Frequently Asked Questions

Below are answers to the most common questions about our services, platforms, processes, and client support. If you don't find what you're looking for, please reach out through our official channels.

About Us & Our Value

Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management Approach

Services & Capabilities

Fees & Contracting

Digital Tools & Client Access

Data & Compliance

What is an Environmental PMO and what services do you offer?

UMWELTOS is a specialized consulting company that provides professional project management, technical consulting, and stakeholder coordination for projects in the environmental sector. We work across water, waste, and energy domains, offering services such as project planning, construction management, regulatory compliance, permitting support, risk assessments, environmental impact coordination, stakeholder engagement, and digital solutions.

Why work with you?

We act as your strategic partner, guiding environmental infrastructure projects from idea to reality. Whether it’s a water treatment plant, a waste-to-energy facility, or a solar park, our PMO manages the entire process on your behalf. We structure feasibility studies, design procurement strategies, and run transparent contracting processes to select the best-qualified contractors and suppliers for each phase. Once underway, we oversee budgets, timelines, and quality control, ensuring compliance with Mexican regulations and international standards. The result of this is that projects are delivered on time, within budget, and with the long-term performance investors and stakeholders can trust.

What you don't do as a PMO?

We are not a construction company Our role is to manage and coordinate contractors, engineers and suppliers, not to build or own infrastructure ourselves. We also do not provide equipment, trucks, pumps or machinery.

We don’t promote a single supplier or contractor We design and oversee transparent procurement processes to ensure the most qualified and cost-effective team is selected for each project or work package.

We are not a public regulator We don’t set tariffs, allocate water rights, or define energy prices. Those responsibilities belong to regulators such as CONAGUA, CRE, and SEMARNAT. Our role is to ensure your projects comply with these regulatory frameworks.

If you are not a construction company, where is your value?

We make sure it gets built right! Our value lies in independence and expertise. Because we don’t build or sell equipment, we act as a neutral and strategic partner focused entirely on protecting your investment. We design fair procurement processes, select the best contractors, and manage them with strict oversight on cost, schedule, quality, and compliance. This means you get projects delivered on time, within budget, and built to last — without conflicts of interest. In short, we make sure your investment translates into real, reliable infrastructure.

Many contractors or engineers say they can manage a project. Why should we contract you?

It’s common for independent engineers or contractors to claim they can manage an entire project. While many are highly skilled in their trade, they usually excel in one or a few domains—for example, civil works or mechanical installations. However, managing a project goes far beyond technical execution. It requires coordinating multiple disciplines, stakeholders, schedules, risks, budgets, regulatory requirements, and contracts.

We specialize in environmental project management across all work packages, ensuring that each decision made in one area is compatible with the others. Our role is not to build—but to ensure that everything is built right, on time, and according to your budget and goals. We bring a neutral, client-aligned perspective, and our only interest is the successful delivery of your project. That’s the difference between hiring a contractor who builds, and hiring a PM team that protects your investment.

Why should we hire you if the construction company has its own Project Manager?

Because the construction company’s PM works in the interest of their firm—not yours. Our Environmental PMO represents your priorities, not the contractor’s. We supervise timelines, budgets, and quality from your perspective, provide independent verification, and ensure that contractual obligations are met. We help avoid conflicts of interest and reduce risks by acting as your trusted oversight partner, ensuring transparency, accountability, and technical rigor throughout the project lifecycle.

Isn't it cheaper and better to hire my own Project Manager?

At first glance, hiring your own project manager may seem more economical and straightforward. However, this approach often overlooks the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of most projects. A single project manager, no matter how capable, typically cannot cover all necessary areas such as engineering coordination, procurement, regulatory compliance, stakeholder engagement, and financial oversight. This creates a vulnerability in execution and can lead to gaps in planning, quality assurance, or risk management that only become evident once problems arise.

In contrast, a Project Management Office (PMO) brings an entire system of structured processes, tools, and specialized professionals. Unlike a standalone manager, a PMO operates with integrated methodologies, legal and technical frameworks, quality controls, and scalable teams. It offers continuity even if personnel change, avoids internal conflicts of interest, and eliminates hidden costs often associated with hiring additional consultants or support roles to back a single PM. A PMO’s third-party perspective ensures that the project is guided by results and accountability rather than internal pressures.

Moreover, a PMO provides flexibility that internal hires cannot match. Services can be scaled up or down depending on the phase of the project, ensuring that you only pay for what you need, when you need it. You’re not locked into fixed salaries during idle periods, nor are you left scrambling for capacity when demand increases. Ultimately, a PMO is designed to protect your investment, deliver predictable results, and bring a level of oversight and discipline that goes far beyond what any one person can offer.

