U.S. Capitol Power Plant

Location Washington, DC

Client Architect of the Capitol

Services Construction Management

Project Value $73 million

Hill provided construction management services for the design, procurement, and construction of a multi-phased expansion and upgrade of the United States Capitol Power Plant. The program featured eight separate projects that upgraded and renovated the U.S. Capitol Power Plant Campus. The upgrades included new coal handling, fuel storage, and chilled water plant facilities; replacement steam plant systems; a 750 KW emergency generator system; major utility relocations and underground tunnels; District of Columbia public road and site improvements; and perimeter security fencing.

Throughout the design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and close-out and occupancy phases, Hill coordinated phased, multi-project construction schedules around the 24-hour operations of the U.S. Capitol Power Plant, as well as the functioning administrative buildings and adjacent residential communities. Hill chaired weekly and bi-weekly progress meetings and facilitated frequent working sessions that were dedicated to resolving RFIs, submittals, phasing, and commissioning issues. Hot lists were generated for issue focus, and change order and scheduling complications were discussed in advance of formal cost proposals and CPM updates. The fact that the contractor submitted one single claim is testimony to the success of the collaborative approach.

Hill’s full time, on-site cost engineering staff assisted the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) in managing the project budget. The team established and maintained a financial database that monitored funding allocations, obligations, expenditures, and projected costs. On a monthly basis, Hill reconciled all funding activities with AOC accounting staff. Hill substantiated and reported the project risks, and kept the AOC informed of potential costs based on our independent risk analyses and cost estimates. When budget contingency amounts indicated additional funding and/or scope reductions, the AOC utilized the financial database to confirm budget actions with congressional staff. Hill maintained contractor payment records and reviewed and reconciled contractor monthly requisitions against the approved schedule of values, established and allocated at the beginning of construction.

Notably, Hill’s reviews, analyses, and negotiations resulted in combined change order settlements at 79% of proposed costs, saving the AOC over $3 million. Hill also helped identify value engineering solutions, saving more than $200,000, and assisted the AOC with a contract novation/assignment that mutually resolved more than $1 million of potential claim issues. AOC issued a letter of commendation to Hill for exemplary service during the procurement phase, handling and documenting over 500 pre-bid RFIs. AOC also singled out Hill for implementing effective project controls that were commended by GAO and AOC executives and for negotiating project delay issues and potential cost claims that were the result of unforeseen conditions encountered during the excavation phase.

The project won the Project Achievement Award – Best Public Project Under $100 Million, from the National Capitol Chapter of CMAA.

“Hill’s successful completion enables the US Capitol Power Plant to support new facilities such as the Capitol Visitor Center and reliably supply efficient cooling for the entire plant. It is quite an honor to have this recognition bestowed on this important project by professional members of the CMAA. This project is a great example of the progress we have made in institutionalizing industry’s leading practices in project management.” -Stephen T. Ayers, AIA, Architect of the Capitol

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