Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
EVALUATING DESIGN-BUILD RELATIVE
TO OWNER OBJECTIVES
Most utility owners have a capital projects program that is updated annually. Each project,
or group of projects, within that program is planned to meet specific objectives. Ideally,
initial project planning should include a preliminary analysis to identify the most appli-
cable project delivery method to meet the owner's objectives (see also chapter 8).
Examples of owner objectives that may be applicable to a capital project are listed
below:
• Meet market or public demand
• Increase the reliability and operating efficiency of WTP or WWTP
• Increase existing plant capacity, while meeting federal and state requirements
• Reduce plant maintenance cost
• Reduce annual operating cost
• Increase small and minority business participation by 10 percent over the next 5
years
• Reduce project claims and disputes
• Improve project safety performance
• Reduce cost and schedule growth on capital projects
• Improve owner relations and reputation with surrounding communities
Design-build delivery can help to meet the objectives in the preceding list. For exam-
ple, DB projects have proven to be very effective in saving time within a project's schedule
and reducing cost growth. Projects that are schedule driven and/or those with budget
constraints may be good candidates for DB to meet objectives such as meeting early mar-
ket demands and reducing risk of budget overrun.
EVALUATING DESIGN-BUILD RELATIVE
TO THE PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS
Projects of many types, sizes, and complexities have been successfully delivered using
DB. This is evidenced by a Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) survey (DBIA
2011) of more than 280 water-related DB projects performed between 1990 and 2008.
The total value of all surveyed projects was more than $6 billion, with the value for indi-
vidual projects ranging from $500,000 to $300 million. Project types were diverse. They
included reservoir improvements, residuals projects, outfalls, treatment upgrades, plant
and collection/distribution system upgrades and expansions, energy efficiency improve-
ments, and new, or greenfield, WTPs and WWTPs. Several projects included expanded
services such as finance, operations and maintenance, and ownership with merchant-
plant contracts. Fifty percent of these projects were more than $10 million. These data
indicate that the successful use of DB is not restricted to certain types or sizes of projects.
Evaluating a project for its suitability to be delivered by DB should include a review
of the characteristics of Table 5-1.
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