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BUSINESS NEWS CONTI FEDERAL AWARDED $140.9M CONTRACT TO CONSTRUCT NEW AIRCRAFT COMPLEX AT F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE Conti Federal Services, a leading U.S. government construction and engineering firm specializing in military and secure construction, has been awarded a firm-fixed-price contract in the amount of $140,907,850 to construct a new aircraft complex at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District, the contract will support the construction of a new complex that includes Helicopter Squadron Operations, Tactical Response Force Alert Crew Facility, Alert Aircraft Shelter, Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Aircraft Maintenance Shelter, Aircraft
Simulator complex, including a Satellite Fire Station. The associated site improvements will also include new taxiways, runway, helipads, and airfield lighting. While this is Conti Federal’s first project in Wyoming, the firm has worked extensively with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District on several other mission-critical projects, including their most recent contract to construct a Fighter Alert Shelter at the 115th Fighter Wing for the Air National Guard at Truax Field. “This is a very exciting project for us, and we’re honored that we were selected to build the new aircraft complex at F. E. Warren Air Force Base,” says Peter Ceribelli, Conti Federal’s CEO. “We are
looking forward to working with the Omaha District and the 90th Missile Wing at FE Warren to get the job ‘Done Once and Done Right’.” In addition to expertise in military and secure construction, Conti Federal has extensive experience working on complex critical infrastructure, disaster response & recovery, and environmental remediation projects. The firm has built a reputation for delivering projects on- time and on-budget, a crucial element in the success of contracts of this scope. Known for integrity and great communication with clients as well as subcontractors, Conti Federal stands out among other firms of its kind. The project is estimated to be completed in April 2025.
not all engineers are alike. Younger staff see firsthand how experienced project managers interact with clients, owners, contractors, and operators. They also see and learn how to effectively communicate with stakeholders. Striking a balance between the technical training and the human side is also encouraged because everyone interacts with others daily. Stressing skills like conflict resolution, time management, networking, and active listening during training is critical because younger staff need to convey their ideas to colleagues, leaders, and ultimately, clients. With the recent pandemic issues, in-person training proved to be most challenging. But with constant feedback from staff, we were able to continue training throughout the pandemic utilizing various tools and technology. Like many firms, we rely on “SMART” goals to monitor our training. The goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time bound. There are annual reviews and quarterly check-ins to see how everyone is faring. Continuous improvement and feedback are vital. At Fleis & VandenBrink, we believe in the old and familiar adage of billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson: “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” If you don’t train employees in a tight talent market, your firm cannot grow and realize its full potential. You may also lose more than one valuable resource. Our secret ingredient is not that secret! We train employees to become supervisors which allows more growth for all staff. When well-trained staff are equipped with the skills needed to do their jobs well, everyone will reap the benefits. David Harvey, P.E., is a senior project manager for the Process Group at Fleis & VandenBrink. Contact him at dharvey@fveng. com.
DAVID HARVEY , from page 9
But the key to training is for project managers to give young engineers the knowledge, skill sets, and enough latitude to take ownership and work through the design or problem using their abilities. Project managers must also be careful not to give them too much responsibility before they are ready, or throw them into projects without the proper skills and burn them out. Throughout the training process, the leadership team is readily available to answer questions, so staff know what exactly is required of them. We like challenging many of our younger staff and instill in them the scary but exhilarating feeling that the buck stops with them. Given an opportunity and the support to take a leap, many engineers surprise themselves with their ability to execute on hard problems. It may seem like a time-consuming task but delegating and answering questions has proven invaluable. It makes your firm more efficient because you have knowledgeable senior staff who can train the younger staff. An associate and a process engineer at F&V explained how he grew within five years at the firm. “I was given the opportunity and freedom to run projects and make decisions with F&V giving me the confidence,” he said. “F&V always gave me the support and guidance to deliver successful projects. Now I am looking forward to working with younger staff and helping them gain the valuable experience that I was able to receive as a young engineer.” Staff who receive ongoing training and development opportunities feel valued and are usually happier with their progression. We believe it’s led to higher levels of employee retention, engagement, and morale. F&V does not have a rigid mentoring program because
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THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 31, 2022, ISSUE 1463
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