As Point Person for the Builder Captain Company
This segment is designed for a project with one Builder Captain Company. You will be taken through the steps of completing a project in an ideal manner. Some adjustment to your specific situation may be necessary but in general the closer you can stay to this outline, the better off you will be. We will begin with the assumption that your company CEO has just asked you to be the key staff person (Project Superintendent) for this HomeAid project. Your CEO also provided the phone number of the local HomeAid Executive Director. You called the HomeAid office and they provided you with this handbook. That was your start and your introduction to HomeAid

From this starting point we recommend that you follow the steps outlined below as closely as possible. HomeAid has completed over 130 projects in the past 17 years and we want to share our experience. Everyone is tempted to look for shortcuts, but following the instructions as closely as possible usually works best.

Step 1. Read the Material
Your first assignment is to read this handbook in its entirety. You may think some areas don’t apply to you but it will still be good to know what everybody else has to accomplish. Also by reading the entire handbook before your first meeting, you will be able to get all your questions answered up front. This is an easy place to cheat but an hour devoted now will be well spent. Senior Administrative Assistants should also be encouraged to read this handbook in detail as they will probably be involved in several aspects of the project’s completion.

Step 2. The First Management Team Meeting (The Project Superintendent, the Care Provider Executive Director, and the HomeAid Executive Director)
This will probably be the first time the three of you will be able to spend some quality time together. You will have two primary goals to accomplish at this meeting:

a. First each of the three team members should report on their progress to date. This will establish an accurate starting point. Don’t assume the other teammembers have the same knowledge you have. Remember it is always better to explain to much rather than be confused or embarrassed about some detail.

b. This is also an important time to observe the communication and operation style of the other team members. You will be working with them for several months and it will be important to know what they expect from an agreement on some action. Some people want to know the process; others want to know the bottom line. Remember each team member has a very different perspective and probably very different skills. Respect the unique abilities of each other and build on each others strengths.

Step 3. Getting Up to Speed with the Design Team
The Care Provider and HomeAid may have already completed the entitlement process before a Builder Captain Company is recruited. Each project is unique and it is certainly possible that the Builder Captain Company may be on the scene before the entitlement process is complete. Regardless of the starting point it is important to get a clear understanding of where everyone is beginning. If detailed architectural plans are complete and everything is done to pull a building permit then you know where you are beginning. If the entitlement process is not complete the Project Superintendent will be able to determine what needs to be done before building can begin. Either way it will be important for the Management Team to have a clear idea of what needs to be done to complete the entitlement process.

Step 4. Builder Captain Company Letter of Agreement with HomeAid
Once you have a comprehensive understanding of our HomeAid process you will be in a position to sign a Letter of Agreement with HomeAid. This is a letter of intent and not a binding contract. HomeAid understands unanticipated emergencies may require the Builder Captain Company to withdraw from a project. HomeAid also wants to confirm that the Builder Captain Company is knowledgeable and sincere in reference to the commitments being made. Signing this Letter of Agreement should be done at the same time as the signing of a Letter of Agreement between HomeAid and the Care Provider. A sample of this Letter of Agreement is included in the Project Handbook.

 Step 5. Recruiting the Builder Captain Company Team
Once the Management Team has established a clear starting point and also established what each team member will be doing next, the Project Superintendent
should recruit the Builder Captain Company Team leaders. This team typically includes the following:

Trade Partner Coordinator
This position is typically filled by a senior level purchasing agent. They already have established relationships with all the Trades needed to complete thejob. This person will begin their recruitment process by calling their established Trade Partners. These Trade Partners are asked to provide both labor and material necessary to complete their part of the project. While our goal is to obtain as much labor and materials as possible on a voluntary basis, it is not always possible to reach a 100% donation level. To achieve the maximum level of donations it will sometimes be necessary to solicit suppliers or manufactures. Partial donations are still preferable to retail or even wholesale prices. Trade Partner Coordinators have proven to be remarkably resourceful and TradePartners are most often very generous. Historically a typical project can obtain two-thirds the value of the project in donations. This figure may vary but the goal of the Trade Partner Coordinator remains to obtain the highest possible percentage of the project as donations.

Records Assistant
This role is so vital to the success of the project that it should be assigned to a well organized, responsible administrative person from the beginning of the project. This person will report to the Trade Partner Coordinator and will be responsible for accurate project records from Day 1.

Becoming familiar with the forms and process early on will assure the process will work well as the volume and speed of activities increases. The Trade Partner Coordinator should obtain and submit an up to date report to the Project Superintendent for every Management Team meeting. The records maintenance process can seem easy at first, but by the end of the project the importance of this key position is very apparent to everyone involved with the project.

CompanyPublic Relations Coordinator
Accurate public awareness is very important to every project for the following key reasons:

a. Everyone associated with the project in any way needs to understand the importance of this project to change people lives.Every donor of cash, materials, or talent deserves the personal rewards that come from knowing that you are making a difference in someone’s life.

b. The community at large needs to understand the generosity of the Building Industry. The size of personal donations given by large and small companies and individual workers is amazing. The community needs to know who is making this new home possible to address immediate needs and to address needs for years to come.

