Planning and Defining the Design-Build Procurement Process - Design-Build for Water and Wastewater Projects - page 100

associated with obtaining those permits and must set the project schedule to manage this
schedule risk. Owners experienced in completing DB projects work hard to identify risks
and then assign management of project risk elements to the project party most capable of
managing those risks. Successful DB projects clearly and intentionally optimize the risk-
sharing between the owner and the selected design-builder. Owners are well advised to
carefully and completely describe their DB risk management requirements in the RFP
and carefully evaluate offerers' responses to those requirements.
Contents. A well-conceived RFP for a DB project should describe all of the owner's
project technical, commercial, institutional, and legal requirements in sufficient detail
to allow respondents to prepare comprehensive proposals. The RFP should present all
project background information that proposers will need to prepare and should stimulate
innovative and competitive proposals that fully meet the owner's project objectives.
There should be sufficient detail for the terms and conditions of the DB contract that the
owner expects the successful proposer to sign. The RFP should identify the submittal
requirements for the proposal, including any required forms, certifications, affidavits, or
other formal procurement documentation requirements. The RFP should also establish
the criteria that will be used to evaluate and select proposals and explain the owner's
process and requirements for contract negotiation, approval, award, and for issuing the
notice to proceed to the successful offerer.
The RFP and the successful offerer's response (i.e., proposal) will form the basis of
the DB project contract; therefore, the RFP must be comprehensive and complete. Figure
8-2 illustrates the content of a typical DB RFP and the components that serve as the basis
of the contract.
Owners with limited experience completing large water and wastewater facilities
projects using the DB project delivery method often employ legal and technical advisors
to prepare RFP documents (DBIA 2010). These advisors, who have significant experience
in DB project procurement and development, can assist the owner with procurement
activities such as preparation of procurement documents, including the RFP, draft agree-
ment, and related performance requirements documentation.

Proposal Submission Instructions
Evaluation Criteria
Proposal Forms

RFP Instructions
“Front End”

Legal Provisions
Payment Formulas
Technical Criteria

Service Agreement
& Schedules

+

Facility Drawings
Staffing Plans
O&M Plans, Etc.

Selected Proposer -
Specific Information

=

Final Contract

Figure 8-2. Typical content of an RFP document and the final contract