Design/Build Projects for a Public Agency: Lessons Learned

Design/Build project delivery mechanisms have become increasingly popular because they offer advantages in speed of completion, efficiency, and in many cases, cost savings over conventional design/bid/build project delivery. However, there are cases where the promise of design/build has not been delivered, and accompanying painful lessons learned. There are particular difficulties in executing a design/build project for a public agency because there are strict constraints on procurement, budgeting and project tracking. This paper will explore the lessons learned during the execution of a design/build delivery of a wetlands mitigation project for the Port of Houston Authority. The project is a medium-sized undertaking (less than $2 million total cost) with an aggressive initial schedule and considerable dependence on weather conditions. The paper will outline the preparation steps that led to the decision to execute the work on a design/build basis; the selection process and contracting; the advantages that resulted from using this delivery mechanism; and a list of suggestions for future projects where this method of delivery is required.