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Survey Management Solutions (SMS) is making underground risk visible and project delivery more efficient, without the complexity.

A fractured water main. A severed cable. An unmarked pipe lurking just beneath the surface. When construction goes wrong underground, the fallout is rarely minor. At SMS, the focus is on preventing these issues before they arise. With a multi-disciplinary team and integrated delivery model, the company is helping civil contractors reduce risk, improve efficiency and stay on track in the face of increasingly complex site conditions.

“We’re a survey and locating company operating across South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland,” says Travis Gains, business unit manager at SMS. “Our focus is on supporting Tier 1 and Tier 2 civil contractors, and design consultants, from initial investigations through to the final delivery of survey data and utility models.”

Projects like the West Gate Tunnel in Melbourne and the Torrens to Darlington (T2D) upgrade in Adelaide are examples of the scale SMS supports, but the principles remain the same across the board: consistent data, fewer delays and less friction between stakeholders.

Simplifying complexity

Utility investigation and mapping have long been points of friction in construction delivery. Multiple subcontractors, slow approvals and poor coordination can create compounding delays. Where others juggle subcontractors, SMS holds the reins.

“Our structure means we can handle every aspect of the investigation in-house: surveying, utility locating, traffic control, non-destructive digging (NDD),” says Gains. “We don’t need to rely on third parties, which allows us to move faster and maintain full oversight and control.”

That integrated model eliminates the handovers that often introduce gaps, especially on large infrastructure sites. It also gives clients a single point of contact and a single invoice – no need to chase down multiple providers or reconcile competing formats.

Critically, SMS coordinates all council and authority permitting and stakeholder engagement, removing administrative load from project teams.

“Permit approvals in Victoria can take weeks,” says Gains. “Because we manage traffic ourselves, we can start that process immediately – no waiting, no uncertainty.”

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From scoping to submission

The process unfolds with precision – scoping, permits, plans, boots on ground and data back to the desk. That is followed by a desktop study, including Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) requests and review of available data.

At the same time, SMS begins the permitting process and develops any traffic management plans required for the work. Once approvals are in place, the company deploys its field team, coordinating service locators, utility surveyors, traffic controllers, NDD operators and spotters.

The data captured on site is processed in‑house and verified against DBYD records before being translated into final deliverables, including PDFs, 3D formats and GIS files. Each file is reviewed for quality and accuracy before release.

“That final check is important,” says Gains. “It ensures our deliverables reflect both the scope and on-site conditions. We don’t compromise on that.”

One contact one standard

Feedback from clients has been consistent. A single point of contact reduces confusion and saves time. Fewer moving parts mean fewer mistakes. And when issues do arise, SMS can resolve them quickly without waiting on subcontractors.

“Clients don’t want to wrangle five different providers. They just want the job done right, and done once,” says Gains. “They know they’ll get everything in the format they need, and that it will meet their requirements. We’ve also had very positive feedback from third-party auditors, particularly around the quality of our documentation.”

SMS deliverables include maps, digital files and visualisation tools tailored to project needs. According to Gains, that flexibility is critical for clients working across multiple disciplines and platforms.

“We design the outputs to work with the tools they’re already using,” he says. “That helps streamline their workflows, not just ours.”

SMS’s technical team works across a range of platforms, including 12d, AutoCAD Civil 3D and GIS-based tools. This capability allows survey data to be translated directly into design, drafting and asset models with minimal rework. It also enables smoother coordination with designers, digital engineers and client-side teams, particularly on projects requiring machine control or building information modelling integration.

Maintaining consistency at scale

The company’s in-house structure supports a rigorous approach to quality assurance. On site, audits are carried out using digital tools such as SafetyCulture, with traffic control and locating work monitored and recorded in real time.

In the office, data is reviewed by a senior team member familiar with the original scope. Any issues are flagged before deliverables are finalised, helping prevent rework or scope creep.

“Having that last internal gate before release makes a big difference,” says Gains. “It gives the client confidence that the data is accurate and complete.”

This structure also allows SMS to adapt quickly when project conditions change. Gains points to a recent job where full in-house delivery enabled measurable benefits in both timeline and cost.

“SMS recently partnered with global design consultant Arup on a Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) project in Wallan, located in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, during the project’s planning phase,” he says. “We mapped subsurface utilities across the project footprint, providing accurate data to support the design team’s confident planning of future works.”

SMS worked closely with Arup to define the project scope, coordinate tasks and implement traffic management plans in the Wallan township, situated along the Northern Highway.

Scott Hilliard and Fawad Mohammadi, senior civil engineers at Arup, collaborated with the SMS team and expressed satisfaction with the project’s execution. They provided a high rating for the works, highlighting their confidence in the accuracy of the height levels and the model. This precision enabled Arup’s effective clash detection analysis for subsequent client review and cost assessment.

Ready for what’s next

Digital tools play a growing role in how SMS operates. SafetyCulture is now embedded in daily workflows, streamlining documentation and improving visibility. New tools are also on the horizon.

“We’re always looking at new technologies that can enhance delivery or reduce risk,” says Gains.

SMS is utilising technology solutions such as augmented reality and 3D avoidance systems designed to improve spatial awareness and reduce subsurface strike risk. These systems allow field crews and machine operators to visualise mapped underground utilities in real-time using mobile devices or integrated displays. The result is better decision-making on site and fewer interruptions to critical path activities.

On the geographic front, SMS has recently expanded into Adelaide and is growing its footprint across south-east Queensland. The company isn’t pursuing further coverage for scale alone. Rather, the aim is to maintain consistency wherever the client goes.

“We want to make sure we can deliver the same quality no matter the location,” says Gains.

Staying focused on outcomes

For civil contractors juggling multiple scopes and high-risk interfaces, SMS offers something rare: a partner that reduces noise, lowers risk and delivers clear, verified data.

By combining technical depth with end-to-end delivery, the company provides tangible value where it counts – in project timelines, stakeholder coordination and service reliability.

“Our job is to take pressure off the client,” says Gains. “That means being responsive, being accountable and being thorough. It’s not about doing more; it’s about doing things properly from start to finish.”

It is a model that reflects SMS’s broader approach to construction partnerships, built on clarity, coordination and control.