Spire Consulting Group was engaged by Santos CMI, a commercial contractor based in Quito, Ecuador, to strengthen the firm’s contract, change order, and claims management capabilities. While the engagement ultimately included a tailored training program, Spire’s work began with a detailed review of the client’s existing processes, procedures, and real project experience to ensure recommendations and training were grounded in Santos CMI’s actual operating conditions.
The engagement was designed to improve practical readiness across the project lifecycle by combining diagnostic assessment, collaborative workshops, and targeted capability development.
Client Challenge
Santos CMI leadership recognized that effective management of contracts, changes, and commercial risk was becoming increasingly important as project complexity and delivery expectations increased. While the firm had established practices in place, leadership sought greater consistency, clarity, and confidence in how teams identified, documented, and managed change events and commercial issues.
The client wanted an objective assessment of how work was being managed in practice—not just in policy—and support in strengthening internal capabilities to reduce risk and improve outcomes on active and future projects.
Spire’s Role & Approach
Spire provided construction advisory services focused on capability assessment and improvement. The engagement began with a comprehensive review of Santos CMI’s existing contract administration, change order, and claims management processes and procedures. Spire also reviewed representative examples of historical claims and commercial issues and facilitated workshops with client team members to understand how work was currently being planned, executed, and managed across projects.
Based on these findings, Spire identified key gaps, strengths, and opportunities for improvement. Rather than delivering generic training, Spire designed a customized, multi-day program tailored specifically to Santos CMI’s processes, challenges, and real project scenarios.
The training was delivered to executives, operations leaders, project managers, engineering managers, construction managers, and procurement personnel, and focused on practical application of proven methods aligned with the client’s operating environment.
Results & Impact
The engagement improved Santos CMI’s practical readiness to manage contracts, changes, and disputes more effectively. Key outcomes included:
- Greater alignment and consistency in contract and change management practices
- Improved understanding of how to identify, document, and evaluate change events
- Increased confidence in managing and preparing claims when necessary
- Actionable recommendations to improve processes and procedures across the project lifecycle
The combination of upfront assessment, collaborative engagement, and targeted training provided Santos CMI with both immediate capability uplift and a clearer path for continued improvement.
Spire provides comprehensive construction consulting services. Our construction experts possess the engineering and construction experience to provide real-world, cost-effective solutions to the everyday challenges that owners, contractors, engineers, and architects face throughout the construction process. From the initial concept to project closeout, we assist our clients in facilitating and coordinating the construction process to mitigate complex problems.
Spire develops construction management teams based on each client’s specific needs and project requirements by providing effective project leadership in the following service areas: