SEP-14 Workplan
North Carolina DOT
Fixed Budget / Best Value Contracting
May 11, 2006
Contract Number: C200851
County: Onslow
T.I.P. Number: U-4439A, U4439
Federal Aid Number STPNHS-17(43)
Length of Project: 1.193 Miles
Brief Description: US-17 (Curtis Road from US-17 to "A" Street at USMC Base - New River Air Station at Jacksonville, NC.
Contract Cost: $1,700,000.00 (Fixed)
Introduction
The North Carolina Department of Transportation submits this work plan for review and approval as a fixed price best value project under the provisions of Special Experimental Project No. 14 (SEP14) for the use of innovative contracting practices. NCDOT has traditionally used the design-bid-build method for construction of highways and bridges and more recently added the Design Build method of construction for highways and bridges. In this situation, the fixed price best value method may result in a more cost-effective project. The existing US-17 and Curtis Road intersection, and Curtis Road need improvements to reduce congestion caused by the USMC Gate on Curtis Road.
Purpose
The purpose of this fixed price best value contracting method is to use a fixed amount of dollars that is attached to the project to obtain the greatest amount of s pecified work. In the 1990s, the United States Marine Corps exchanged a wetland mitigation site of 2 acres for 1.5 million dollars worth of improvements to Curtis Road. As costs have escalated, the dollars are providing for less work than was originally anticipated. Therefore, by advertising in this manner, the Department hopes to gain more value for the dollar than the traditional design-bid-build or a design build method of contracting.
Scope
This work will consist of intersection improvements and widening to include grading, drainage, paving and signals for a distance of up to 1.193 miles of US-17/Curtis Road at the New River Air Station in Jacksonville, NC. Plan preparation was done as with normal procedures.
Schedule
This project is scheduled to be let on May 16, 2006. If accepted the bid will be taken to the Board of Transportation for award on June 1, 2006. It has a date of availability of June 26, 2006 and a completion date of June 15, 2007.
Evaluation
The project will be bid as lump sum in the amount of $1,700,000.00. The bidders will bid to construct all work required by the contract on Line Y-1- along US-17, and to construct all work on Line -L- beginning at -L-Sta 10+00 and culminating at the Line-L-Station value bid in the pay item for Construct Project to Line-L-Sta Value (**+***). The bids received will be evaluated on the best value, based on the total Line-L-station length. The traditional method of award for NCDOT is based on the lowest responsible bid. The Engineer's estimate for comparison of bids received will be based on traditional estimating factors converted to a station value. For this method of construction, the Department will base the award on the highest station value bid.
Reporting
A one-page initial/final report will be submitted to FHWA after the completion of the project. The report will include an evaluation of the technique used, the industry and Department reactions and issues, and a recommendation as to whether or not to use this construction method on future projects.