A very large international, multi-disciplined construction firm in Europe is interested in expanding into the United States by opening an office in Boston and is considering hiring you to lead its U.S. operations. As part of the interview process, the company's Chief Operating Officer (COO) has asked you summarize a variety of business-related concerns beginning with a brief summary of the impact the construction industry has on the U.S. economy. Among the other topics s/he wants you to address are: A. The various kinds of public procurement statutes in Massachusetts. The company is particularly interested in constructing vertical projects, but is not familiar with how the Commonwealth goes about selecting contractors using the General Contractor or Construction Management At-Risk (CMAR) methodologies. In addition to explaining the general differences between these two methods, you should describe the procurement procedures for each under Massachusetts' statutory scheme. B. The need if any, to secure bonding on public building projects. What kinds of bonds are necessary and what risks are they designed to cover? The COO is likewise interested in learning what alternative forms of security the company can offer on private projects, to the extent they elect to also pursue work through private commercial developers. C. The COO understands that the U.S. construction market has adopted several industry-based contract forms, but is not certain which family of forms are best suited for private, vertical building construction projects. Identify three Professional Trade Organizations that have developed such forms. Pick one industry form and describe how its various components combine to form the parties' contract. D. The company uses Building Information Modeling (BIM) in its European operations, but is not yet certain it wants to make the investment in BIM in the U.S. Explain what factors the COO should consider when deciding whether to adopt BIM and why. Include in your answer a discussion on the purpose and components of a BIM Execution Plan. E. The COO is unfamiliar with U.S. business organizations and the differences between the various corporate structures. Compare and contrast the use of Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, C-Corporations and S-Corporations, paying particular attention to how the owners in each structure are exposed to risk from third-parties and how taxes are paid by the owners of each structure.