I'll try to make a long story short. I think this is of interest. I'm a procurement manager for a construction company which builds underground bunkers for high net worth clients. This past week, a caravan of large luxury SUV's pull up to the job site unannounced and completely unexpected as this site is a private location job site and you can understand that secrecy to its location is top priority. Even clients do not have knowledge to the exact location until AFTER completion and a series of steps are reached.

In any event, I later discover the caravan is carrying a group of various "executives," from all sorts of big companies, from rival US banks to home construction companies to insurance companies. Ok, no biggie as we all have heard big names tossed about of clients and well, only high net worth individuals can afford the bunkers anyways (For example, one big wig at a health insurance company is paying $120 million for his exclusive luxury bunker. His library desk alone is a custom made piece inlaid with gold, and gems. It's been confirmed that it cost $300,000 and there is more on the way!)

Anyways, they stay for a few hours and quietly get driven off to wherever they call home or office.

The following day, a company wide conference call is ordered and the topic is completion dates. Now, all the contracts state we have until April 30th to complete this key project and the bosses have been very easy on us... until this call! NOW we are being told to have everything completed before January 20th! We're talking a full 3 months early!

First of all, there is almost no way we can accomplish this. Our suppliers can't even provide the materials we need in time let alone the manpower to install them. We're being told to do whatever it takes to get this done including custom manufacturing. They are willing to pay double time rates for anything over 40 hours per week and large 15% bonuses for those who work through the holiday season. This is unprecedented for this very conservatively run company.

Secondly, why the big rush? I can understand a two week push but pushing three months early completion out of a schedule already delayed by Hurricane Sandy is next to impossible. We have big projects all over the country and apparently they are in the same boat and nowhere near completing this by the 20th of Jan.

Thirdly, why were these clients allowed to see the project's location before completion? What has changed?

Fourthly, as December 21st obviously has no bearing on this project and has never been mentioned by anyone here, I can't see anything out of the ordinary that would make this such a top priority.

I personally don't believe in any of that end of the world stuff so its ironic that I work for this company but it's great money and I'll take it while it lasts! Enjoy!