PSMJ Tips: Keep Your Subconsultants in the Loop

Failures by your subconsultants can lead to serious liability claims and potential losses. Your first line of control over potential risk is a well-written agreement. But you can also avoid problems with proper communication. Make sure your expectations are clear, and follow the points below. Your subconsultants are an integral part of your team!

• Include subconsultants in project meetings. Including subs in team meetings helps them to feel like they’re part of the project team and to understand their role. Establishing good rapport with subs at the beginning of a project makes it easier to work with them during crunch times. 

• Share your standards. A pre-project meeting is a good time to make your expectations clearly known to subs. Presenting them with a detailed scope-of-work description, a set of correct drawings, and a written deadline will help them perform their job. It will help them understand where they may have deviated from your standards of performance. 

• If necessary, require the sub to perform the services in your office. This is important when coordination between disciplines and staff is complex, where quality assurance requirements must be maintained. 

• Support your subs. Ask your subs if there’s anything you can do to help make their part of the project delivery more efficient. Then follow through on their requests. Also paying subs on time will establish a good working relationship that will continue past the end of your project.

Do you want to be a more efficient and productive Project Manager? PSMJ can help. Don’t miss your opportunity to attend PSMJ's Project Management Bootcamp coming to the following cities this fall:

September 13-14, 2012 - Denver, CO
September 20-21, 2012 - Orlando, FL
September 27-28, 2012 - San Diego, CA
October 25-26, 2012 - Atlanta, GA
November 1-2, 2012 - Dallas, TX
November 8-9, 2012 - Vancouver, BC
December 6-7, 2012 - Boston, MA
December 13-14, 2012 - Las Vegas, NV