Durango Browne frequently contributes substantively to the project management team and critical elements of the project development process.
When requested by our clients we join existing management teams for various infrastructure projects. Our role is to advise clients on the overall project development process, and assist them in co-ordinating the many individual professional disciplines that are needed to deliver a major infrastructure project.
Durango Browne is interested in taking part in consortiums providing implementation services for major infrastructure projects. We can take full responsibility for particular parts of the project, and/or provide key specialists or managers.
Infrastructure Asset Management
Public perception of success normally results from managing assets so as to obtain an optimal balance between quality of service and value for money. Durango Browne can assist clients in developing solutions that have sustainable technical, contractual and financial strategies that are focused on delivering quality service to users.
Interface Management
Developing major infrastructure projects requires a team with diverse talents – planners, engineers, contractors, operators, solicitors, commercial specialists, bankers, communications specialists, lobbyists, and managers. Whether these specialists are in-house or contracted-out, all need to understand and work toward an overall plan, and common understandings and effective communications between these very different groups must be maintained. The broad experience of Durango Browne’s managers makes them particularly effective at co-ordinating these divergent specialists.
Project Management
Durango Browne can assist clients with both the procedural and the interpersonal sides of managing a project to successful completion. The procedural side includes the various techniques for planning, monitoring and controlling project elements such as scope, cost, time, quality and resources. Our project managers are equally experienced in communication, motivation, leadership, and problem-solving.
Commercial Structures
The commercial structure of a major infrastructure project is often complicated. It is founded on the financing method, incorporates development and life cycle costs, reflects the allocation of business risk, defines guarantee and security arrangements, and has profound effects on the ultimate quality of a service or project. Durango Browne has developed commercial structures in a wide variety of project types, institutional settings, procurement methods and regulatory environments.
Procurement
Procurement has a profound impact on the functionality, quality and cost of an infrastructure project. Durango Browne can assist clients in planning and administering procurement processes so as to obtain balanced and successful contracts. We have experience in a wide range procurement types including service contracts, concessions, unit price contracts, design-build (db) and design-build-operate (dbo)contracts, privately financed contracts and public private partnerships (dbof & ppp).
Risk Management and Change Control
Change happens, and not always for the better. Theoretical risks become real problems. This can result in significant underperformance, delay, claims, ballooning costs and litigation. In extreme cases, it can cause a project to fail or be perceived as a failure. Durango Browne has the deep practical experience necessary to assist clients in recognising the early on-set of a problem, and then successfully managing change and mitigating risk.
Project Communications and Public Consultation
Developing major infrastructure projects affects people. Poor or inadequate communication with the people affected by the process can create obstacles and can cause failure of the project. Durango Browne can assist clients with identifying the parties that have a stake in a project, addressing their concerns, and maximising mutual understanding and acceptance.
Due Diligence
Deep knowledge of both the commercial and technical sides of various types of infrastructure, together with project financing and various public-private-partnership structures, makes Durango Browne a real asset in due diligence assignments.