About
Chris Beirise is a partner with Accuracy with over 36 years of experience in the construction industry. He has testified as an expert witness in various state and federal courts and in domestic and international arbitrations and has presented damages and delay analysis in formal mediation and other alternate dispute resolution proceedings.
He has also consulted with companies on scheduling methods and procedures, cost tracking, and ways to track the impact of ongoing disputes. Chris has taught classes on scheduling, estimating and cost tracking in public forums and to clients.
Chris is experienced in damages and delay analysis and focuses on the construction, electric utility, and government contract industries. Chris’s experience includes work on numerous types of projects, including airports, airplanes, stadiums, highways, roadways, bridges, multi-unit housing complexes, office buildings, tunnels, mines, casinos, prisons, wastewater treatment plants, power plants, and railroads.
Chris’s work includes critical path schedule analyses intended to determine durations and responsibility for events delaying projects, as well as analysis of project cost growth issues including productivity, acceleration, and disruption.
Chris began his career at Kenny Construction Company, a large heavy and highway general contractor, as a cost and schedule Engineer. Chris has worked in the construction consulting industry at Peterson Consulting, Tucker Alan Inc., The Kenrich Group (where he was a founding member and Chief Operating Officer), HKA (where he was co-lead of the construction group of the Americas) before joining Accuracy as a partner.
Qualification
- BS, Civil Engineering, Tulane University, US
Memberships
- American Bar Association, Associate Member
- Forum on Construction Law
- International Law
- International Bar Association
- International Construction Projects Committee
- Other
- Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering (AACE International)
- Project Management Institute
Example of engagements
Casinos / Hotels / Buildings / Housing / Mixed-Use Facilities / Hospitals
Termination Costs, Government Base
Chris assisted a contractor related to the termination for convenience of our client by the general contractor. Chris reviewed the termination costs previously submitted, met with project personnel, and reviewed the reasons for rejection of the costs by the general contractor. Chris submitted an expert report related to the termination costs incurred.
Process Piping
Claims Analysis, Refinery Expansion
Chris assisted general contractor of a refinery expansion project near Salt Lake City, Utah. He analyzed the structural steel and piping subcontractors’ claims for schedule delay, extended general conditions, productivity impacts, alleged acceleration, late design and engineering, and scope growth related mainly to piping procurement, fabrication, and installation efforts on the project. Issues analyzed included the subcontractors’ lack of project controls, lack of qualified craft personnel, improper craft ratios, excessive turnover and absenteeism, quality control practices, inadequate productivity, and the sequencing of project work. Chris prepared and submitted an expert report and presented his findings during arbitration.
Power Projects
Cost and Schedule Analysis, Natural Gas Power Plant
Chris was engaged by counsel for the constructor of a natural gas powerplant in Anchorage, Alaska to review cost overruns and project delays. Work included the review of the owner’s design team’s performance, material deliveries, and other issues that caused schedule delays, resequenced work, acceleration and significant cost increases. Chris presented his damage and schedule delay analysis to the during mediation, which ultimately assisted with a successful settlement.
Stadiums / Sports Facilities
Cost Analysis, Miami Dolphins Sun Life Stadium Renovations
On behalf of a steel fabricator and erector, Chris led the analysis of delay and acceleration costs associated with renovations at Miami Dolphins Sun Life Stadium. Chris and his team reviewed and analyzed cost overruns and project impacts. Chris was engaged during the project’s performance and oversaw personnel that was on site to assist with documenting schedule impacts and project impacts. Chris performed a preliminary review of project schedule and cost data, which was submitted as part of a change order request. Chris ultimately issued five expert reports relating to cost overruns due to design changes, acceleration measures taken, productivity impacts experienced, discrete cost increases as well as project delay costs. The matter settled in early 2020 prior to trial.
Industrial Projects
Schedule and Cost Analysis, Cement Plant
Chris performed a schedule and cost analysis related to the construction of a cement plant on behalf of the owner. He rebutted the refractory subcontractor’s claims for impact and increased costs due to congestion, weather, and alleged design delays. Chris testified in arbitration, during which the client was awarded damages related to the refractory contractor’s lack of performance and the refractory contractor received no damages related to delay or disruption.
Airports
Cost and Schedule Analysis, Sky Harbor Airport Terminal 3
Chris led a team and assisted the bonding company with cost and schedule assistance related to concrete construction of the Sky Harbor Airport Terminal 3 expansion. He assisted with real-time analysis of alleged Project delays and cost impacts to the Joint Venture managing the project.
Roads / Bridges / Rails
Cost and Schedule Analysis, Passenger Rail Lines
Chris was retained by counsel for the Regional Transportation District in Denver, Colorado to rebut claims from the general contractor related to the design and construction of three passenger rail lines. The contractor had claims for delays and other increased costs related to the inability for the project to be commissioned by the Federal Railroad Administration. Chis and his team reviewed the submitted costs, performed a schedule analysis and presented its findings to a Dispute Review Board (“DRB”). The case is ongoing as the contractor did not agree with the DRB decision.
Government Contracts
Delay and Disruption Analysis, Surveillance Aircraft Software
Chris led a team that analyzed delay and disruption of the retrofit and upgrade of the software on a surveillance aircraft. He developed the claim in support of negotiations between contractor and government.
Aerospace
Request for Equitable Adjustment Draft, Boeing Surveillance Aircraft
Chris assisted Boeing in drafting a Request for Equitable Adjustment related to upgrades and modifications to surveillance aircraft. The cost analysis included review of costs incurred to-date; assessment and adjustment of estimated costs to complete, and determination of major causes of cost increases. The schedule analysis focused on the delay and disruption of the retrofit and upgrade of the software on the surveillance aircraft. Chris also supported the successful negotiations between the contractor and the government.
Commercial Damages
Damage Proof of Claim Development, Year 2000 Remediation
Chris led a team that helped internal and outside counsel develop a proof of claim for damages experienced due to Year 2000 remediation efforts. He assisted the client in gathering, reviewing, and assessing costs associated with Year 2000 remediation efforts, including labor, equipment purchases, rentals and leases, software purchases and upgrades, and vendors and consultants. The client is a multi-national company and performed Year 2000 remediation efforts worldwide, which required Chris to interface with many different personnel and business styles to assess and gather all appropriate remediation costs.
Electric Utility Restructuring
Review of Utility Accounting System
Chris oversaw several areas of an engagement in which a major utility was undergoing the process of deregulation of the electric industry. He reviewed the utility’s accounting system for use in rate case and a rebuttal to outside auditors investigating the segregation of costs.
Other Experience / Project Assistance
Project Schedule Updates
Chris helped multiple contractors update project schedules, and contemporaneously reviewed their critical paths, changes to critical paths, development of work arounds, development of summary schedules for submission to owners, review of logic and constraints used, and their development of initial project schedules.