Handex Insights

Benefits of Teaming and Subcontracting in the Environmental Business

Written by Stephen Tomicki | March 15, 2016

team meeting

The first thought everyone has about teaming and subcontracting is, “Why should I team with a company or find a partner?” The simple answer is to bring better quality, reliability of design or project scope and an understanding of what could go wrong and how to prevent it. Many companies subcontract or distribute work as a general contractor or construction manager, but finding the right subcontract is essential.

As hazards in the environmental business increase, risk sharing, on-time performance and maintaining a safe workplace are all vital to the success of a project. Some may argue that price is the most important factor to look for, but these days it seems that best value and lowest risk are the highest priorities.

What to Consider

Here are a few things to consider when looking for a teaming and subcontracting partner:

  • If cost is so important, is risk secondary?

  • Is low bid always best?

  • Does experience play a role? Is it better to team with a 40 year old firm versus a firm that has only been in business for 5 years?

  • Cost overruns: how can they happen and how can they be avoided?

  • Is finishing on time critical?

  • Are there penalties if the timeline is not adhered to?

  • Does your contract match exactly terms and conditions you laid out with your teaming partner or subcontractor?

  • What about insurance? What if something goes wrong? How are all team members protected and in what order?

  • Managing risk is crucial. Is it better to have one company or 5 doing the work? Can risk avoidance and scheduling conflicts be avoided?

  • Is having an top notch A player on your team or subcontracting with a partner that has the lowest price more important when winning work?

  • Can you prevent schedule slippage by holding your subcontractors and teaming partners to penalties for late completion? If so, how do you manage this internally and at what cost?

About Handex

Handex is full service environmental company providing a wide range of professional environmental and remediation services. The majority of our services are performed in-house using our own trained staff and equipment. Our unique blend of regulatory expertise, professional staff and over 40 years of hands-on experience allows us to handle all aspects of a project from start to finish.

Our approach is to work closely and communicate frequently with all our clients to develop specific plans that will increase the value of their assets. We take aggressive actions based on client objectives, scope and budget. Handex is available to manage the environmental components of your projects with our automated systems. When you work with us, you can be sure that our solutions will be practical, regulatory compliant and completed on schedule.

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Author Avatar
Written by Stephen Tomicki
As Senior Client Relationship Manager for Handex, Stephen spends most of his time developing clients and providing technical solutions throughout Handex footprint. His personal mission is to be a resource and share his 30 years of experience both internally and externally, exceeding expectations every step of the way. Stephen received his undergraduate degree from Villanova in Mechanical Engineering, his EIT shortly after graduation and has also attained his MBA. If you want to hear more, connect with Stephen on LinkedIn, follow him on Twitter or contact him by phone at 609-532-2682.

Topics: Teaming & Subcontracting