ABOUT US

FOUR-C Experts is a rebranding of the previous company ‘Contract Administration Associates S.A de C.V. – Mexico’ (CAA Mexico), founded in 2010. It offers a full range of consulting services related to contract management, changes and claims, as well as dispute resolution, including mediation processes, technical and financial expert opinions, dispute resolution panels, and construction arbitration. FOUR-C Experts handles projects and disputes in Mexico and the rest of Latin America.

WORDS FROM THE DIRECTOR

Sr. Ernst Hechenberger 1:

Despite the increased awareness of the critical importance of professional management in construction projects in recent years, there remains a significant gap between theory and practice. Failure to follow industry best practices in contract management and dealing with changes is the main reason projects fail or end up in lengthy and costly arbitrations. For this reason, at FOUR-C, we focus on supporting our clients from the design or negotiation of a contract to the project’s completion, based on best practices at each phase, and overcoming the temptation to postpone addressing important formal issues. Our services aimed at preventing and avoiding disputes are the most effective and efficient way to ensure our clients’ project success.

FOUR-C Experts (que operó hasta 2019 bajo el nombre de “CAA-México”), nació de la experiencia de un arbitraje internacional multimillonario del principio del siglo, donde la mayoría de nuestros expertos y especialistas aprendieron cuáles son las consecuencias legales de cada error cometido durante la ejecución del proyecto, cuando se pone en tela de juicio ante un tribunal arbitral.

This wealth of experience, along with the knowledge gained from more than 15 years of work as experts and consultants, enables us to identify non-compliance with best practices and implement measures that ensure the long-term success of the project.

FOUR-C Experts (which operated until 2019 under the name “CAA-Mexico”), was founded based on the experience gained from a multi-million dollar international arbitration at the beginning of the century. During this arbitration, most of our experts and specialists learned about the legal consequences of each mistake made during the project’s execution when such errors are scrutinized before an arbitration tribunal.

In dispute resolution, most disputes are settled years after the occurrence of the events, when their analysis becomes much more complicated and often with the involved parties no longer available. The significant recognition that FOUR-C has achieved as a technical expert in the field of arbitrations and other alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes -confirmed by mentions in publications such as Who’s Who Legal and Leaders League- stems from our commitment to high standards of impartiality and depth in our analyses. It is also a result of our continuous implementation and enhancement of standards and tools that support our experts’ work. “At FOUR-C, we envision a future where resources currently invested in protecting against claims from the opposing party and in lengthy, costly arbitration processes can be redirected toward the construction of more infrastructure for the good of society.

1 Engineer Ernst Hechenberger is a consultant, technical expert, and general director of FOUR-C Experts. He has more than 40 years of experience in construction projects and has served as the lead expert in the preparation of more than 100 expert reports, testifying in both national and international arbitrations related to infrastructure projects in energy generation and transmission, gas and oil, transportation systems, industrial projects, mining, highways, and buildings."

MISSION

FOUR C-Experts promotes timely management of changes and potential disputes in construction contract management processes through the implementation of best practices. This approach aims to prevent the accumulation of unresolved disputes, the deterioration of business relationships, and lengthy and costly litigation.

In dispute resolution processes, we operate with professionalism, independence, and impartiality as experts, guiding our clients toward fair resolutions of their disagreements. We develop and apply effective analytical processes that meet the evidentiary standards required by those administering justice.

VISION

FOUR-C envisions a future for construction projects where:

  • Contracts are designed to prevent disputes.
  • Collaborative practices prevail, ensuring overall project success for both parties.
  • Potential disputes are resolved in a timely manner.
  • Resources invested in resolving disputes are transformed into infrastructure that serves society.

We will achieve this by implementing best practices in the design and management of construction contracts, and by training and engaging the entire team in the early detection of changes, thereby bridging the gap between visions and technical and legal challenges.

VALUES

"In alignment with our company’s Code of Conduct, the following values are upheld by all our team members:

Honesty and integrity

In all our actions at FOUR-C, we speak and act with sincerity and integrity. We acknowledge our mistakes and show respect for others, regardless of their color, beliefs, sexual orientation, or social status.

Independence and impartiality

FOUR-C is aware of its duty as an expert witness before a tribunal. In all our assignments, we seek the truth of the matters at hand, avoiding subjective assertions and value judgments, while ensuring that each statement is backed by sound reasoning and traceability of our conclusions.

Confidentiality

All members of FOUR-C understand that our projects require high confidentiality and we act accordingly. Therefore, we have implemented strict measures across all our internal processes to ensure the proper handling of confidential information.

Professionalism and quality

The success of FOUR-C is founded on thorough analysis, the professionalism and experience of our team members, and the application of proven processes that ensure a high level of quality of our services.

