Capital program services · First Nations
First Nations capital program services — fixed scope, fixed price
Three fixed-scope engagements that take a capital project from readiness, to a funded submission, to steady delivery. Start with any one — each sets up the next.
Capital programs stall for the same few reasons: the scope is not defined well enough to cost, the budget will not survive scrutiny, the schedule ignores the season, or the funding path was never mapped. XNM does one thing — it gets capital projects ready, funded, and kept on track — and packages that work into three clear engagements with fixed scope and fixed prices, so a Nation knows exactly what it is getting and what it costs.
XNM acts as the Nation's program-delivery consultant and author. The Nation, its CAO, and its Council remain the decision-makers — XNM does the analysis, builds the submission, and keeps the record; the Nation decides and directs.
The three engagements
Pick your starting point
Each engagement stands on its own. Together they form a path — an independent read on a project, then the submission that gets it funded, then the coordination that keeps a whole portfolio moving.
Engagement 1
Capital Readiness Review
$9,500 fixed2–3 weeks
Before a Nation commits capital or approaches a funder, this fixed two-to-three-week review answers one question: is this project ready?
- Scope & readiness assessment — whether the project is defined well enough to cost, schedule, and fund.
- Budget reality check — an independent view of whether the current numbers are credible, with the main cost risks named.
- Schedule & sequencing view — the realistic timeline, including season and weather constraints.
- Funding-path review — which funding routes actually fit the project, and what each one requires.
- Decision-ready report — findings, a go / hold / no-go recommendation, and a prioritised action list — in a format you can put in front of Council.
Best for — A Nation weighing whether — and how — to advance a capital project, or wanting an independent second look before committing budget.
Engagement 2
Capital Program Submission Package
From $38,5006–10 weeks
The full submission a Council or funder needs to approve and fund a capital program — authored end to end, built to withstand scrutiny.
- Costed options — several delivery options priced side by side, so decision-makers choose on real numbers.
- Cost model — a line-by-line estimate with contingency, reserves, and not-to-exceed ceilings, built to be checked by a quantity surveyor.
- Master schedule — a realistic, season- and weather-adjusted delivery schedule with milestones and payment triggers.
- Funding strategy — how the program is paid for, mapped to the funding routes genuinely open to the Nation.
- Governance & controls — a draft resolution, roles and responsibilities, draw controls, and change-order rules that protect the budget.
- Executive briefing — a short decision-maker's version alongside the full submission, both in your Nation's own branding.
Best for — A Nation ready to take a housing or capital project to Council or a funder and wanting a submission that holds up under scrutiny.
Fixed fee scaled to program size and the number of costed options. An independent quantity-surveyor review is recommended before final approval and can be coordinated as an add-on.
Engagement 3
Program Controls Retainer
From $3,300 / weekOngoing · weekly
Once projects are moving, this retainer keeps one current, reliable picture of the whole capital portfolio — so nothing quietly stalls.
- Single master register — one current record of every project: status, changes, action items, and issues.
- Weekly status report — a written five-part report you can share with Council, staff, or funders.
- Weekly check-in — a standing meeting with your lead person to capture what changed and what needs a decision.
- Visible follow-through — outstanding information requests are logged and carried forward in plain sight, so stalled items surface early.
Best for — A Nation running several capital projects at once that needs a dependable weekly picture without adding staff.
Billed under a master services agreement at 15 hours per week; additional time and travel are billed on top with prior approval. A one-time set-up brings your project register fully current in the first two weeks.
Where to start
Most Nations begin with a Capital Readiness Review
A fast, low-commitment way to get an independent read on a project before committing budget. It stands on its own — and it sets up a clean, well-scoped path to a full submission and, once projects are moving, to ongoing coordination.
Discuss a specific project
Tell us where the project stands and we'll tell you which engagement fits — Alexander Muller, Principal Consultant, XNM Consulting Inc.