Why should I contract you if I can do this with my current employees?

While your current employees may be highly capable within their roles, managing complex or large-scale projects often demands a distinct set of skills, dedicated time, and a structured approach that internal teams cannot provide without compromising their primary responsibilities. Project management is not just about coordination—it involves risk mitigation, regulatory alignment, budget control, stakeholder communication, procurement strategy, and long-term planning. Expecting your team to carry these responsibilities on top of their existing workload can lead to burnout, missed deadlines, and costly errors.

By contracting our Project Management Office (PMO), you're not just hiring extra hands—you’re bringing in a dedicated system with proven methods, multidisciplinary specialists, and neutral oversight that ensures objectivity and transparency. We act as an external ally focused solely on delivering results, with no internal biases or departmental blind spots. Our approach increases accountability, improves decision-making, and ensures consistent quality across all project stages.

We provide operational flexibility and scalability. Whether you need end-to-end project leadership, support during critical phases, or temporary intensification of effort, we adapt to your needs without the long-term commitments of expanding your workforce. This allows your employees to stay focused on what they do best, while we ensure your project is delivered on time, on budget, and with reduced risk.

How can benefit from your services?

Our services are tailored for both public and private organizations engaged in environmental infrastructure or compliance-driven initiatives. This includes engineering firms, water utilities, municipalities, developers, industrial operators, NGOs, and international cooperation agencies. By partnering with us, you gain a dedicated team that streamlines project delivery, ensures regulatory compliance, optimizes resources, and reduces risks—helping you achieve environmental and operational goals more efficiently.

How do you manage projects?

We apply internationally recognized project management frameworks (such as PMBOK and PRINCE2), tailored to the specific regulatory and operational contexts of environmental projects. We work collaboratively with stakeholders and ensure full visibility through digital platforms like OpenProject, which allows for real-time progress tracking, task assignment, and documentation sharing.

What are your typical project phases?

Most engagements follow five key phases: project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure. In each phase, we provide tailored deliverables—from baseline studies and risk matrices to regulatory checklists, implementation schedules, and final evaluation reports.

How do you respond to mistakes?

In every project, the human factor is always present—mistakes or unexpected outcomes can happen, even with the best planning and execution. While we strive to be as precise, thorough, and accountable as possible, we also recognize that part of responsible project management is being prepared to respond when something goes wrong.

We carry a professional liability (engineering) insurance policy that covers potential errors or omissions in our decisions. Additionally, we usually require that each contractor involved in the project provide their own insurance coverage, appropriate to the scope of their work. What sets us apart is that we don’t avoid responsibility—we face it, manage it, and resolve it transparently, always putting the client’s interests first.

For each work package, do you have specific contractors you work with?

No. While we may recommend contractors who have delivered high-quality results in previous projects, we do not maintain exclusive agreements with any specific firm. For every new project, we carry out a transparent and competitive tender process to identify and select the most suitable contractor based on the project's specific requirements. This approach ensures objectivity, cost-effectiveness, and the best possible outcome for our clients.

Do you offer support with environmental permits and compliance?

Yes. We assist with identifying applicable regulations, preparing environmental documentation (e.g., MIA, risk studies, technical annexes), coordinating with environmental authorities, and following up on permit issuance and compliance obligations.

Can the PMO help with stakeholder engagement or social participation?

Absolutely. We offer specialized services for stakeholder mapping, public consultations, conflict mediation, community perception studies, and co-creation workshops. These services help ensure that projects are inclusive, socially accepted, and aligned with both regulatory and community expectations.

Do you provide operation and maintenance services?

Yes. We offer Operations & Maintenance as a Service (O&MaaS). This means our PMO not only manages your project during planning and execution, but can also take responsibility for the day-to-day operation, coordination of technical maintenance, and routine operational activities, either with our own team or through trusted and pre-qualified third-party providers.

This model allows you, as a stakeholder or asset owner, to focus on your organization’s strategic or productive goals, while we handle: daily operation activities and performance oversight, coordination of crews, suppliers, and contractors, regulatory and compliance requirements for operations and maintenance, protocols for startup, shutdown, preventive and corrective maintenance, technical and financial performance reporting, spare parts management, inventory control, and maintenance logs. We can also implement key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess operational efficiency, support audits, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the asset.

This service can be contracted as a standalone offer or as an additional phase following project close-out.

