Tandem Project Management Archives - Page 5 of 8

Spotlight on Services: Project Controls

The Tandem Project Controls team provides specialised expertise across project lifecycles to reduce client risk, improve value and deliver positive outcomes in all sectors of the built environment. Services include cost control, procurement, contract administration, risk management, scheduling and document control.

Through cost estimates Tandem will establish project viability and a robust baseline. It delivers value management and value engineering, lifecycle costing and cost forecasting. Tandem will estimate and plan costs to proactively manage the project budget, optimising cost performance from inception to completion. Tandem delivers and manages cost reports throughout the project lifecycle and manages cash flow forecasting.

Tandem will expertly schedule each phase of a project from concept, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning through to qualification, validation and operational readiness. It delivers man-loaded schedules and S-Curves with weekly earned versus actual progress reporting. Tandem’s critical path analysis, progress updates, identification of slippage and development of recovery plans delivers clarity and transparency. Tandem develops portfolio scheduling for PMO’s and micro-schedules for complex areas of work where detailed coordination is required.

Tandem offer procurement services and will prepare tender packages for trade contractors and equipment vendors, it will perform tender walkdowns and lead bid clarification meetings. Tandem will undertake commercial and technical bid analysis, issuing award recommendations on tender reports, managing vendors and leading final negotiations.

Tandem will identify the most appropriate procurement and contracting strategies to minimise risk to time, cost and quality. It will prepare contractual documentation, ensuring all parties are familiar with their contractual obligations and remain compliant at all times. Tandem employs timely communication to ensure the smooth progression of the contract. Tandem will implement change management procedures that facilitate well informed decisions and ensure effective financial management. It will deliver certification of monthly valuations, assessment and agreement of contractual claims, assessment of contractor claims for delays and provide advice when assessing claims for any time extensions and costs for delays.

Tandem’s expertise in risk management delivers analysis of potential project risks. Tandem will develop risk mitigation strategies, maintain a Risk Register and regularly communicate the mitigation status with stakeholders. Tandem also implement controlled processes and practices for the creation, review, modification, issuance, distribution and accessibility of documents.

Thrive Wellbeing Initiative

Entering 2021 under lockdown conditions, Tandem’s Thrive Wellbeing Committee was acutely aware that this lockdown was different. In March 2020, people adopted very positive health behaviours, engaged in constructive leisure time activities such as redecorating, rediscovering the joy of gardening or just getting through a list of chores. In 2021, people are experiencing lockdown fatigue, when moods are low and if we let them, they can affect those positive health behaviours that we established a year ago. The committee also recognised that a lack of societal interaction was having a heavy impact on people’s mental health. These coupled with the pressure of school closures, travel restrictions, altered work arrangements and inability to see family members are all reasons why Thrive put in place a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing wellbeing and providing a positive social outlet for all of our employees and contractors.

Our Q1 initiatives included a series of lunchtime pilates classes. Classes were designed to alleviate the stress caused by sitting at a desk for long periods of time. Introducing simple stretches that could be utilized at any time during the workday to ease tension and reinvigorate.

The committee has run informative lunch and learn sessions on nutrition and resilience. In January we welcomed Marc Murphy, a nutritional therapist, lecturer and clinic supervisor with the College of Naturopathic Medicine in Cork. Marc demonstrated healthy meal ideas while talking through the nutrition benefits of the meals and specific ingredients. In a similar vein, Thrive is sending emails with healthy meal planning ideas, twice weekly, to staff and contractors.

In February, we received a talk on resilience from Maureen O’Dwyer, a registered Mental Health nurse and Nurse Therapist with Highfield Healthcare in Dublin. Maureen walked us through the tools and techniques used to cultivate a mindset oriented towards greater self-compassion, which helps to reduce anxiety levels and decrease the risk of high stress levels and associated burnout.

The Thrive committee ran an outdoor photography competition, emphasising the requirement to adhere to government guidelines and remain within 5km of home. The competition resulted in 22 entries including images from locations such as Kerry, Cork, Dublin, Mayo and Clare. The winning entry was called ‘Blanketing the Green Road’ and can be viewed here: Photography Competition

Thrive has also established a book club, to encourage the joy of reading, to suggest new genres of books and to provide a social platform for discussion. Aptly, the first virtual book club meeting took place on World Book Day, 4th March. It was a great success with lively discussion and participation, the event delivered the intended fun and social interaction.

Lastly, Thrive has set up three exercise communities, for running, walking and cycling. The comradery is facilitated by WhatsApp groups and they have become lively forums for discussion.

The running group’s first challenge was to cumulatively run from Cork to Cheltenham and back before the Cheltenham racing festival. The walking group challenge was 21 in 21, to achieve individual walking goals for 21 days in a row. The cycling group virtually cycled from Tandem HQ to Croagh Patrick before St. Patrick’s Day.

