Life at Turner
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Turner’s core business is construction, but our staff comes from a wide variety of professional backgrounds. Turner is organized into departments and/or areas of responsibility. These departments cover the entire construction process from the original sale to pre-construction, construction and project closeout.
The organization chart here shows the basic structure of a business unit. (Click for a larger view)
Many of the departments and roles are explained here:
Business Development/Marketing
The business development/marketing department is responsible for:
- Preparing proposals in response to a Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
- Making formal presentations to owners
- Understanding, negotiating and writing contracts for all projects
Preconstruction
The preconstruction department that assists in pre-planning of projects and finding solutions to potential problems before construction begins. Some of the responsibilities include:
- Logistics planning, such as site access, material deliveries, temporary hoists, and elevators
- Development of master schedules including material and manpower availability, local ordinances and site conditions
- Constructability reviews
- Phasing of work
- Value engineering
Assist in preparation of purchasing requisitions and subcontract contract reviews
The preconstruction staff works closely with the project manager or project executive on the project and with other departments as well.
Estimating
The estimating department analyzes project plans and specifications to determine the overall estimated cost of a project. This department is skilled at both quantity take-off and conceptual estimating. Estimators gain experience in architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical and civil work.
Estimators are involved with projects throughout preconstruction and even into the construction phase. Some of their responsibilities include:
- Providing qualifications and written assumptions that can be discussed with the architect or owner when reviewing our estimates
- Developing a checklist for purchasing to use prior to awarding work
- Making sure our estimates are complete, when guaranteeing the cost of a project (GMP)
- Thoroughly understanding the scope of the project
- Assisting sales in securing new work
- Developing relationships with architects and engineers in the community
- Assisting engineering in reviewing change orders
- Performing value engineering studies
- Performing constructability reviews
Purchasing
The purchasing department develops and maintains relationships with subcontractors and suppliers. This includes evaluating subcontractor qualifications and financial capabilities. The purchasing department generally prepares, negotiates and awards all subcontracts, and purchase orders.
Before construction, the purchasing department reviews contract drawings including drawings, specifications and special requirements established by the project manager or project executive. This department then determines how the work should be broken down and purchased in order to obtain competitive pricing. The purchasing manager must have good knowledge of the market place, potential labor or material shortages, and resources of each subcontractor.
The purchasing department also works closely with the project superintendent and project engineer and provides support throughout the course of the project by:
- Evaluating financial capabilities of subcontractors
- Maintaining current insurance certificates and performance and payment bonds
- Assisting in expediting materials
- Assisting in resolving subcontractor issues
Accounting
The accounting department processes all financial documents, including subcontractor invoices, payroll, expense reports, office G&A and owner invoices.
The accounting department is responsible for the financial management of the business unit. On a project level, this department does not become involved until a contract is signed. This department also works with the cost department (financial controls) and purchasing department to make sure all vendors are paid properly and insurance and bonds are maintained current.
Cost
The cost department prepares Indicated Outcome Reports (IORs) that monitor the cost for all active construction projects and provides timely financial data that is required for Turner's Forecasting System (TFS). This department is intimately involved with many of the following items:
- Preparing schedules for the project manager or project executive
- Evaluating general conditions on a monthly basis
- Completing special studies for senior management
- Forecasting earning and profitability
- Assisting in resolution of potential claims
This department helps the business unit management manage "financial risks" by analyzing budgets, change orders and spending on all projects.
Project Engineers
Project engineers and assistant project engineers build the job on paper before work in the field begins. This includes a process whereby "shop drawings" are prepared by the subcontractors and reviewed prior to being submitted to the architect or engineer for approval. The project engineer is responsible for preparing detailed purchasing requisitions for the purchasing department to use when defining work that needs to be contracted for. Project engineers are responsible for:
- Writing all purchasing requisitions
- Processing and negotiating all change orders
- Having complete knowledge of the contract documents
- Preparing monthly budget reports
- Publishing minutes of all Owner-Architect-Contractor (OAC) meetings
- Obtaining building permits
- Coordinating the work of all trades on paper before construction begins
Project Superintendents
The Project Superintendent supervises the field construction of a project, including its organization, planning, and scheduling, in order to complete the work on time, within the budget, and to quality specified. In the performance of this function, the Project Superintendent is responsible to protect and promote the interest of Turner in all matters and to take required actions to satisfy the duties of the position. Some of their responsibilities include:
- Developing on-site plans and procedures for the field operations
- Developing and maintaining the Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) program
- Coordinating and monitoring the activities of subcontractors, suppliers, Turner labor and Turner materials
- Planning and reviewing the construction Logistics program with the Project Executive including procedures, plant layout, equipment, and manpower
- Ensuring that the work is performed within the boundaries of the job estimate
- Creating and updating progress schedules
- Establishing and maintaining good safety and security practices for the entire project
- Preparing regular and special reports for job meetings and hosting those meetings
- Training the Turner work forces and administering the field office
Safety
Safety ensures that proper policies are in place and that everyone is informed about how to create a safer work environment. The following regulations are in place for job site safety:
- Mandatory hardhats
- 100% eye protection
- Fall protection
- OSHA certification for all Turner employees on jobsites
Risk Management
Turner's centralized risk management department consists of committed professionals dedicated to the coordination of safety and loss control, purchasing, insurance, and claims and legal services. The department supports the business units in maximizing Turner's ability to control and manage risk on our projects for the benefit of Turner, our clients, our subcontractors and our workers. Our centralized approach to risk management provides resources, partners and advisors who assist in mitigating Turner's risk through specialized programs.
Turner Logistics
Turner Logistics, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Turner Construction Company. Turner Logistics is a direct supplier of equipment to construction projects. Its primary product line is mechanical/electrical equipment such as chillers, cooling tower, generators, and switchgear. Additional products such as light fixtures and hospital equipment have recently been added to the product line.
Turner Logistics provides value through aggregated purchases with major vendors and by eliminating inefficiency in the construction supply chain. The most significant change is the elimination of subcontractor mark-up on equipment.
Community Affairs
Community Affairs is the foundation for building local and national strategic alliances for the expansion of Turner's business development opportunities. It continues to be an integral component of the company's culture. The program includes community service projects, Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) programs and YouthForce 2020.
Technology Services
The Technology Services (TS) department manages and supports the information systems for the company. The bulk of this department consists of Systems Engineers who are assigned to each Business Unit.
Some of the main responsibilities of TS are:
- Adding and removing users login accounts
- Managing and supporting network infrastructure
- Managing and creating remote access options
- Procuring and setting up of all technology hardware and software, computers and printers.
- Coordinating distribution and setup of computers
- Maintaining computer and software inventories
- Managing network PC security, including viruses
- Technology Service Desk
- Developing technology strategies
- Assisting in implementation of technology solutions
