AUSTIN, TX — Leaders from the Construction Industry Institute (CII), the Construction Users Roundtable (CURT), and the Engineering and Construction Contracting Association (ECC) are exploring the establishment of a unified, industry alliance to capture benefits of increased content collaboration, better sharing of research, and benchmarking learnings to improve application, diversifying industry sector participation and maximizing benefits from integrating conference production activities.

Each of these organizations has established leadership positions addressing different, but related segments of the capital projects business:

• CII: Conduct research and development, content curation, innovation, and technology
• CURT: Provide product development and resource channel/deployment alignment
• ECC: Drive excellence through networking, leadership development, and outreach

The goal of the formation of a capital projects industry alliance is to offer more for less. Benefits from the collaboration include:

• More Solutions: Increased sharing of best practices, research, products, technology, and leadership development aimed at improving capital project outcomes
• Greater Efficiency: Produce and conduct events and conferences complimentary to each other and reach a broader audience
• Improved Time & Cost Management: Overall costs (financial and time) to participate will be less (reduced travel, reduction in marketing/sponsorship fees)

“Our team is involved in all three of these groups, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to attend multiple industry conferences even though it benefits our organization," said Bob Nussmeier, Vice President with Kiewit Energy Group Inc. "Each group has been extremely effective in delivering value to Kiewit and our clients, but we are continuously under pressure to improve performance while carefully managing our spending. This alliance would help that balance.”

In the coming months, leaders from CII, CURT, and ECC will be working with members and sponsors to develop plans and work out the details as early as 2021. The intent of the effort is clear: This alliance intends to deliver more value to our industry, more construction for the money, and the leadership needed to achieve these goals.

“Given the current environment, there has never been greater need to identify ways to efficiently manage operating costs while increasing application and adoption of innovative technologies and best practices to improve the competitiveness of our organizations,” said Danny Daoust, Manager for Project Services with ConocoPhillips. “My colleagues and I look forward to being a part of moving this concept into a reality.”

The concept of this industry alliance has been under consideration by leaders of each group for some time now. Over the last few months, a taskforce comprised of members and sponsors from each group formed to closely examine the benefits to the industry. This taskforce proposes the time to collaborate is now. Companies in capital projects continue to confront a rapidly-changing marketplace. The alliance will provide new opportunities and a platform for its members and sponsors to engage and respond to these changes.

CII, based at The University of Texas at Austin, is a consortium of more than 135 owner, engineering-contractor, and supplier firms from both the public and private arenas. These organizations have joined together to enhance the business effectiveness and sustainability of the capital facility life cycle through CII research, related initiatives, and industry alliance.

CURT has a 20-year track record of helping construction owners achieve productive use of every capital dollar. As an owner organization, CURT’s work to help owners, and the industry, get the most construction for the money has been driven by providing leadership on business issues that promote excellence in the creation of capital assets. CURT provides this value globally, by speaking collectively for owners on contractor and engineering issues affecting owners.

For over 50 years, ECC has provided opportunities for industry pioneers and innovators to collaborate in a forum free from the daily demands and politics of business — the Annual ECC Conference. Formed by owners, contractors, suppliers, and academics in the engineering and construction business, the ECC aims to drive excellence and the long-term success of the industry through networking, innovation, and outreach.