CII 2026 CII Fellow Grant RFP
Construction Industry Institute (CII)
2026 Request for Proposals (RFP)
CII Fellow Grant
Last Updated: 8/18/2026
Overview
The Construction Industry Institute (CII) invites early- and mid-career faculty to propose focused, one-year research projects that generate new evidence, insights, methods, frameworks, prototypes, or other tangible contributions that can improve capital project delivery. Proposals may build on CII Best Practices, pursue potentially transformative ideas, examine emerging challenges, or test new approaches relevant to the capital projects industry.
The CII Fellow program is a distinct, PI-driven research mechanism within CII's portfolio, designed to surface promising research questions, methods, and perspectives that may not arise through CII's traditional research-and-development process. The program also provides CII an opportunity to engage a broader group of academic researchers, including researchers new to CII, while remaining open to academics who have previously served as CII PIs or co-PIs.
The selected fellow will lead a one-year project and produce a substantive research contribution. CII will seek to connect the fellow with a small Member Advisory Group of interested CII members who can provide industry perspective and, where appropriate, support access to data, projects, testing environments, or other research needs. The project should leave CII with new knowledge, evidence, or actionable insight that contributes to the CII body of knowledge.
Who Can Apply
This RFP is open to tenure-track faculty at U.S. or Canadian universities in Construction Engineering and Management or adjacent fields who completed their Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree within ten (10) years of the submission deadline. Prior service as a CII PI or co-PI does not affect eligibility.
CII Focus and Research Themes
CII is a consortium of organizations in the capital projects industry. CII’s mission is to serve as a research and development platform for capital projects, creating and promoting innovative solutions that deliver superior business results through a disciplined, academic-based approach. In support of this mission, CII provides an environment where industry professionals can gain new knowledge, develop skills, and grow as leaders – empowering them to make a greater impact within their organizations and our industry. Research initiatives are at the core of this mission.
Applicant Context and Terminology: CII's membership is centered on industrial capital projects, and terminology commonly used in commercial building research may not always align with CII member practice. Applicants should frame proposals for this audience and use terminology that will be clear to CII practitioners. Applicants are encouraged to review relevant CII publications and resources before submitting. Prospective applicants who need access to CII resources for proposal development may contact CII to request complimentary access.
CII is particularly interested in proposals that advance understanding within its strategic research themes, summarized at the end of this RFP. The themes are intended to stimulate ideas rather than prescribe specific research questions or methods. Proposals outside the themes may also be considered when the applicant makes a compelling case for their significance to CII and the capital projects industry.
Across the strategic themes - and for proposals outside them - CII is particularly interested in work that does one or more of the following:
CII Best Practices: Test, validate, update, integrate, challenge, or extend existing CII practices.
Transformative Ideas: Explore novel concepts or approaches with potential for meaningful improvement in capital project delivery.
Technology-Enabled Approaches: Use emerging or established technologies to improve capital project delivery.
Practice and Implementation Insights: Generate evidence about how practices, methods, or technologies perform in real settings.
Collaboration Model
This is not a traditional CII Research Team (RT) project or a compressed version of the two-year RT model. The fellow serves as the research lead and remains responsible for the research question, methodology, analysis, and conclusions.
CII will seek to connect the fellow with a small Member Advisory Group, typically three to five CII members whose interests align with the proposed work. Members may provide industry perspective, serve as a sounding board, and, where appropriate, support access to data, projects, testing environments, or other research needs. The Member Advisory Group is not expected to manage or direct the research.
Shortlisted proposals may be shared with CII members to assess industry interest and willingness to support the specific data, access, testing, or other participation clearly described in the proposal. This member response may inform final selection, particularly when industry participation is material to successful execution.
Project Duration
Twelve (12) months, expected to run from April 2027 through April 2028, with regular touchpoints with CII staff and the Member Advisory Group. The project scope should be sized for completion within this period. No-cost extensions beyond the original fellowship period will not be granted.
Deliverables
Required outcomes:
A substantive research contribution completed within the one-year fellowship period. Exploratory work is welcome, but a literature review, state-of-the-art scan, or future research agenda alone is not sufficient.