The feedback from staff and contractors regarding these initiatives has been extremely positive. We look forward to continuing them, at the same time hoping that our virtual social activities can be replaced with safe, face to face social interactions in the not-too-distant future.

2021 Charity Partners

Tandem is delighted to announce its charity partners for 2021.

We look forward to an exciting Corporate Social Responsibility programme for 2021 and to some fun filled activities and fundraising with these three great charities:

Make-A-Wish Ireland
A wish granted is true magic for children with life-threatening medical conditions, providing respite from their normal routines of hospitals, doctors and treatment. Make-A-Wish does not receive any government funding, and relies overwhelmingly on the kindness of the Irish public to continue granting wishes.

Focus Ireland
Homelessness is still very prevalent in our society and Tandem would like to continue to support Focus Ireland this year.

The Rainbow Club Cork, Centre for Autism
The Rainbow Club Cork Centre for Autism is a professional autism service provider. Supported by over 60 volunteers, their mission is to provide skills, support and a community hub for children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families.

To celebrate Wish Week Tandem raised €600 with a ‘guess the number of sweets in the jar’ competition. Make-A-Wish Ireland raised over €40,000 during Wish Week to continue their work of granting wishes to seriously ill children. For Easter Tandem has fundraised to donate 250+ Easter Eggs to Focus Ireland and The Rainbow Club Centre for Autism. Tandem would like to thank everyone who have supported its fundraisers.

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) Capabilities

Ireland is the location of choice for over 90% of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies & has become the eighth largest producer & the fifth largest exporter of pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceuticals make up 50% of all of Ireland’s manufactured exports, with Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) forming the backbone of the sector.

Tandem’s team bring a wealth of experience to delivering successful project outcomes. Its Project Managers, Project Controllers, Design Engineers, Construction Managers & CQV Specialists have extensive life-sciences experience, having worked with many of the top API companies. This expertise allows our clients to deliver consistent controlled manufacturing to required standards.

Tandem delivers expertise to your entire project life cycle in all areas of design including process, process architecture, equipment, facility, cleanroom, clean & black utilities, HVAC & building services, electrical & instrumentation, process automation & building management systems. We also provide specialist Health & Safety services, such as Risk Assessments, HAZOP, ATEX/ EPD, pFMEA, & the full range of construction safety requirements, including BCAR Certification, PSDP & PSCS.

Engineers Week 2021

As part of our CSR Programme, Tandem’s Engineers participated in Engineers Week during Feb 27th – March 5th by hosting a series of virtual visits to transition year students in Cork. Engineers Week promotes the importance of engineering as a profession and aims to positively showcase engineering as a rewarding and creative career choice. Five engineers from Tandem gave presentations across the following disciplines: Electrical, CSA, Building Services and Process & Chemical Engineering.

Under normal circumstances Tandem would facilitate a week-long learning experience for transition year students at its headquarters. This year, our engineers delivered an overview of engineering as a career and their own career path to date. The presentations included their second and third level education journey, a description of the type of work & industries that their engineering discipline is typically involved in, their day-to-day activities in their engineering work and their career aspirations.

Oral Solid Dose Capabilities

Oral Solid Dosage (OSD) facilities, producing tablets & capsules, use well defined unit operations, regardless of production volumes or usage for single or multiple product manufacture. Facilities typically include Dispensing/Formulation; Blending; Granulation; Drying; Compression/Encapsulation; Coating; Packaging & Receiving/Warehousing Operations.

All OSD facility full life cycle project requirements can be designed & managed by Tandem’s team of Project Managers, Design Engineers, Construction Managers & CQV Engineers with extensive OSD experience.

Tandem will expertly deliver your desired project outcomes in Facility & Cleanroom design, Clean & Black utility design, HVAC design, OSD equipment unit operations including clean support process areas for quick turnaround without unacceptable risk of product exposure (i.e., dust & cross-contamination), Primary & Secondary Packaging operations, Serialisation & Warehouse design.

Tandem also deliver expertise in ATEX & process safety to ensure correct containment requirements are outlined & embedded in the design process. Our building services engineers provide extensive experience in BMS/EMS systems to support the monitoring of critical processes within an OSD facility.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) Services

Building Information Modelling (BIM) has become an essential part of the project design process as it facilitates smart, efficient and robust designs, reducing environmental impact and overall project costs, whilst providing increased cost certainty. The BIM model can ultimately be adopted post handover by the client for the qualification, maintenance and management of the facility and systems, whilst in operation.

At Tandem Project Management, we specialise in providing Structural, Architectural, Mechanical & Electrical BIM services to the Pharmaceutical, Medical device, Tech and Commercial sectors alike.

We provide BIM services throughout the project life cycle from concept design and visualisation, detailed design and coordination, to simulation, scheduling and constructability reviews. The Revit and 3D software we use help our design teams collaborate, innovate, and connect with clients in more productive ways.

