MASSPORT: Doing Business: Capital Programs: How We Work

How We Work

The Capital Programs department provides Massport with the ability to optimize our infrastructure investments by:

Intelligently identifying and selecting essential projects
Efficiently and innovatively delivering those projects
Continuing to nurture the kind of professional organization required to provide those services

Organization
The Capital Programs Department is modeled after private sector program and construction management firms, with "program teams", a focus on project management, and clearly defined support units such as surveying, project controls, and quality assurance.

The Department is divided into the following teams:

Program Management Teams - Four teams assigned by facility, headed by a Program Manager and staffed by Project Managers, are responsible for the programming, management and leadership of capital projects.
Project Controls Team - Responsible for all schedule and budget tracking and reporting.
Contract Management Team - Responsible for drafting, negotiating, and administering all design and construction contracts.
Architectural/Engineering Services Team - Responsible for in house design, drafting, graphical information systems, and technical expertise.
Construction Management Team - Responsible for on site construction inspection and field documentation of all projects.
Surveying Team - Responsible for land surveying, berth depth soundings, and maintaining all property boundary documentation.
Quality Assurance Team - Responsible for managing independent laboratories quality assurance testing of construction projects.
Utility Management Team - Responsible for purchasing, distributing and reselling utility services at all Massport facilities.
Environmental Management Team - Responsible for maintaining Massport compliance with proper environmental practices through pollution prevention and remediation measures.

The Department is designed to provide strong management and leadership for infrastructure projects without duplicating services more efficiently available in the private sector. On most projects, Capital Program’s staff initiates and manages the project utilizing private design and construction firms to perform the work. This allows us to combine and leverage the expertise and "ownership" of our in house staff with the available resources, market competition, and flexibility provided by utilizing private firms on a project by project basis.

We currently are focusing on technology including the creation of a Geographic Information Center (which combines CADD drawings with information databases), adoption of Global Positioning Surveying (allowing our surveys to be conducted utilizing satellites), development of a new Program Information Management System (to allow improved tracking and reporting of project information), and expanding our use of the internet including a pilot program to create a project "web page" to assist in publicizing work opportunities and the management of a project.

Because of the nature of our projects and our management approach, Massport has historically attracted the best consultants, contractors, and technical staff in the industry. This trend continues today even with an increased focus by Capital Programs on fiscal restraint and accountability.