A concise final research paper, brief, or equivalent documentation that explains the question, approach, evidence, results, limitations, and implications for CII and the capital projects industry. The format and length should fit the nature of the work rather than default to a full CII research report.
A concise briefing or presentation of the work and findings to CII, in a format agreed upon with CII, with emphasis on industry implications, implementation guidance where applicable, and implications for future CII research.
Acceptable research outputs may include, but are not limited to:
New empirical evidence that tests a clearly defined question, hypothesis, relationship, or intervention using substantive evidence relevant to capital project delivery.
Rigorous case-based evidence using one or more systematically developed cases to answer a defined research question. Proposals should describe case-selection logic, evidence sources, and the intended analytical or transferable insights; a descriptive account based primarily on a small number of informal conversations is not sufficient.
Validation or testing of an existing CII practice, framework, assumption, or emerging industry approach, including adaptation, challenge, or extension where appropriate.
A practitioner-oriented framework, assessment method, decision logic, or tool grounded in evidence.
A proof of concept or prototype that is developed and tested sufficiently to establish feasibility and potential value.
A new dataset, benchmark, metric, indicator, or analytical method that enables a relevant question to be answered in a new way.
A pilot of a concept, practice, method, technology application, or intervention that produces enough evidence to assess feasibility, value, and whether a larger CII research effort should proceed.
Other outputs appropriate to the research question, provided the applicant clearly explains why the output fits the question and what substantive contribution will exist at the end of the fellowship that does not exist today.
Dissemination products such as webinars, short videos, or practitioner communications may supplement the research output but should not substitute for the substantive contribution.
Timeline (Target Dates)
Information session with Q&A: August 31 at Noon (U.S. Central Time)
Submission deadline: October 5, 2026 (11:59 p.m. U.S. Central Time)
Shortlist and member input: November 2026 CII Board of Advisors Meeting
Selection and announcement: December 7, 2026
Project kickoff: April 2027 CII Board of Advisors Meeting
CII Annual Conference touchpoint: July 2027
Project completion: April 2028
Proposal Requirements
Proposals must use the CII proposal template and may not exceed three pages, excluding references, the budget, and the applicant’s CV.
The proposed project must be scoped for completion within the one-year fellowship period, from April 2027 through April 2028. No-cost extensions will not be granted.
The proposed Facilities and Administrative (F&A) cost rate may not exceed the lower of:
the submitting university’s federally negotiated F&A rate in effect on the proposal date; or
The University of Texas at Austin F&A rate in effect on the proposal date, currently 59.5%.
CII will not pay F&A/overhead on travel-related expenses or tuition.
Applicants must clearly identify any industry data, access, testing opportunities, company participation, or other CII member support required to execute the proposed research.
Applicants must acknowledge, through the online submission form, that they have reviewed the RFP and agree to comply with its eligibility, budget, project-duration, data-sharing, and other submission requirements.
Proposal Content
The proposal should include the following sections (all included in the template) and should clearly identify the ways in which CII and its member organizations could support the research. For instance, if a specific dataset is necessary, describe it clearly.
Cover Page
Problem Statement and Fit with CII
Research Hypothesis
Project Objective and Research Question
Project Scope
Proposed Research Approach including Industry Data, Access, and Participation
Anticipated Outcomes
Beyond the three-page limit, provide:
Budget: Provide a single-page budget summary with the estimated total budget following CII’s budget template.
Schedule and Milestones: Complete the schedule and milestones table provided in the CII proposal template, showing major research activities, decision points, interim outputs, and completion dates.
References
As a separate file, provide your curriculum vitae (CV).
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated holistically based on:
Potential contribution to capital project delivery: the potential for the proposed work to improve the delivery of capital projects, inform industry decisions, or provide a useful basis for future CII research or implementation.
Research merit: originality of the proposed question, perspective, or approach, and the rigor and appropriateness of the proposed research methodology. Applicants are encouraged to review the article Elevating CII Research – Adopting Gold Standards for Excellence when developing the research design.