Tandem Project Management uses Building Information Modelled (BIM) on projects to develop a coordinated design solution which align with the architectural design intent of the project. We have the capability to produce design stage BIM models from Level of Development LOD100 (concept) to LOD500 (operation) with accompanying 2D design layouts. The BIM team can produce video clips, walk throughs and renderings of a model to showcase the design intent to the clients key stakeholders.

BIM is an important tool for coordinating services and equipment to facilitate the operation and maintenance requirements of the new or existing building. Tandem adopt a clash avoidance philosophy from the outset, to supplement scheduled clash detection reviews, resulting in a more streamlined design process. A final clash detection operation, incorporating all the approved construction elements, is carried out prior to Issue for Construction, avoiding costly delays and potential site rework.

The BIM model is also used to obtain material and equipment quantities to assist with providing accurate cost estimates, procurement and overall cost control throughout the project.

Tandem Raises €14,000 for Focus Ireland in 2020!

In January Tandem announced that its charity partner for 2020 was Focus Ireland. The prevalence of homelessness in our society drove Tandem’s desire to play its part in a solution to this national crisis. Focus Ireland’s aim is to stem the tide of homelessness, initially by helping people to stay in their homes and then providing homes for them when this is not possible. Focus Ireland also offers the provision of a youth centred housing programme, this focuses on individuals that were in state care up to the age of 18, young people who have nowhere else to turn upon reaching that milestone age. This programme aims to put an end to a cycle of youth homelessness that would otherwise deepen the national crisis even further.

Tandem was a proud Business Network Ambassador for Focus Ireland during 2020. Over the course of the year Tandem participated in multiple Focus Ireland fundraising activities and completed a garden makeover project on a Focus Ireland property in Cork. Throughout the year, Tandem’s efforts combined with the garden project delivered a total fundraising of just over €14,000.00. A big thanks to Peter Dowdall for his expertise and support with the project!

In April, Tandem participated in two fundraising events, ‘The Next Step’ and the ‘Big Rebel Sleepout’ and in doing so raised over €5,100. In October, Team Tandem gave one night to change a lifetime by partaking the Shine A Light Night sleepout. Six members of the team came together virtually to sleep-out in solidarity with people experiencing homelessness, raising almost €5,200!

Tandem continues its efforts for Focus Ireland throughout December by participating in the Focus Ireland Christmas Jumper Day and from donations in lieu of Christmas cards.

Thank you to all of our colleagues, families and friends who have supported Tandem’s fundraising for Focus Ireland in 2020.

Spotlight on Services: Talent Solutions and on-boarding during COVID-19

2020 has been a year of significant changes and challenges posed to the talent management team and recruitment processes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, we have continued to successfully hire into roles by embracing and quickly adapting to a new way of working with both our clients and candidates, albeit virtually! With the quick migration from the office or site, to remote working or a hybrid of remote/site set ups, this has meant that video conferencing tools have become an integral part of both the hiring and onboarding processes.

Candidates have seen a shift from face to face interviews to remote video calls along with onboarding from home without meeting other members of their team.

In response to that, we have seen companies surmount these new challenges by devoting time to ensuring positive experiences for new team members, ensuring equipment has arrived in advance of their first day, planned team introductions, regular virtual meetings, mentoring and formal training programmes being implemented.

It has been a pivotal year but one that has seen the successful transformation of new hiring and onboarding practices that may very well remain in some form in the future. It is testament to our ability to adjust to a new reality while continuing to do business in a safe and applicable way.

“Thanks to the help of Tandem and their client, the interview and the onboarding process has been very smooth. In spite of my concerns at the beginning because of this new situation, I feel completely engaged with the values of the company and within a team”. – Compliance Specialist, Dublin.

Enter the Eurozone – Enterprise Ireland

Tandem has successfully completed the Enterprise Ireland – Enter the Eurozone Programme 2021. Tandem is one of just 20 companies nationwide selected to participate. The programme is designed to assist current Irish exporters in opening further doors in Europe, and to equip companies to take advantage of the dynamic, prosperous and stable market that is the European Union. Europe has many advantages such as a growing and diverse market, it is easy to reach and it operates with the same currency and regulations. Increasing Irish exports to the EU is a key growth strategy of Enterprise Ireland.

The programme is delivered by the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin (ESMT) and supported by IMS Marketing with access to market growth business advisers. The programme incorporates five phases including initial invitations and networking, market intelligence gathering, developing a market specific value proposition, identifying required resources, route to market and the development of a market growth plan.

There is a definite sense of comradery between participants on the programme and a burgeoning support network of Irish exporters at the same phase of their export journey. Participants hail from a multiple industry types with varying market sectors as their targets. This variety creates positivity as there is no competition, only support of each other and the common goal of European market growth.