GSA CFTC Consolidation Project at Metcalf Federal Building | Chicago, IL

GMA Construction Group

General Contractor > Federal Government / Military > Federal Government / Military

GMA Construction Group delivered an occupied renovation/tenant improvement project at the Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building (Metcalfe Building) for the U.S. General Services Administration. The project consolidated existing tenants into federally owned office space on the seventh and eighth floors of the building.

Scope of Work

The project enabled the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Chicago office, previously located in a leased office space, to consolidate their programs into federally owned office space designed and constructed on the seventh and eighth floors of the Metcalfe Building. The Metcalfe Building was constructed in 1991 and is located in downtown Chicago in the central business district at 77 W Jackson Blvd. GMA delivered the work as Construction Manager at-Risk (CMAR) with a fixed firm price contract.

COMPLEXITY: SIZE AND SCOPE

Renovation/Build-out of Workspaces: The scope of work included demolition and interior build-out of 27,881 SF, as well as some minor modifications to the existing meeting rooms, and A/V work at the storage closet at the GSA Conference Center on the third floor. The workspaces include closed office space and conference areas. The project represents a 47% reduction in the CFTC’s usable square footage.

Modifications to Existing Building Systems: The scope included connecting and expanding upon the building’s existing electrical, HVAC, fire suppression, and plumbing systems. This involved coordination with the GSA’s property management team to ensure any tie-ins were planned properly.

New Fire Suppression System: The scope involved the Fire Protection Subcontractor designing and submitting for approval a fire protection design that complied with building regulations (Fire Watch) and code. The scope involved new branches and sprinkler heads.

Glass Partitions (Office Fronts): The project involved glass office fronts which required close coordination with the vendor to ensure sizing and STC requirements were met.

IDF / MDF /Server Rooms: The project included fit-out of IDF, MDF and Server rooms on each floor to support the workspaces.

Selective Demolition: The scope involved salvaging and demolishing existing installations as well as robust floor protection during construction to protect the common areas not included in the scope. Demolition included floor base, ceiling tile, millwork, drywall, column cladding, and doors.

COMPLEXITY: OCCUPIED SPACE

Occupied Building: The project is on the seventh and eighth floors of the Metcalfe Building, which was partially occupied during construction and required extensive coordination with the GSA’s property management team for material deliveries, construction traffic, adjacent tenant management, and off-hours work

Vendor Coordination: GMA coordinated with the Architect and the GSA’s Vendors to ensure proper placement and requirements for power and data (AV, security equipment, backboxes, conduit, and cabling) at private offices, work stations, and conference rooms.

Move Coordination: GMA coordinated with the GSA and the furniture vendor during and at the end of construction to ensure the workspaces were occupied by per the tenant’s lease terms.

General Contracting Services

GMA provided the entire scope of general construction services. GMA participated in weekly OAC Meetings to ensure close coordination and collaboration with the Architect and the GSA. Details of GMA’s general construction services included:

Project Planning / Phasing Plan Development / Site Logistics Planning: This project involved an extensive preconstruction phase where the entire team planned the scope in detail, including the required Division 1 plans, a logistics discussion about how to move through the Metcalfe Building, and a shared understanding of project risks such as long-lead time materials. The project was completed in a single phase with work progressing from one floor to the next.

Cost Estimating: GMA completed multiple detailed estimates to finalize the Estimated Cost of Work prior to starting construction. Our team used the GSA’s workbook to itemize costs by trade and break them down by material, equipment, and labor as well as by shell or tenant improvement Costs. A value engineering process yielded several potential cost saving measures that were reviewed in detail with the tenant.

Development of Subcontractor Interest: GMA solicited subcontractor pricing from its vast database of qualified subcontractors. We used proven tools to vet each subcontractor for their ability to control costs, meet safety and quality requirements, and achieve the schedule. GMA attracted significant interest from the Chicagoland subcontractor community and conducted site visits to ensure all understood the scope.

Cost Control and Cost Tracking Systems: GMA used Procore to manage and track costs of the project. This tool helped to organize any change requests and forecast costs weekly. Any change orders were the result of design revisions or owner-directed changes.

Schedule Control / Management: GMA achieved the contractual Substantial Completion Date as a result of diligent schedule management practices. The project was challenging due to owner-initiated scope changes/additions and interim turnover dates. GMA employed its diligent schedule management practices to achieve the contractual Substantial Completion date and enable CFTC to move into the new office space prior to their lease expiration. We used Primavera P6 to provide regular schedule updates with the pay applications and shared look-ahead schedules at Weekly Progress Meetings.

Safety: GMA developed and implemented a project-specific safety plan to ensure the highest levels of safety achievement.

Quality Control: GMA’s three-phase quality control plan and commitment to quality ensured the work not only met but also exceeded the quality requirements. The three-phase quality process included a preparatory phase, initial phase, and follow-up phase, modeled after the Federal Government’s quality program.

Sustainability: During construction, GMA implemented a construction waste recycling program to divert waste from the landfill.