FHWA Resource Center
RC Success Stories
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 9
Your Link To Successful Solutions For Today's Transportation
JUNE, 2002
ACCELERATING THE FUTURE DESIGN-BUILD IN FLORIDA
Continuity For A Uniform Guide For State Auditors
Design-build is a method of facilities project delivery in which one entity, the designœbuilder, forges a single contract with the owner to provide for architectural/ engineering design and construction services. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has become a national leader in Design/Build (D/B) and the Florida Division has been very proactive and successfully partnering with FDOT to develop a D/B process consistent with Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) draft D/B rules. FDOT is currently using D/B on the following type of projects: major bridge replacements, roadway widening and resurfacing, rest areas, ITS projects, and more. FDOT received a state funded Economic Stimulus Package for transportation projects approved by the Florida Legislature and Governor. FDOT is using the D/B process to expedite the $660+ million Economic Stimulus Package. The Department will spend $380 million on D/B projects between March and June of fiscal year 2002.
The Division office worked closely with FDOT's management on D/B, participated on D/B field reviews, and consulted with FHWA's Headquarters for guidance and clarification on D/B issues. The Florida Division is partnering with FDOT in developing State- of-the-Art documents: D/B Guidelines, D/B Construction Inspection Scopes, D/B Specifications, and warranties.
"At a time when the Florida legislature was in special session to cut over $1 billion from the current state fiscal year's budget because income projections were that far behind budgeted expenditures for the year, the legislature added nearly $700 million to the Florida DOT budget to help stimulate the economy, increase spending, and thereby increase tax revenues. A stipulation was that all contracts must be underway by June 30, 2002. Florida DOT accelerated projects from its next year's STIP (State transportation improvement plans) using the design-build methods to meet this requirement. I am proud of the way the Florida Division employees worked with FDOT personnel under SEP 14 procedures to quickly modify and improve FDOT's design-build, warrantee, contract specifications, and consultant scope of work and procurement procedures to be able to advance about 30 design-build projects- meeting Federal aid requirements and the goals of the stimulus program."
- Jim St. John, Florida Division Administrator
In addition, the Division office has worked with FDOT to develop processes for D/B firms to acquire right-of-way if needed and to develop innovative approaches to construction engineering inspection. To assess the changes, the Division office will team with FDOT to conduct Best Practice Reviews and Process Improvement Reviews on Design/Build this year.
From left to right: Greg Schiess, Pavements and Materials Engineer; Derek Fusco, District Transportation Engineer; and Donald Davis, Program Operations Engineer.
In Florida, D/B contracts are awarded from a short-listing of three D/B firms based on the lowest adjusted score, which is determined by dividing the cost and contract time by the technical score. D/B expedites projects by overlapping the design phase with the construction phase, and it places more responsibility on the D/B firm to provide a quality project. To share information FDOT has established a website with D/B information:. FDOT had their 2nd D/B Conference on May 1, 2002.
BENEFITS and RISKS
Anticipated benefits from D/B:
- Reducing the number of supplemental agreements and change orders during construction
- Eliminating supplemental agreements in consultant design contracts
- Removing liability from FDOT and placing it on the contractor, thus, eliminating claims, reducing consultant design fees and consultant inspection fees costs due to construction efficiencies, and completing the project sooner.
Unknown risks with D/B are:
- Potentially paying higher construction costs for unforeseen conditions
- Giving the D/B firm the responsibility to obtain environmental permits, coordinating utility relocation work
- The contracting industry's acceptance of D/B.
The Division office plans to continue working with FDOT to develop a State-of-the-Art Design Build Program and to evaluate the D/B process.
For more information, please contact:
Derek Fusco, Florida Division District Transportation Engineer at (850) 942-9650 ext. 3026.
TRAINING
What's New
