Construction Management Association of America

Construction Management Association of America
Name	Construction Management Association of America
Abbreviation	CMAA
Formation	1982
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	Alexandria, Virginia
Region served	United States
Membership	Construction managers, owners, contractors, consultants
Leader title	CEO

Construction Management Association of America The Construction Management Association of America is a professional association serving construction management practitioners, owners, and allied professionals. It advances standards, education, and credentialing for construction management through programs, publications, and chapter networks, and it engages with public agencies, private owners, and industry partners to influence project delivery. The association operates alongside other built-environment organizations to shape best practices across infrastructure, commercial, and institutional sectors.

History

The association was formed in 1982 amid conversations involving practitioners associated with American Institute of Architects, Associated General Contractors of America, Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee, National Association of Home Builders, and national owner groups focused on improving delivery methods. Early milestones included developing consensus documents and partnering with entities such as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, General Services Administration, Department of Defense, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and state departments of transportation to pilot construction management approaches. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s the association expanded ties with Federal Highway Administration, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and major owner organizations in the private sector including General Electric, IBM, Walt Disney Company, and Bank of America that sought formalized project-management frameworks. Responding to shifts in project delivery, the association collaborated with standards bodies such as American Society of Civil Engineers, International Organization for Standardization, National Institute of Building Sciences, and Building Owners and Managers Association to refine roles and competencies. Recent decades saw the association engaging with global organizations including International Federation of Consulting Engineers, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and international firms like Bechtel, Fluor Corporation, and Skanska to export construction management practice.

Mission and Structure

The association’s mission emphasizes advancing professional construction management to improve project outcomes for owners and stakeholders; it aligns with stakeholders like American Society of Professional Estimators, Project Management Institute, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Institute of Constructors, and owner groups such as U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Amazon (company) in role definition. Its governance model includes a national board, executive officers, committees, and a staff headquartered near policymaking centers, interacting with institutions including Congress of the United States, Government Accountability Office, National Governors Association, and regulatory entities like Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Committees coordinate with technical partners such as National Electrical Contractors Association, Mechanical Contractors Association of America, American Council of Engineering Companies, and academic programs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Texas A&M University, and University of California, Berkeley.

Programs and Certifications

The association administers credentialing, continuing education, and accreditation programs recognized by owners, public agencies, and global contractors. Certification pathways were developed with reference points used by Project Management Institute, American Institute of Constructors, National Institute of Building Sciences', and Chartered Institute of Building. Programs include project management credentials that align with standards applied by entities such as Federal Transit Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Navy, NASA, and multinational contractors including AECOM, Jacobs Engineering, and Turner Construction Company. Education offerings and professional development partnerships have included university executive programs at Columbia University, Stanford University, Harvard University, and industry workshops alongside firms like Caterpillar Inc., Siemens, and General Motors.

Publications and Research

The association publishes technical guides, practice standards, and periodicals used by owners and construction professionals; these works often reference standards from American Concrete Institute, American Welding Society, ASTM International, and National Fire Protection Association. Research collaborations and white papers have been produced with academic centers of excellence including Purdue University, Colorado State University, University of Texas at Austin, and research funders such as National Science Foundation and National Cooperative Highway Research Program. Periodical distribution and conference proceedings reach attendees from organizations like U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Los Angeles World Airports, and international firms such as VINCI and Balfour Beatty.

Advocacy and Industry Impact

The association advocates for procurement reforms, risk allocation, and project-delivery best practices before legislative and regulatory bodies including United States Congress, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Management and Budget, and state procurement authorities. It engages in coalitions with American Public Transportation Association, Building Owners and Managers Association, National Association of State Facilities Administrators, and owner consortia such as University of California and State Universities of Florida to influence policy on infrastructure investment, resilience, and lifecycle management. Its influence is evident in procurement guidance adopted by agencies like New York State Department of Transportation, California Department of Transportation, Texas Department of Transportation, and large owner-operators including Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Membership and Chapters

Membership encompasses private-sector construction managers, public owners, consultants, contractors, and supplier representatives from firms such as Turner Construction Company, Bechtel, Skanska USA, Jacobs Engineering, AECOM, Fluor Corporation, Mortenson Construction, Clark Construction Group, and owner organizations like University of California, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and U.S. Postal Service. The association maintains a nationwide chapter network that interfaces with state and local stakeholders including New York City Department of Design and Construction, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Chicago Transit Authority, and municipal owner teams from cities such as Seattle, Houston, and Philadelphia. Chapters collaborate with industry groups like Associated General Contractors of America, National Electrical Contractors Association, and academic programs at institutions including Clemson University and Arizona State University to deliver local training, certification preparation, and industry events.

Category:Professional associations