Construction Manager vs. General Contractor – Part 3 – Qualifications

The firm may have an impressive résumé. The owner needs to know whether the team assigned to the project does too.

Originally published February 2023. Updated September 2026 to reflect current owner-side contractor selection practices.

When owners shortlist Construction Managers or General Contractors, the qualifications can start to look remarkably similar.

Every firm has successful projects.

Every presentation includes experienced executives.

Every team says communication is a strength.

So I would ask a more practical question:

“Who is actually going to run my project?”

Selecting the firm matters.

Selecting the team matters just as much.

Look Beyond the Company Résumé

Relevant company experience is important.

Has the firm completed projects of similar size, complexity and type? Has it worked in occupied environments? Does it understand the market, trades and logistical conditions affecting the project?

But company experience doesn’t automatically become project-team experience.

If the firm’s best comparable project was delivered by people who won’t be assigned to yours, understand that distinction.

Ask which proposed team members actually worked on the projects being presented as qualifications.

Evaluate the People You Will Work With

The proposed project executive, project manager, superintendent and preconstruction personnel can have an enormous effect on the owner’s experience.

Review their résumés, but don’t stop there.

I want to understand:

• what similar projects they personally delivered;
• how long they have worked together;
• what each person’s role will be;
• how much time they will devote to the project;
• whether they are already committed elsewhere; and
• whether the proposed team is expected to remain through completion.

A strong interview can tell you things a written proposal cannot.

Chemistry Matters

“Chemistry” can sound subjective, but owners shouldn’t dismiss it.

The project team may work together for months or years.

There will be disagreements over cost, schedule, scope, quality and responsibility.

Can the team communicate clearly when the news isn’t good?

Do they answer the question being asked?

Can they challenge an assumption without turning every disagreement into a confrontation?

The owner doesn’t need a team that agrees with everything.

The owner needs a team it can work with when the project becomes difficult.

Test the Preconstruction Capability

If preconstruction is an important reason for selecting a particular delivery structure, evaluate the people who will actually provide those services.

Who prepares the estimates?

Who develops the schedule?

Who performs constructability reviews?

Who evaluates logistics and procurement risks?

Will those people remain involved when construction begins?

A sophisticated preconstruction presentation has limited value if the proposed resources disappear after award.

Check References With Specific Questions

References are more useful when the questions go beyond:

“Were you happy with them?”

Ask former clients:

• Did the proposed team actually remain on the project?
• How accurate were the early estimates?
• How did the firm handle changes?
• Did problems get raised early?
• Was reporting clear?
• How did they perform when the schedule was under pressure?
• Would you hire the same team again?

The last question can be particularly revealing.

Financial Capacity Still Matters

The owner should also understand whether the contractor has the financial and organizational capacity to support the project.

Depending on the project, that may include reviewing bonding capacity, insurance, financial information and the firm’s current workload.

A contractor can be highly qualified technically and still be stretched too thin.

The question isn’t simply whether the company is large enough.

It’s whether it has the capacity to perform this project when this project needs it.

Don’t Let Fee Become the Qualification

Price matters.

Fees matter.

But contractor selection shouldn’t become a process where the owner carefully evaluates qualifications and then automatically selects the lowest number.

First determine which firms and teams are qualified to deliver the project.

Then understand the commercial differences among them.

A lower fee doesn’t create value if the proposed team lacks the experience, availability or capability the project requires.

Leadership takeaway: Evaluate the people, not just the logo. Relevant company experience matters, but the owner’s project will be delivered by a specific team with specific experience, availability and capabilities.

Previous – Part 2 – Pre-Construction
Next – Part 4 – Contract, Design & Cost