C.A.T. Group partners with CMCS to boost project monitoring and control throughout Middle East operations

The partnership, which seeks to meet the highly demanding nature of complex construction, infrastructure and oil & gas projects of C.A.T. Group, is a strategic move that complements the predicted 33 per cent growth in the oil & gas sector by the end of 2009.

Under the terms of the agreement, CMCS will help provide vital project management software like Hard Dollar Cost Estimation, Control and Management, Primavera Project Portfolio Management and Primavera Contract Management for C.A.T. Group projects that commonly utilize heavy machinery, diverse multiple resources and run over a long period.

Implementation of the different software will be complemented by special training sessions, licensed accreditations, and consultancy services to be administered chiefly in C.A.T. Group's headquarters in Beirut and its other branches spread across the globe. The company is currently ranked 95 in Engineering News Record's (ENR) international list of top 100 contractors.

The agreement was formalized through a signing ceremony attended by Bassam Samman, CMCS CEO & Founder; Nasser Issa, C.A.T. Group CEO & President and Doug Nicholas, Hard Dollar CEO.

The Hard Dollar solution is a fully integrated 5D-BIM project cost management software that allows real-time, multi-user collaboration through managed interaction of resources, cost, escalation, cash flow, earned value reporting, and scheduling from either Microsoft or Primavera throughout the entire life of a project. The software solution, which is officially distributed by CMCS, has been used to construct over USD 1 trillion in capital projects worldwide.

Bassam Samman, CEO & Founder, CMCS, said:

"Analysts in the region's oil and gas sector are optimistic about a 33 per cent growth by the end of the year, which has prompted companies in the industry to improve and develop services to be able to sustain that predicted growth. Our partnership with the C.A.T. Group allows us to help provide a less complicated approach to tedious processes involving their oil & gas projects while simultaneously keeping them in a leading position among their competitors."

"Moreover, providing top-of-the-line project management software like Hard Dollar demonstrates our commitment to introducing the Middle East to the importance of project management practices and utilizing it to gain advantage," he said.

Prior to the partnership, the C.A.T. Group had been in search for a software solution that could enhance the monitoring and control phase of their projects which have been valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. Following interaction with CMCS and Hard Dollar Consultants, the C.A.T. Group decided that the method¬ologies, services and solutions presented would meet the growing demands of their projects and daily operations.

Nasser Issa, CEO, C.A.T. Group, said, "The C.A.T. Group recognizes the need for a project management system that could help us strengthen our lead in the region's oil & gas sector. Based on the requirements we presented, the Hard Dollar software was the unanimous choice with its innovative and project-driven tools and techniques. We are confident that the Hard Dollar system will deliver a rapid and substantial return-on-investment (ROI) to our stakeholders and help us maintain an advantageous lead over other companies."

During the signing ceremony, Hard Dollar presented a trophy to CMCS for becoming the first Hard Dollar Authorized Relationship Partner (HARP). A trophy was also presented to the C.A.T. Group for choosing Hard Dollar project management solutions.