Execution feasibility: likelihood that the proposed scope, methods, data access, work plan, and anticipated output can be successfully completed within the one-year fellowship period.
Industry interest: degree of demonstrated or prospective CII member interest in actively supporting the research through data, access, testing opportunities, practitioner input, or other participation material to successful execution. Member interest will be considered primarily as an indication of willingness to support execution of the proposed research, rather than as a substitute for research merit.
Data Sharing and Consent
By submitting, applicants consent to CII sharing proposals with industry members involved in review or potential project support. Applicants should not include confidential or proprietary information that cannot be shared for these purposes. Any NDA or data-use agreement needed during the fellowship will be coordinated case by case.
Funding
CII anticipates awarding one fellowship under this RFP, with a total fellowship award of $40,000 USD (inclusive of F&A fee). In addition to the fellowship award, CII will fund reasonable travel costs for up to two CII-related trips during the fellowship period, likely to include Board of Advisors meetings and/or CII Annual Conference (subject to CII travel policies and prior approval). Additional CII presentation opportunities may be offered at CII's discretion.
How to Submit
Submit the proposal package as a single PDF and the CV as a separate PDF using the online submission form:
When uploading files in the online form, use the following naming convention:
Proposal file name: CII_2026_Fellow_Proposal_[Add Your Last Name].pdf
CV file name: CII_2026_Fellow_CV_[Add Your Last Name].pdf
Questions
We will host an information session to address questions on August 31, 2026 at Noon (U.S. Central Time). Use the link below to register.
Please contact Kristi Delaney at kldelaney@cii.utexas.edu and use "CII 2026 RFP" in the subject line.
CII 2026 Themes
These themes were informed by a survey conducted in March–April 2026 in advance of the CII Spring Board of Advisors meeting. They were subsequently presented to the Board as the strategic research themes for CII’s 2026 research ideation process.
Theme 1. Digital Continuity, Data Standards & AI-driven Processes
Across industry and academia, respondents emphasize the need to move capital projects from fragmented, document-based workflows to data-centric execution models that persist across the asset lifecycle. A key priority is enabling engineering, procurement, and construction readiness data to flow consistently across organizations and projects. This foundation supports AI-driven checking of engineering deliverables during FEL2 and FEL3, reducing rework, cycle time, and constructability risk. Looking ahead, agentic project models are seen as a way to synthesize data across multiple projects—supporting portfolio-level learning, benchmarking, and scenario analysis—while digital continuity enables automation, predictability, and evidence-based decision-making from front-end planning through operations.
Related CII Research Teams
RT-403: Defining a Path for the Digital Transformation of the Capital Projects Industry
RT-415: International Data Standards Landscape and Guideline for Capital Projects Industry
RT-372 Smart Data-centric Life Cycle Approach to Collaborative Execution of Capital Projects
RT-422: The State of AI for Construction Safety
RT-430: Model-Based Deliverables Guidelines for Capital Project Delivery
Theme 2. Workforce: Demographics, Competency Transition & Knowledge Capture
Survey respondents consistently highlight workforce risk as both a capacity and capability challenge, driven by accelerating retirements, persistent craft and supervisor shortages, and changing professional roles in an AI‑enabled environment. Priority research directions include longitudinal craftworker studies, tacit knowledge capture, and supervisor pipeline development to stabilize field execution, alongside phase‑aligned career models and competency transition frameworks that enable engineers and managers to adapt as AI reshapes project work. Together, these directions focus on sustaining workforce continuity, judgment, and execution reliability across the full capital project lifecycle.
Related CII Research Teams
RT-318 Is There a Demographic Labor Cliff that Will Affect Project Performance
RT-335 Improving the U.S. Workforce Development System
RT-370: Modeling the Composition of the 2030 Workforce
RT-414: Playbook for Developing the Next Generation of Frontline Supervisors
RT-436: Pathways to Craft Workforce Success
Theme 3. Industrialization, Modularization & Catalog-Based Delivery
Survey responses consistently point to industrialization as a prerequisite for meeting cost, schedule, and workforce constraints in capital project delivery. Priority research directions include catalog‑based engineering, standardized and prefabricated modules optimized through digital twins, and a strategic shift from on‑site building to on‑site assembly, supported by selective use of 3D printing for complex elements. Underpinning all of these is the need for standardization across products, processes, and data, enabling repeatability, scalability, and predictable outcomes across projects and portfolios.
