the involvement of technical specialists

Risk management:

Establishment of a (project) risk management system, including the process, a risk inventory and a risk management plan
Support with recording, analysing and evaluating the financial/temporal extent of damages, dealing with impact of risk and assessing its probability of occurence
Establishment of early risk detection systems using AI and big data analytics solutions

Your experts for questions

Dr. Kai Dresch
Partner at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 172 3220119
Email

Sabine Dammertz
Senior Manager at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 160 4067860
Email

Establishing resilient and sustainable supply chains is a key challenge, especially for large-scaled infrastructure projects. The selection and management of suppliers by an efficient procurement department are of particular importance in this context.

Our services

In procurement, PwC takes on the planning and strategic classification of requirements; technical implementation and support in tenders, negotiations and contract awards
Establishment and optimisation of processes and structures for strategic (“source-to-contract”) and operational (“purchase-to-pay”) procurement; definition of KPIs for legally compliant and audit-proof documentation
Establishment of central and efficient supply chain management
Organisational design and tool implementation (eProcurement) as well as their application, e.g. through eAuction and Design-to-Cost

Your experts for questions

Lars Uhlmann
Senior Manager at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 1515 9022396
Email

When it comes to managing contracts and change orders, we ensure throughout the entire duration of the project that justified claims are enforced and unjustified ones warded off.. Above all, we ensure that disruption to the project and processes are avoided and that legal disputes do not arise.

Our services

Legal advice on contract initiation and contract award strategy
Creating a tailor-made contract structure for your project
Strategic and operational management of contracts and change orders
Negotiation and dispute resolution

Your expert for questions

Dr. Jutta Mues
Partner at PwC Legal Germany
Tel: +49 171 2967205
Email

Efficient planning that takes the regulatory framework into account and anticipates possible planning difficulties at an early stage is of great importance. In particular, the following aspects should be considered for smoother, faster progress:

● Performing necessary preparatory work early on and in a coordinated manner (subsoil investigations, archaeology, faunistic/floristic mappings, investigations for explosive ordinances, soil protection, early compensatory measures under nature protection)

● Timely, exhaustive, legally compliant and amicable acquisition of all necessary property rights

● Structured, digital and legally compliant handling of public and private objections

● Clear understanding of the legal requirements and of potential for acceleration by reducing or dispensing environmental and/or spatial planning assessments

Your experts for questions

David Rouven Möcker
Partner at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 175 2928906
Email

Julian Hagenschulte
Director at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 1511 5553189
Email

We advise you – all the way from initial ideas and development right up to the construction, operation and optimisation of the offices and logistics space you need for your infrastructure project.

Our services

Conceptual development and professionalisation of structures for each location
Development and operational implementation of innovative workplaces and ways of working
Site selection and analysing location potential
Commercial and legal negotiation of rental agreements and service contracts
Introducing reporting solutions for cost optimisation, increased efficiency and construction progress
Specifying, implementing and enhancing facility services in operation
Conceptual development and consulting on sustainability and ESG issues, as well as further assistance with optimising operations and regulatory issues

Your expert for questions

Martin Zündorf
Director at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 1517 2737321
Email

Logistics and site management pose complex challenges that can lead to delays and increased costs. Proven methods and technologies enable us to reduce these risks and help ensure a coordinated project.

Our services

Analysis of logistics processes and requirements on site
Development of logistics strategies and plans
Identification of bottlenecks and risks in logistics
Development and implementation of tailor-made IT solutions to support logistics processes
Planning and monitoring of technical interfaces during the construction and commissioning phase
Developing and using digital measuring methods (e.g. drones) for determinig quantities and documenting the construction progress as a basis for cost-performance control

Your experts for questions

Julian Hagenschulte
Director at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 1511 5553189
Email

For efficient completion, large-scaled construction projects need IT platforms tailored to their necessities based on existing technical requirements and scale as the project progresses. Our goal: an IT platform that implements all best practices in technical security while enabling modern project management processes. To implement this, we get a wide range of necessary stakeholders involved – even exceeding company boundaries.

Our services

Development of a target architecture
Development of agile target operating models
Structured requirements management
Selection and introduction of IT software packages

Taking over responsibility on an operational level for your new solutions

Any questions?

Contact us

Construction Hub

As a central collaboration platform for everyone involved in a project, PwC’s Construction Hub structures all project-relevant data and simplifies complicated processes. Using a central data and workflow engine enables efficient collaboration between all project partners throughout the entire project cycle.

Find out more

Automated objection management

PwC’s Automated Processing Solution for Infrastructure offers you efficient objection management that analyses and evaluates objections to construction projects. The solution also supports you in the consultation process by creating response letters and placing objections alongside the relevant replies.

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