Is Design-Build Right for You? - Design-Build for Water and Wastewater Projects - page 346

Lack of QA/QC
The owner might fear that there will be a lack of QA/QC throughout the design and
construction of the improvement project. Independent inspection(s) and audits can be
specified and performed for the project, and design-builders can showcase their QA/QC
plans in the RFP.
Unexpected Costs
The owner might fear that unexpected costs will be the responsibility of the owner. In
DB, the designer and contractor are chosen together and at the same time. They work
together to develop and refine the design, with constructability and cost efficiency as pri-
orities. This should minimize the disputes that occur during construction regarding the
interpretation of the design. The bottom line is that even if the disputes arise, the respon-
sibility for any unexpected costs is almost always the responsibility of the design-builder
rather than the owner.
BENEFITS OF DESIGN-BUILD PROJECT
DELIVERY APPROACH
A typical DB project will provide several benefits or advantages to an owner. These are
summarized in Table 30-1. Owners can review this list and determine if these benefits
justify whether DB is right for them and their project.
Table 3 0-1. Benefits of the DB project delivery approach
Accountability and Commitment
Total accountability for everything in the DB contract.
Single point of responsibility with one point of contact from the design-builder:
therefore, the owner does not need to contact designer and constructor
individually when dealing with construction-related issues such as design
changes, change orders, requests for information, and submittals.
Everyone is on the same team sharing the same goal to achieve a successful project
that meets and exceeds the owner's expectations. The objective is to resolve
challenges by having everyone on the team work for solutions.
The design-builder's commitment is from start to finish, with management of chaos
into orderly and manageable tasks.
Integrated teams executing efficient, innovative, and customized solutions.
Continuity as the design-builder is hired at the beginning of the project: therefore,
the project progresses efficiently through the DB delivery process.
Communications
Proactive, timely, and open communication between internal and external
stakeholders, which consist of the owner's staff, design-builder, subcontractors,
and the public.