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Fayetteville taps Friese & Nichols for 12‑month construction management overhaul; council approves engagement
Summary
City council voted to continue a 12‑month engagement with Friese & Nichols to implement recommendations for the Construction Management Division and bolster project oversight after recent contractor separations and cost pressures.
Fayetteville City Council voted to receive a review of the Construction Management Division and to continue a 12‑month engagement with engineering consultant Friese & Nichols to implement recommended changes to project controls and staffing.
The report, presented by Blair Hinkle of Friese & Nichols and city staff, found the city’s centralized project‑management approach is sound but identified gaps in proactive project management, consultant accountability, design‑phase cost controls and transparency. Blair Hinkle said the firm has been on‑site since December 2024 to evaluate operations and work alongside city staff.
The memo in the council packet lays out specific steps already under way: an owners’ advisor procurement to support project teams, project‑level owners’ advisors for complex work, and site‑level assistance from Friese & Nichols while the city hires a permanent division director. Hinkle said the firm’s work includes both project‑level troubleshooting and broader process recommendations, noting the division was created in 2019 to centralize project delivery for city facilities.
City staff described recurring problems on several projects where contractors “separated from the project,” naming Fire Station 4, the tennis center and the Mabel C. Smith community center as recent examples that are now “gaining traction.” Staff said Friese & Nichols will play a program‑management role for roughly 12 months, “helping to implement the recommendations” and training city staff to sustain improvements before tapering off.
Council members questioned whether the engagement would cover pay‑application review and field inspection sign‑off. Hinkle and staff said the consultant’s scope does not replace required field inspections, but does formalize pay‑application review and recommends a standardized sign‑off process—certified by construction administrators or field representatives—before payments are released.
Council member Thompson moved to receive the information and proceed with the city manager’s contracting approach to implement Friese & Nichols’ recommendations; the motion was seconded and approved by the council.
Council members and staff said the firm will focus on real‑time project tracking, consultant accountability and design‑phase cost controls as the city implements a project dashboard and new project management forms and processes.
