The OCMI team provided cost estimating support services for a new embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. The scope of work also included the development of detailed construction schedules and risk analysis on design phase document submissions.

In support of construction contract procurement, OCMI participated in construction contract bidder interviews and provided analysis on bidders’ proposed construction schedules. As part of our larger project analysis undertaking, these interviews informed the cost estimates created at various stages throughout the process.

Cost estimates factored in:

• Third-party national and U.S.-based labor rates
• Local material costs and U.S.-sourced material shipping costs
• Markups reflecting regional inflation rates and local general contractor and subcontractor overhead and profit expectations

As a standalone construction project, the Beirut Embassy is an immensely complex, architecturally sophisticated structure requiring careful coordination and understanding of building systems. This project is specifically complicated by a long list of external forces: high-security requirements, blast-resistance standards, political factors, and volatile market conditions. It is amongst the largest and most complex building projects undertaken by the United States government on foreign soil.

As a result of our collective diligence, we delivered a final cost estimate within 1% of the final awarded general contractor bid.

More Project Information:
Morphosis Architects

Renderings courtesy of Morphosis Architects