Frequently Asked Questions

Craze, Monroe & Associates (CMA) is a certified project and contract management consulting firm. We help organizations in construction, education, government, and IT protect their financial interests and deliver complex capital programs through expert oversight, structured governance, and hands-on delivery support from certified professionals.

Our team holds the industry's most respected credentials: PMP® (Project Management Professional), CCM (Certified Construction Manager), PMI-ACP® (Agile Certified Practitioner), and ENV SP (Envision Sustainability Professional). These aren't just listed on a bio. They're held by the principals who lead your work.

CMA serves clients across four primary sectors: Construction, Education (K-12 and higher education), Government/Public Sector, and Information Technology. Each sector carries unique compliance requirements, stakeholder dynamics, and risk profiles, and we bring sector-specific experience to every engagement.

Three key differences: First, CMA is client-first. Your goals and financial interests drive every recommendation we make. Second, every engagement is led by a certified principal, not delegated to junior staff. Third, we specialize in the intersection of contract controls and project delivery, the area where most organizations face the greatest financial exposure.

Project management focuses on the planning, scheduling, budget control, and delivery of a project from initiation to closeout. Contract management focuses specifically on the legal and financial instruments governing the work, ensuring contracts are compliant, change orders are justified, and your organization's financial interests are protected. CMA provides both, and they work together to give you comprehensive, client-first coverage.

A contract audit is an independent review of pay estimates, change orders, contract terms, and payment history. Many contractors and project organizations discover significant underpayments, improperly withheld funds, or unenforced entitlements they weren't aware of. CMA conducts contract audits to surface those issues, build the documentation needed to pursue recovery, and establish stronger contract controls going forward.

Yes, and it's one of our most common engagements. We serve as your designated representative: monitoring contractor and designer performance, enforcing contract obligations, and protecting your organization's interests at every stage of the project. Client-side representation is a core part of our project management practice.

CMA offers PDU-eligible project management training, contract management fundamentals, compliance training, project audit services, executive briefings, and custom program development. All programs are led by credentialed practitioners (PMP®, CCM, PMI-ACP®, ENV SP) and built for immediate practical application, not just theory.

CMA's leadership coaching is built on the Gallup CliftonStrengths framework, one of the most widely validated tools in leadership development. It's used to identify an individual's natural talent themes and build them into consistent, high-performing leadership behavior. CMA designs engagements for executives, managers, and teams at any level of an organization.

Yes. Higher education institutions and school districts can rely on CMA for oversight of enterprise system rollouts: student information systems, ERP platforms, and CRM implementations. These programs carry the same vendor accountability and scope control challenges as capital construction, and they require the same disciplined governance. CMA applies our PADI project management framework to keep implementations on schedule, on budget, and vendor contracts enforced.

A free consultation is a focused, no-obligation conversation with one of our certified principals, typically 30 minutes. We'll listen to your situation, ask the right questions, and give you honest, actionable recommendations. If CMA isn't the right fit for your needs, we'll say so. No pitch, no pressure.

Engagement fees are structured based on scope, project complexity, and the delivery model that fits your situation: advisory, embedded, supplemental, or program support. We discuss fee structure transparently during the consultation and provide a clear scope before any work begins. Schedule a consultation to discuss what an engagement would look like for your program.

We understand that project needs are often urgent. After an initial consultation and engagement agreement, CMA can typically mobilize within days. Timeline flexibility is something we address directly during your consultation.

Absolutely. Many of our clients have internal project management staff. CMA frequently supplements existing teams by providing specialized expertise, dedicated oversight, or additional capacity for the highest-risk components of a program. We're designed to integrate cleanly with your existing team, not replace it.

CMA supports projects of all sizes, from focused single-contract engagements to large-scale capital programs. What matters most is whether your project carries real risk: financial, schedule, or compliance. If the stakes are high enough to warrant expert oversight, we're a fit. Schedule a free consultation and we'll give you a direct answer.

Yes. CMA offers discounted rates for qualifying nonprofit and education organizations. Contact us directly to discuss your needs and we'll provide specific pricing details.