"Single Contractor" and "CM-at-Risk" proved to be popular contracting methods, as UNC System bond construction program winds down

With about 75% of projects completed over five years, the sweeping, system-wide construction program for the University of North Carolina constituent institutions is nearing the end of its $2.5 billion cycle. There were projects undertaken at each of the 16 campuses, some of which changed so much that alumni might not even recognize some of their old haunts. As reported by the News & Observer, "the construction program was driven by historic growth. In the past six years, about 32,000 more students have enrolled in UNC system schools, for a total of about 202,000 statewide ." Rob Nelson, Vice President of Finance for the UNC system, noted that a key to successful implementation of the building program was due to the Higher Education Bond Oversight Committee, which received regular reports and helped keep projects moving forward. The single contractor (as opposed to the previously used multiple prime contractors) and "Construction-Manager-At Risk" were new, popular approaches used in the program, and are likely to continue after institutions return to more regular construction budgets and cycles. Though the present program is winding down, state universities will continue to build more and more, as the UNC System projects almost 100,000 additional students may be in the system by 2017. (This entry published by Liz Riley, a member of Womble Carlyle's construction and real estate development group.)

Source: The News & Observer