Overcoming Challenges & Growing
We recently completed our second contract to date — the Install New Concrete Sidewalks project for 137th Mission Support Contracting at the Oklahoma Air National Guard's Will Rogers base here in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The project was awarded at the beginning of August 2023, with a Notice to Proceed of August 28, 2023. We completed this 90-day project in 49 calendar days — nearly a month and a half ahead of the contract completion date. And while the client was thoroughly pleased (we received an Exceptional Past Performance Questionnaire), this project didn't come without challenges. The two most important lessons learned were to hold firm on our core principles and to not be afraid to make changes.
Our approach on this project was to move quickly. The weather, profit margins, and other awarded contracts that were kicking off all dictated that we get in and out as fast as possible. As the project kicked off, we encountered a concerning lack of responsiveness from one of our subcontractors.
Our core mission at MIGO Construction Group is to "do a great job, treat people fairly, and provide exceptional customer service" — three simple ideas that can become difficult to uphold in the real world. There are many reasons a subcontractor may not perform as it should, but our principle of treating people fairly means we need to support our team partners and help them get back on track. That requires communication, trust, and effort from both sides.
After multiple cure notices, MIGO faced a decision: terminate the subcontract or continue without upholding our principles. While that may seem like an easy choice, terminating a subcontract is not something to take lightly. In doing so, MIGO had to resolve the terminated subcontract — which carried the possibility of litigation, underscoring why proper documentation, cure notices, and strict adherence to the termination requirements in the executed subcontract are critical. MIGO also had to finance the remainder of the project, paying all outstanding second-tier subcontractors and suppliers to date and covering all future materials, suppliers, and subcontractors. Finally, MIGO organized an independent concrete crew to complete the work. These are all major hurdles for a small business to undertake once a subcontract is terminated.
The tension between walking into the unknown and standing up for your principles is something people face every day, personally and professionally. The opportunity this project gave us to adhere to our principles was worth every struggle. Along the way, we developed a strong understanding of concrete self-performance, cost estimating, labor productivity, and trucking and transportation logistics — and we built relationships with several highly qualified concrete finishers we hope to deploy on future federal opportunities.
Once the dust settled and the project closed out, the client was very happy with our performance. We're equally proud of how our operations team handled adversity and stepped into the unknown to ensure we stayed true to our core principles.
MIGO is an SBA-certified EDWOSB and WOSB, and a Hispanic-owned, total small business based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. MIGO provides general contracting and construction management services for federal agencies nationwide.