Related CII Research Projects
RT-232 Examination of the Shipbuilding Industry
RT-255 Adaptation of Shipbuilding Production Systems to Construction
UMM-01: Achieving Higher Levels of Standardized Facility Design in the Upstream, Midstream and Mining
RT-373: How Modular Chemical Process Intensification Compares with Conventional Approaches
RT-396: Business Case Analysis for Industrial Modularization
RT-421: Advanced Planning Guide for Modularization
RT-440: Cross-Industry lessons to advance capital project delivery (ongoing)
Theme 4. Predictive Planning, Project Controls & Operations Science
Survey responses consistently show that capital projects suffer from poor predictability, optimistic planning, and reactive controls. Priority research directions include AI‑driven estimating using historical data, agentic project models for scenario simulation, and expanded performance metrics beyond cost and time, complemented by the application of operations science to construction as a production system. Together, these approaches aim to replace static planning with adaptive, data‑driven execution models that improve decision quality and outcome reliability across project portfolios.
Related CII Research Projects and Resources
RT-433: Project Controls for AWP
RT-402: Guide to Advanced Project Controls
Theme 5. Construction Productivity, Field Automation & Robotics
Survey responses indicate that improving construction productivity will require targeted automation, better progress visibility, and practical adoption strategies, rather than isolated technology pilots. Priority research directions include robotics for repetitive field work, and AI‑driven progress measurement, alongside a focus on moving innovations from pilot to standard practice. Underpinning these efforts is the need for technology adoption approaches that meet the workforce where they are, ensuring automation augments—not disrupts—field execution.
Related CII Research Projects
RT-183 Design Practices to Facilitate Construction Automation
Developing Core Technology Competencies (a FIATECH Research Report)
RT-240 Leveraging Technology to Improve Construction Productivity
RT-DCC-01: How to Double Productivity
RT-332: Measuring Progress and Defining Productivity Metrics in Model-based Engineering
Theme 6. Governance, Owner Types and Delivery Models
Survey responses consistently identify governance and contracting misalignment as underlying drivers of poor project outcomes. Priority research directions include governance frameworks tailored to non-traditional owners, collaborative contracting models with aligned incentives, and binary construction readiness gates supported by standardized IWP criteria. Complementary opportunities include studying real organizational dynamics through ethnography and improving project close-out governance, enabling more disciplined execution, clearer accountability, and sustained value realization across the project lifecycle.
Related CII Research Projects
RT-102 The Partnering Process-It's Benefits, Implementation, and Measurement
RT-271 Starting from Scratch: A New Project Delivery Paradigm
RES-CPF 2015 Maximizing Success in Integrated Projects: An Owner's Guide
RT-DCC-06: Updating Project Delivery and Contract Strategies
RT-383: Integrated Project Delivery for Industrial Projects
Theme 7. The Energy Buildout: Capital Project Delivery for Surging Power Demand
Survey responses frame the current energy buildout as an industry-level delivery challenge, driven by unprecedented electricity demand growth occurring simultaneously across generation, transmission, and distribution. Unlike past cycles, respondents emphasize that this surge is broad, sustained, and cuts across most aspects of capital project delivery—exposing industry‑wide capacity limits in planning, workforce, supply chains, governance, and execution. At the same time, the data highlight growing misalignment between the pace of energy demand growth and existing capital governance models, with traditional authorization, sequencing, and reporting structures struggling to keep pace. Together, these conditions point to research opportunities focused on realigning capital governance models to support sustained, high‑velocity buildout rather than isolated project optimization.
Related CII Initiatives
Nuclear Power Capital Projects Forum
Data Center Forum