RFPs: Selecting the Design-Builder - Design-Build for Water and Wastewater Projects - page 185

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RFPs: Selecting
the Design-Builder
Mark E. Alpert, PE, DBIA, CH2M Hill
INTRODUCTION
The Request for Proposals (RFP) is a document that owners develop to describe the
project that is to be built and expectations related to that project. It is issued either (1) to
design-builders that have been short-listed by prequalification via an RFQ process; or
(2) to all interested design-builders. An RFP is the most important step in the procure-
ment process for both the owner and the design-builder.
Fundamental to the success of a DB procurement is making sure the RFP document
focuses on the key project drivers, scope and technical requirements, desired outcomes,
risk allocation, and preferences of the owner. Also, the evaluation criteria and selection
process should be well defined and aligned with the owner's intentions and priorities. The
RFP should establish an environment for competition that is fair for all proposers.
The RFP document should provide interested proposers a clear understanding of the
owner's project objectives, and for water and wastewater projects, those objectives are nor-
mally a specified plant capacity and treated water quality performance. The RFP should
contain enough information to encourage the prospective design-builders to assemble
their best people for the project and allow technical innovation for the solution they offer.
The specific requirements included in the RFP will depend on the type of procure-
ment (e.g., progressive DB, BVS, etc.; also see chapter 7, WDBC 2010, and DBIA 20010a)
and the allowable procurement methods. The focus of this chapter is the development and
implementation of the RFP.
APPLICABLE PROCUREMENT LAW
Before beginning the procurement process, owners should check the state's legislative
requirements with regard to DB to ensure that the RFP conforms to laws and regulations
that apply. It should not be the design-builder's responsibility to ascertain whether DB can
be used and in what manner it can be applied.
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