Learning and continuous improvement

At FOUR-C, we learn from our mistakes and successes in each project, utilizing these experiences as lessons to enhance and refine our processes for future projects. Continuous training of our employees and participation in national and international organizations and forums are the basis of our success.

Civil responsibility and social justice

At FOUR-C, we believe that every venture should have a positive impact on society. This is why our team members are involved in the company's outcomes, and we dedicate a significant portion of our profits to non-profit organizations."

SCRUM

In our processes, we implement the SCRUM methodology, thereby improving efficiency, collaboration, and the delivery of value to our clients. It is a way to connect our teams to offer complex solutions.

The benefits we obtain by working with this methodology are reflected in greater customer satisfaction; we improve our teams' productivity, achieving greater collaboration and communication among stakeholders; we adapt to changes with greater flexibility and improve our management of the risks and challenges inherent to our activities.    

FOUR–C Agile with SCRUM

In our expert services processes, we are implementing the Scrum methodology to improve efficiency, collaboration, and the delivery of value to our clients. Scrum is part of the family of agile frameworks, used to manage complex projects where requirements can change frequently and the outcome is uncertain.

Brief history of SCRUM

The first time SCRUM was mentioned was in the article “The New Product Development Game” in Harvard Business Review in 1986.

The idea of SCRUM comes from the analogy of the game of rugby. The team self-organizes; the strategy is defined outside the team, but the team defines its technique.

SCRUM, as a framework, was founded by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland in 1995. It is a framework based on the “agile” philosophy, within a “lean” world.

Pillars of SCRUM in FOUR-C

  • TransparencyOur work process is completely transparent to the entire team and stakeholders. To make work visible we use Kanban boards and regular meetings to keep everyone informed about progress and obstacles encountered.
  • FocusWorking in “Sprints” helps meet short-term goals within established deadlines and frees up enormous resources.
  • InspectionWe frequently inspect the process and progress toward the goal to detect variations.
  • AdaptationWe adjust our approach as necessary. SCRUM allows us to be flexible and adapt quickly to emerging changes and requirements.

Expert work within arbitration processes must be carried out primarily based on contemporaneous documentation, running the risk of being interpreted out of context. This is why the expert's perspective, developed based on this documentation, must be supplemented by clarifications from the client duly supported by complementary documentation. The SCRUM principle of transparency helps us gain a broader view than we could obtain solely based on the documents that the client thought we needed for our work. transparencia de SCRUM nos ayuda a ganar una visión más ámplia que la que podríamos obtener solamente con base en los documentos que el cliente pensaba que necesitáramos para nuestro trabajo.

The focus on Sprints helps us better plan our work and free up valuable resources, which translates into being able to better meet the short deadlines that characterize arbitration processes.

Frequent inspections allow us to correct our lines of investigation early and prevent valuable resources from being wasted.

As extending the deadlines of our work is normally not an option and analysis requirements may vary depending on what we find in the documentation provided, agile adaptation of our planned work is essential for the quality of our final reports.

SCRUM roles in our company

  • Product Owner: Our Product Owner, usually presented by the Lead Expert, has full knowledge of the product established within the mission and is responsible for defining and prioritizing customer needs in the form of a visible, transparent and clear Product Backlog.
  • SCRUM Master: El SCRUM Master actúa como facilitador, remueve impedimientos y protege al equipo de interrupciones.
  • SCRUM Master: The SCRUM Master acts as a facilitator, removes impediments and protects the team from interruptions.

SCRUM events at FOUR – C

  • Definition of the Product Backlog: The Product Owner establishes “the product”, its characteristics and required deliverables.
  • Sprint Planning: At the beginning of each Sprint, the Team and Product Owner work to define the goal of the Sprint. The Team works to define the individual tasks that will be developed during the Sprint.
  • Daily SCRUM: Every day, the team meets for a brief 15-minute meeting to synchronize activities, share progress, and plan work for the next 24 hours.
  • Sprint Review: At the end of each Sprint, the team presents the completed work to the Product Owner and stakeholders for feedback and adjustments as necessary.
  • Sprint Retrospective: After each Sprint Review, the team conducts a retrospective to evaluate what worked well and what could be improved in the next Sprint.

Benefits of SCRUM in our company:

  • Greater customer satisfaction by delivering high-quality product increments, faster and more frequently.
  • Improved productivity and reduced rework through the iterative approach and team self-organization.
  • Greater collaboration and communication among team members and with stakeholders (clients and their attorneys).
  • Greater flexibility to adapt to changing requirements.
  • Better risk management by addressing impediments early in each Sprint.

In summary, FOUR–C implemented SCRUM because it is an iterative and incremental approach that allows us to optimize predictability and risk control. SCRUM promotes collaboration in our work and the satisfaction of our clients.