ACEC/DBIA Joint Seminar: Design-Build

On March 16, ACEC Washington, with Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), co-hosted a half-day seminar on “Design-Build: Collaborating on the Future.” The seminar was conducted by a panel consisting of: Robynne Parkinson, Law Office of Robynne Thaxton Parkinson; Larry Bradbury, Chief, Army Corps of Engineers; Dan Callan, Vice President of Tetra Tech; Doug Brinley, Principal, KPG; and Bob Galteland, President, Reid Middleton.

Robynne Parkinson began the seminar with best practices for risk allocation when firms are involved with a design-build (D-B) project. Simply put, for firms accepting more risk, firms reciprocate by converting the risk to dollars, including the added cost into contracts. Parkinson added that the DBIA was working on a position statement that endorses Qualifications Based Selection (QBS), as it offers many benefits over pricing-based selection.

Parkinson discussed the Spearin Doctrine, which can protect firms from fault when owners provide their own designs. The bridging shifts risk back onto the owner, since firms rely on the furnished design documents. In allocating risks, Parkinson recommends gathering the parties involved to discuss and divide the risks among who can manage the appropriate risks. Communication between the project partners and owners is key in collaborating to bring the project to completion.

Shifting from the design side to the owner side, Army Corps of Engineers Chief of Military Construction, Larry Bradbury, delivered the basics in getting into Federal projects. Some of the upcoming projects are upgrading military bases to accommodate the soldiers returning from overseas.

Bradbury’s presentation provided sources for federal opportunities, including FBO.gov and SUB-Net, the latter of which is the Small Business Administration’s subcontracting network. To become a Federal contractor, firms must register with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), which Bradbury outlined the process and requirements. The federal programs available for firms are easily accessible.

Dan Callan, Vice President of Tetra Tech, balanced the federal presentation with “D-B RFPs in the Federal Sector,” outlining the RFP road map. In preparing RFPs for the ever-increasing competitive world of federal contracts, Callan emphasizes that complete and accurate RFPs will put firms in the running for projects. Callan noted that not following the RFP instructions, even for a seemingly minor detail, will result in a deficient RFP and eliminate the firm from competing. RFPs are rejected for the simplest of errors and omissions, and stresses to read the RFP numerous times for exact requirements, and learn from past failed RFPs to improve chances at new projects.

After Callan, KPG’s Doug Brinley delivered a quick synopsis on “The Business of Design-Build from the Designer’s Perspective.” Brinley suggests that engineering is better suited to adapting to integrated delivery models over architecture. Architecture has moved to become the arbiter of design while engineering has taken over the majority of the experience factor.

Brinley advocates that as more owners move towards D-B, project ideas need to remain with the firm, as they are part of the competitive advantage firms have in the D-B process. The intellectual property that is leveraged during a bid process should not be used outside of that instance, which unfortunately, firms are having more and more experience with. Intellectual property is an issue when owners begin using aspects of declined bids in the project with other firms, without compensation. Forward looking, Brinley expects that there will be a shortage of skilled workers once the economy improves, and recommends now is the time build skills set and be certified.

Bob Galteland, President of Reid Middleton, concluded the seminar panel, and began with the importance of creating successful D-B teams by finding the right partners at the start of the process. In Galteland’s experience, a D-B team comprised of senior management can expedite the process more efficiently, as DB projects move much faster through the pipeline. Additionally, when requesting estimates from contractors, decrease turn-around time by providing contractor-specific information, rather than delivering a full detailed project plan.

For projects that include BIM, Galteland explained BIM-related resources are not fully developed in all firms, nor on the owner side, and will require a different mix of personnel in addition to being more expensive. Finding the right mix within the firm will be beneficial in this competitive environment to continue to lower the cost of BIM D-B projects.