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Experiences of Federal Agencies with the Design-Build Approach to Construction (1993) / Chapter Skim
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2 Project Characteristics
Pages 6-11

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From page 6...
... More detailed information on the projects can be found in the Appendix A TYPES OF FACILITIES AND COMPLEXITY OF PROJECTS The projects reported on included a wide variety of facilities; specifically: · Seven general office buildings ranging in size from a 34,000 sq.
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From page 7...
... · One comprehensive health care center of unspecified size. Contrary to the widely held view that the design-build approach is most appropriate for relatively simple projects, only three of the projects reported on were characterized by respondents as being of low or medium-low complexity.
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From page 8...
... One respondent reported that designbuild had been used on two very large projects because the agency wanted to have them carried out by a ~developer" due to their "enormity." Among the reasons cited for use of the design-build approach on the remaining projects were the following: To "take advantage of the contractors experience in stateof-the-art building concepts; to get better coordination of the design and installation of equipment; to minimize delays and claims and to centralize responsibility for design decisions; and to test the concept. (The reason for using the des~-build approach was not indicated for one project.)
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From page 9...
... With regard to the process used to select contractors, all the respondents stated or implied that all selections were based on evaluations of contractorsubm~tted proposals;4 however, the procedures and factors used In making evaluations varied considerably. The most basic issue was whether the proposal-evaluation procedures involved one step or two steps.
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From page 10...
... As with other project characteristics, the diversity of responses on these two issues was surprisingly broad given the small sample size. DESIGN WORK PRIOR TO AWARD OF THE DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACT One msue frequently raised with regard to design-build projects Is whether an owner should have a preliminary design developed before awarding a desi~-build contract -- and if so, to what extent it should be developed -- or whether it is better to give the design-build contractor just written criteria on the desired facility.
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From page 11...
... As with most other factors examined by the committee, the practices of the agencies with regard to the amount of design work performed prior to award of a design-build contract were surprisingly diverse.
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Key Terms

  • unspecified size
  • design work
  • performed prior
  • plus specifications
  • work performed

  • save time
  • contracts reported
  • greatly reduced
  • building manufacturers
  • development drawings

  • minimize delays
  • verbal descriptions
  • widely held
  • prequalified contractors
  • price proposals

  • competition involved
  • committee estimates
  • operations headquarters
  • key personnel
  • mentioned frequently

  • complete design
  • frequently raised
  • combination mail
  • negotiated price
  • estimates based

  • building concepts
  • project involving
  • dollar amounts
  • site adapt
  • activity center


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