PLOT platform automates procurement of materials for jobsites
By Nick Fortuna
There are many rewarding aspects of supervising high-profile construction projects for a leading general contractor, but maintaining the procurement log spreadsheet typically isn’t one of them.
Frequently updating the procurement log is an essential duty on large construction jobsites, ensuring that all required materials are ordered on time, get delivered as scheduled and meet the project’s specifications and budget. Properly maintaining that Excel spreadsheet may be tedious and time-consuming, but it’s vital to avoid delays and manage costs.
Until recently, maintaining the procurement log took up a large portion of the typical workday for Kelly McKinley, an assistant project manager for Bancroft Construction, a member of multiple AGC chapters. Collecting information from subcontractors through endless emails, text messages and phone calls, she’d update that Excel spreadsheet throughout the day, pulling her away from other important tasks.
To streamline operations, Bancroft recently implemented PLOT, a new platform that aggregates and automates the processes of approving, ordering and delivering construction materials to jobsites. General contractors set up automatic email check-ins with subcontractors, letting them know the deadline for submitting approvals, updating them on those approvals and enabling them to schedule deliveries.
By coordinating deliveries across the jobsite, general contractors can avoid bottlenecks at unloading areas and ensure the availability of unloading equipment. The automated updates allow contractors to monitor orders with long lead times and act at the first sign of supply disruptions, preventing costly delays.
PLOT also reduces the workload for supervisors like McKinley by automatically syncing with construction project management software programs such as Procore, Autodesk Build and Primavera P6.
On Bancroft’s first project using PLOT, for instance, the platform harnessed data from Procore to “practically build the spreadsheet for me,” McKinley said. The automated emails and standardized forms led to quicker response times from subcontractors, making her job easier, she said.
“It automates emails to my trade partners so they can fill in the leadtime data that I need,” McKinley said. “It’s definitely been an invaluable timesaver on my most recent project, so I’m excited to use it on the next one. Now that I’m familiar with it, I see how I can set up my submittals better on the front end and make it work even better for me next time.”
Gaining Notice
PLOT, founded in 2021 in Wichita, Kansas, launched its procurement tool this year, and it’s already won accolades. In July, BuiltWorlds selected PLOT for its 2024 Smart Jobsites Top 50 list, highlighting leading and emerging technology companies within the built environment. Winners were selected based on data from the 2024 Smart Jobsites survey, case studies and industry research.
Chris Callen, PLOT’s founder and chief executive, said the digital workspace was designed “to bring procurement into the 21st century” by standardizing procurement forms and workflows. PLOT promotes Lean, just-in-time construction practices by working backward from the date materials are required and tracking every order and submittal approval deadline.
Automatic check-ins with subcontractors allow users to manage submittals, place orders and confirm expected delivery. Users gain a higher-level view of projects and the ability to track the performance of subcontractors and vendors, an essential component given that most materials on large jobsites are ordered by subcontractors, Callen said.
PLOT’s mission is to democratize the use of technology, promote the recruitment of younger, tech-savvy jobseekers and enhance their job satisfaction by addressing the challenges facing construction professionals, he said. Every jobsite is the last stop on a long journey for a vast number of material orders sent to multiple suppliers and installed by multiple contractors.
Without a seamless solution like PLOT, that complex network frequently results in delays, budget overruns, duplicative ordering and unnecessary shipping rushes, Callen said.
“It’s all about time savings for the general contractor and eliminating much of the head-down, highly focused work that goes into building and maintaining a procurement log,” he said. “PLOT monitors which deadlines are coming up and what needs to be done by each subcontractor, and it automatically generates checklists for those trades, so there’s automated communication about what needs to happen based upon the schedule.”
Lauren Lyon, project controls specialist for Bancroft, said the company initially was drawn to PLOT for its logistics portal, which it now displays on large screens in its construction trailers. Using satellite technology, PLOT provides an overhead view of the jobsite along with relevant information such as the date and time, GPS coordinates, current and predicted weather, equipment availability and scheduled usage, expected deliveries and deadlines for submittals.
The logistics portal gives general contractors a way to communicate jobsite changes to the entire team efficiently. In addition to large screens onsite, workers can get updates with exported PDFs or jobsite alerts sent to their smart devices. The logistics tool is especially useful on owner-occupied jobsites, which typically add complexity to site logistics and elevate the need for good communication.
In many construction trailers, scheduled deliveries are listed on a whiteboard using a magic marker, and that information can get wiped away as construction professionals gather in tight quarters. But with PLOT, that information is displayed digitally, eliminating the problem of messy handwriting as well.
“It’s a sharp-looking display of the project’s overall status,” Lyon said. “It’s a much more professional package to share with your owner and design team than the old 1990s spreadsheet, so it has more credibility and leads to more buy-in. Those dates are on the screen, so meetings are quicker and more efficient.
“That’s what really drew us to PLOT, and then we realized how much it could streamline our current processes, replacing a spreadsheet that had a ton of flaws and maintenance requirements. We’re always looking for continuous improvement, and this was a perfect solution.”
Monitoring Changes
PLOT’s logistics portal allows general contractors to share specific locations, like new access roads or gates, with new and existing team members. Foremen can scan a QR code with their smart devices to receive instant training on how to use the system. General contractors can better manage their jobsites as access, parking, drop-off and laydown areas change throughout construction.
With PLOT, general contractors can replace manual PDF logistics plans with a design that impresses all stakeholders. The exported PDFs enhance consistency across projects and increase professionalism even with novice users, Callen said.
PLOT can help construction firms appeal to younger workers who have grown up using new technologies and want to work for tech-savvy employers, he said. By streamlining processes and cutting down on manual data entry, PLOT also has the potential to enhance job satisfaction and promote retention. Supervisors spend less time on drudge work and more time on “higher-level tasks that require a human touch,” Callen said.
“As more digital natives come into this industry, they’re going to have expectations for technology use,” he said. “For me, it’s been a longtime goal to elevate the experience for workers in the construction industry so that they can work on the things that actually excite them and are more deserving of their pay grade.”