Business Construction Services
As a commercial builder in Washington State for nearly forty years, SEA CON can easily transition from a relocation consultant to a general contractor. The more involvement SEA CON has in the project, the better able we are to track and configure construction costs into reimbursable costs.
It is important that the general contractor be willing to work with the relocation professional to plan and schedule the move. A free flow of communication between displacee, relocation professional, and contractor is essential.
Through multiple experiences as a move planner, SEA CON has become well-versed to how important the relationship between the displacee and relocation professional needs to be. When participating as the general contractor, SEA CON understands that any work completed on the project should be discussed with the relocation professional as early as possible to ensure proper documentation is assembled for future claims on reimbursable services.
It is vital that the general contractor understands which services are reimbursable. Therefore, it is essential that any bid from a general contractor be broken down into its individual parts and reviewed carefully. SEA CON’s long history of working with displaced businesses that conduct all varieties of services has provided a substantial amount of knowledge as to what is eligible for reimbursement under the Federal Regulations.
During the preliminary estimating process, SEA CON works with the relocation professional to develop requests for proposals (RFP’s) that are divided into reimbursable and non-reimbursable categories. This allows all parties to have a better understanding as to what costs will be covered and what costs the displacee will be “out-of-pocket” prior to construction commencement.
Problems may arise if the general contractor interjects themselves into the role of the relocation professional by advising the displacee as to which expenses are reimbursable. When this interjection occurs, unrealistic promises can be made that only confuse and frustrate the displacee, no matter how well-intentioned.
Although SEA CON understands the regulations with regards to what is reimbursable, we also understand that the basis of determination as to what is and is not reimbursable on a particular project is up to the relocation professional and displacing agency. SEA CON will make suggestions to the displacee during the planning process as to what services could be eligible, but refrain from making any promises with the knowledge that final determinations are not in our hands.
Difficulties often arise when a general contractor requests a large amount up front to perform all of the eligible relocation tasks. SEA CON understands that Relocation Assistance is a cost-incurred program. Thus, in order to for a displaced business to receive reimbursement the work is to have been completed and paid for even when they don’t have the proper funding upfront.
As a general contractor, SEA CON helps mitigate this situation by managing the different trades and creating a simplified documentation trail that allows the relocation professional to generate claims based on costs that were clearly incurred. Contact Our Team Today to get started on your next construction project today.