Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
traditional DBB and DB need to be examined and fully understood before determining
that DB is right for a project, and for the owner.
This chapter highlights the key considerations for owners that are planning a water or
wastewater infrastructure project and are considering what type of delivery approach to
use. Owners may wonder if: (1) they can navigate the process and procedures of DB; and
(2) DB project delivery can meet their needs. These topics were presented and discussed
in the previous chapters of this topic, but are collected and summarized in this chapter to
provide an overview of considerations related to DB delivery.
KEY POINTS TO CONSIDER FOR DESIGN-BUILD
PROJECT DELIVERY
Determining if DB is the right approach will require an evaluation of the scope and
complexity of the project and the owner's culture and capabilities. This begins with an
understanding of the feasibility or any legal limitations to using the DB approach. Several
aspects pertain to preparing for the project prior to selecting, or procuring, a DB team,
recognizing the differences in how the project is executed, and understanding the differ-
ent roles and responsibilities of DB delivery.
Legal Feasibility
The legal feasibility or limitation of using DB for a project should be investigated through
the owner's legal counsel or by networking with other owners or practitioners. Chapter
4 presents an update on legal feasibility in the United States. For additional information,
the Design Build Institute of America (DBIA) tracks the status of legislation and provides
updates on its webpage (
www.dbia.org
) and in its publications.
The remainder of this discussion is based on an owner having the ability to con-
duct either qualifications-based selection, which includes progressive DB, or best-value
selection.
Procuring the Design-Builder
The basis on which the design and construction entities are selected is different for DB.
Where it is legally feasible, there is a wide range of criteria that can be used to select the
team. Owners should feel comfortable with the procurement approach and should be able
to anticipate the needs and/or concerns of the bidders during the procurement process.
The RFP can be structured to allow the owner to base a decision not only on the
cost of the project but also on established criteria by the owner. The inclusion of nonprice
criteria requires that the selection process that is chosen by the owner have a clear and
objective judging methodology for the DB proposals. The more subjective factors can be
for project and construction management, quality control, and the design-builder's past
experience with environmental clearances, design, construction, permitting, operations,
multi-party project execution, community outreach, open book, and negotiated guaran-
teed maximum price. The required qualifications typically include: (1) bonding capacity;
(2) ability to provide performance and payment bonds; (3) ability to provide labor and
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