How are fees structured?

We offer flexible pricing models depending on the type, scope, and duration of the project. In general, our services can be charged in one of the following ways:

Fixed Fee per Phase or Deliverable We define clear milestones or deliverables within the project—such as feasibility studies, tender packages, technical specifications, or supervision of a specific construction stage—and assign a fixed cost to each. Ideal for projects with a clearly defined scope and timeline, clients who want cost predictability and measurable progress, and regulatory or compliance-driven deliverables (e.g., permits, environmental assessments).

Monthly Retainer This is a flat monthly fee that gives the client full access to our PMO services during the duration of the project. It allows for continuous planning, coordination, reporting, stakeholder engagement, and site monitoring. Works best for ongoing or multi-phase projects, clients who want us embedded in their operation, and projects requiring regular meetings, document control, and decision-making support.

Percentage of Total Project Cost We charge a percentage of the total direct project cost. This model aligns our incentives with the overall performance of the project. Recommended for turnkey or design-build projects, clients seeking full-scope project oversight from planning to delivery, projects where risk management, coordination, and quality assurance are critical.

Hourly Rate We apply this model for short-term or specialized engagements where work scope is variable or evolving, and where flexibility is needed. A strong fit for on-demand consulting, technical reviews or independent project audits, early-stage strategic planning or troubleshooting.

Each proposal includes a clear breakdown of services, deliverables, and responsibilities so that you know exactly what you're paying for. Our goal is to provide transparent, accountable management that adds measurable value to your project—not overhead.

Do you earn money from the chosen contractors by adding a percentage to their proposals?

No. We do not receive any commission, kickback, or hidden fee from contractors, nor do we add any percentage to their quotes. Our fees are fully transparent, clearly defined at the start of the project, and charged directly to you, the client. We operate under a strict anti-bribery and corruption policy. Additionally, we have internal whistleblower mechanisms in place to detect and respond to any irregularities or unethical practices that may arise during contractor selection or execution.

How can I request a service or start a project?

You can initiate a service request by contacting us through our website, submitting a project brief, or reaching out to your regional representative. A Project Manager will follow up to define your needs and prepare a tailored proposal.

How do we know if what you are charging is high or average?

We provide transparent, itemized proposals that break down all costs by phase, deliverable, or service. Our pricing is benchmarked against industry standards and adapted to the complexity, risks, and regulatory requirements of each project. This allows you to compare our offer with market rates while understanding the value, expertise, and risk management you gain by working with us.

Is it an extra cost to hire a PMO?

Hiring a PMO belongs to proper project development. Thus it’s a strategic investment. While there is a fee associated with our services, the return on investment (ROI) is typically substantial. Our role is to prevent costly delays, reduce risks, optimize procurement, and ensure regulatory compliance. These factors directly impact the financial and operational success of your project.

Clients who work with us often report faster project delivery due to structured planning and oversight, lower total costs through competitive bidding and contractor accountability, improved quality and durability of infrastructure, reduced legal and regulatory risks and operational continuity even during staff changes or transitions.

How do you measure ROI from your PMO services?

We measure ROI by comparing the total project value delivered against the cost of our services—factoring in avoided delays, reduced risks, improved contractor performance, and long-term asset reliability.

Here’s how ROI typically shows up in our projects: cost savings from competitive bidding and transparent procurement, time savings through proactive planning and issue resolution, regulatory compliance that avoids fines or shutdowns, improved asset performance that reduces maintenance costs over time and also, stakeholder alignment that prevents costly conflicts or redesigns.

What digital tools do clients have access to?

Clients and project stakeholders receive secure access to two main platforms: OpenProject: for project planning, milestones, team communication, and document uploads. Tresorit: for encrypted file storage, transfer, and access control. These tools ensure transparency, data integrity, and collaboration throughout the project lifecycle.

What if I have technical issues accessing the platforms?

If you experience problems logging into OpenProject or Tresorit, please contact your assigned Project Manager immediately. You may also refer to the instructions provided in the Secure Access section of our website. All access issues are handled promptly by our technical support team.

How do you handle sensitive or confidential data?

All client information is treated with strict confidentiality. We use encrypted storage and communication platforms, such as Tresorit, and comply with international data protection standards including the GDPR. Only authorized personnel have access to project documents, and our team members are bound by non-disclosure agreements.

Where can I find your terms and data protection policies?

You can read our General Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy directly on our website. These documents outline your rights, our obligations, and the measures we take to ensure data protection, legal compliance, and confidentiality.