Excellent Public Relations will enhance the image of everyone involved in the project. There is plenty of room for creativity in this area as our public relations effort help to keep the project fun and exciting.

Construction Coordinator
With the above specialists in place the Construction Coordinator is free to do what they do best. Get the project built! There are so many details required of this position that it is vital to have all other areas addressed. With the above structure in place, everyone will have a more productive and rewarding experience.

Step 6. Finalizing the Budget, Timetable, and the Scope of Work
With the Design Team’s initial work complete, the Management Team in place, and the Builder Captain Company Team recruited and orientated we are ready to complete a final review of our beginning status. Our Management Team must understand and approve a revised project budget, the anticipated timetable, and a detailed description of the scope of work. The budget will be based on the Project Superintendent’s best available estimates of what can be obtained through donation and what will require cash outlay. The timetable must be understood by the entire Management Team so no one has false expectations. This project will consist of the scope of work defined at this point. Failure to accurately define the exact scope of work can result in disappointment or misunderstandings.

Step 7. Accounting and Record Keeping
While we would like to keep the accounting process as simple as possible we must recognize that accounting for contributions is a major change. The Care Provider can disperse funds but a second independent record provides a confirmation that auditors like. Trade Partners also may approach this project differently because it is primarily a voluntary effort. Even when no money is involved we must have good records to provide accurate recognition. The Care Provider section of this handbook provides more detail on the accounting process. A major challenge facing the Project Superintendent is to make sure we have an accurate report of all activity associated with the project.

Step 8. Completion of the Pre-Commitment Phase
Up to this point all volunteer activity has been in preparation for the signing of an official Letter of Agreement and Exoneration Agreement between the Care Provider and HomeAid Inland Empire. No construction activity should take place until this Letter of Agreement and Exoneration Agreement is signed and distributed to all members of the Management Team. Liability insurance does not go into affect until these documents are signed. The signing and distributing of these documents begins the “Commitment to Proceed” phase of the project.

Step 9. Trade Partner Orientation
Shortly after the Trade Partner Coordinator recruits the initial group of Trade Partners it is good to have an orientation meeting to review the unique aspects of this project. It is also a good time to have the Care Provider Executive Director share a few stories that illustrate the importance of the project. Many Trade Partners are willing to volunteer their involvement based on their relationship with the Builder Captain Company. Even with that motivation, Trade Partners still deserve the personal rewards that come from knowing that they are making a difference in people’s lives.

Step 10. Management Team Meetings
Activity in many areas of project development will increase at this time making it imperative to maintain regular and complete communication among the Management Team. Meetings should take place at least every two weeks. Many meetings will be accomplished by 3-way conference call. Personal meetings of the Management Team should take place at least once a month. Some of these personal meetings will involve additional individually to report on specific areas of development such as utilities relocation, public relations plans, Trade Partner special needs, etc.

Step 11. Change Orders
While we will attempt to keep them to a minimum, at least some change orders will be necessary. All change orders should be approved by the Management Team. We are working within a budget and must adhere as much as possible to our original plans.We also need to be mindful of our timetable thus Management Team involvement can be obtained by phone.

Step 12. Public Relations Activities
Unlike the typical construction project, public relations activities will be a major part of this project. Ground Breaking, Wall Raisings, Dedications, Grand Openings, etc. will be an important part of our project. Our goal is to not only complete the project on target but to also make sure the community knows who is responsible for these generous acts. Every donor associated in anyway with this project deserves to be recognized and thanked. Recognition for the major player is usually easy to achieve but recognition for a Trade Partner with a minor role is also important for this project and future projects.

Step 13. Authorized Speakers for the Project
Unless otherwise noted the authorized speakers for the project will be the members of the Management Team. When speaking to the media we should all remember that anything we say could end up in the newspaper. Be positive and don’t make commitments that may not be able to be kept.

Step 14. Completion of Construction
Completion of construction will be marked by the issuance of a Certificate of occupancy. Until then the Project Superintendent and Construction Coordinator will remain engaged and attend to the final details of project completion. This could be well after any public Relations activities celebrating the completion of the project.

Step 15. Builder Captain Company Internal Celebration
It is recommended that the Project Superintendent organize a celebration to recognize those within the Builder Captain Company who played a role in the completion of this project. This luncheon or other gathering should be limited to company personnel with the purpose of expressing appreciation within the company. This activity can appear easy to skip at a time when everyone is already behind on their regular responsibilities. It can also be extremely important to employees who need to know that this type of corporate generosity is part of your company’s culture. This could also be an important time to have the company CEO present for a personal thank you.

Step 16. Project Evaluations
HomeAid learns from every project and we want to be sure we learn as much as possible from this project. The Management Team will have a final meeting devoted to project evaluation. There are also some brief forms to help HomeAid to continue to refine the process. Please be open and honest in this process as HomeAid sincerely want to continue to improve.

Step 17. An Important Final Step
Before resuming your regular responsibilities, you have one final responsibility as Project Superintendent that is very important and often forgotten. You must take a few moments and thank yourself for the personal investment and extra effort you gave to make this project successful. By now you realize this project has become far more than a work assignment. It has become a part of your personal life history. Please take a few moments and realize that your leadership involvement will change people’s lives.