DSG utilizes a team approach to project management to ensure that ownership's needs are the primary focus, to promote understanding among team members and to keep each team member updated on project status. Our project management tools include but are not limited to:

• Organizational charts
• Work priority lists
• Vendor, contractor, and consultant selection analysis
• Value engineering analysis
• Project scheduling
• Project budget development and cost control system
• Loan draw and payment procedures
• Contract and purchase order control system, including furniture, fixtures, and equipment
• Design and construction coordination meetings
• Design and construction responsibility matrices
• Document control system
• Monthly status report

DSG’s internal capabilities include design supervision to ensure quality contract documents for both horizontal and vertical construction management. Meticulous supervision and management during construction allows projects to be completed on or ahead of schedule and within or under budget.

DSG’s project management is an important orchestration of efforts on the part of owners and managers, architects, contractors, and regulatory agencies. It requires careful planning to ensure needs and requirements are met, schedules are kept, quality standards are adhered to, costly mistakes are avoided and projects are completed within budget.

During the design and development process, DSG also begins to involve representatives of various governmental jurisdictions impacting the project. DSG has found the approval process moves much more smoothly when governmental representatives and the people they serve have had input in the planning effort. This philosophy of early jurisdictional involvement accelerates and eases both the permitting and inspection processes related to constructed improvements.

DSG initiates a detailed budget exercise at the beginning of the development process to effectively reduce risk. This budgeting process ensures reasonable contingencies are available to offset market changes and/or potential construction delays. Fixed-price and guaranteed maximum price contracts are bid and/or negotiated on major construction or development components to minimize cost overrun potential. It is DSG’s practice to fully bond the majority of development projects.

The process of identifying and selecting consultants and contractors for development projects is one of the most important tasks in real estate development. To ensure quality design and construction at a competitive price, DSG has developed a proven methodology for the selection process in which the qualifications of potential firms can be objectively evaluated.

The selection process begins with development of a list of prospective consultants or contractors deemed qualified to design and construct a project of this scope and complexity. These prospects are generated from DSG’s direct experience, outside references and unsolicited inquiries generated from project publicity. An initial “long” list of candidates is prepared. Based upon a preliminary review, this list is then narrowed. Contact is made with the remaining prospects through a letter requesting specific information about the firm. Interviews are then scheduled and conducted at the office of each prospect.

Based on thorough review of this information, as well as firm references and interview responses, the list is narrowed to a “short” list. At that time, a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued to the approved prospects with a strict deadline for submittal. The RFP is based upon an agreed-upon scope of work. Based upon this comprehensive evaluation process, qualified design consultants and contractors will be identified and selected for participation in the project.