CMAR Procurement in US Public Projects: Qualifications-Driven Processes and Criteria
Publication: Construction Research Congress 2022
ABSTRACT
Construction manager at risk (CMAR) emerged as an alternative project delivery method for efficient delivery of construction projects. In CMAR, the design is not completed when the contractor is selected; therefore, a price-focused contractor selection based on the lowest bid is often not appropriate. Instead, qualifications-driven processes are used. The objective of this paper is to identify the current practices of multi-stepped qualifications-based selection (QBS) processes while also uncovering the major qualification criteria used for CMAR projects. A total of 33 CMAR requests for qualifications (RFQs) and request for proposals (RFPs) were collected from 30 states. Patterns were discovered in the selection processes along with qualification criteria, prioritizing firm experience, key personnel, past performance, and the contractor’s approach to the project, which all rose to the top of the criteria list for CMAR projects. This research supports project owners developing RFQs and RFPs by informing a successful CMAR selection process.
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