Contractor Alternate Design Serving the Public’s Best Interest

Development / Building Phases Project Planning

Development / Building Phases Project Planning Prioritizing / Programming Project Planning Prioritizing / Programming

Development / Building Phases Project Planning Prioritizing / Programming Preliminary Design –Needs Analysis Engineering Scope Activity Environmental Scope Activity Environmental Class of Action Identification –Preliminary Alternatives Development –Detailed Alternative Review –Environmental Impact –Engineering Evaluation Project Planning Prioritizing / Programming Preliminary Design –Needs Analysis Engineering Scope Activity Environmental Scope Activity Environmental Class of Action Identification –Preliminary Alternatives Development –Detailed Alternative Review –Environmental Impact –Engineering Evaluation

Development / Building Phases Project Planning Prioritizing / Programming Preliminary Design Pre-Final Design –Right of Way Acquisition –Utility Relocation Project Planning Prioritizing / Programming Preliminary Design Pre-Final Design –Right of Way Acquisition –Utility Relocation

Development / Building Phases Project Planning Prioritizing / Programming Preliminary Design Pre-Final Design Final Design –TS&L Study –Contracted Design Single Option Multiple Options Project Planning Prioritizing / Programming Preliminary Design Pre-Final Design Final Design –TS&L Study –Contracted Design Single Option Multiple Options

Development / Building Phases Project Planning Prioritizing / Programming Preliminary Design Pre-Final Design Final Design Contracting –Contractor Alternate Design –Shop Drawing Reviews –QA Inspections Project Planning Prioritizing / Programming Preliminary Design Pre-Final Design Final Design Contracting –Contractor Alternate Design –Shop Drawing Reviews –QA Inspections

Development / Building Phases Project Planning Prioritizing / Programming Preliminary Design Pre-Final Design Final Design Contracting Open Structure to Public Use Project Planning Prioritizing / Programming Preliminary Design Pre-Final Design Final Design Contracting Open Structure to Public Use

Why Contractor Alternate Design It is simply not practical to pursue all design options to their conclusion The optimum solution may have been overlooked It creates a desirable environment where people with specific skills, equipment and facilities, are assembled to offer solutions to the owner. It is simply not practical to pursue all design options to their conclusion The optimum solution may have been overlooked It creates a desirable environment where people with specific skills, equipment and facilities, are assembled to offer solutions to the owner.

Definition A contractor bidding a design, essentially meeting the requirements as defined by the owner’s TS&L study, based on the owner’s standards, prepared by the contractor’s team, including a contractor selected design engineer.

Essential Requirements Having the same: –Load carrying capacity –Number and size of traffic lanes, shoulders, curbs, sidewalks, etc. Meeting the requirements for: –Vertical and horizontal clearances –Roadway geometry requirements –Clearance to underlying roads, utilities, railroads, streams, structures, or wetlands –Other project specific considerations that might be discovered during exploratory drilling Having the same: –Load carrying capacity –Number and size of traffic lanes, shoulders, curbs, sidewalks, etc. Meeting the requirements for: –Vertical and horizontal clearances –Roadway geometry requirements –Clearance to underlying roads, utilities, railroads, streams, structures, or wetlands –Other project specific considerations that might be discovered during exploratory drilling

Benefits for the Owner Lowers bids without a reduction in quality Improves customer service by reducing construction time Prevents “crippled” designs from being executed Lowers bids without a reduction in quality Improves customer service by reducing construction time Prevents “crippled” designs from being executed

Benefits for the Owner (2) Taps industry design methodology and technology Considers changes in capabilities and technology Fits the best team approach and the best all the participants have to offer Rewards contractor’s agility and ability to solve problems Takes advantage of the latest materials available Taps industry design methodology and technology Considers changes in capabilities and technology Fits the best team approach and the best all the participants have to offer Rewards contractor’s agility and ability to solve problems Takes advantage of the latest materials available

Benefits for the Contractor Creates a basis for competition on the basis of the best solution rather than the cheapest price Rewards innovation, agility, and originality Rewards ability to match conforming solutions with the problem at hand Fosters a sense of partnering with owners and his suppliers Creates a basis for competition on the basis of the best solution rather than the cheapest price Rewards innovation, agility, and originality Rewards ability to match conforming solutions with the problem at hand Fosters a sense of partnering with owners and his suppliers

Benefits for the Contractor (2) Considers workload, efficiency and best fit in fabricating plants and at suppliers Considers latest improvements in safety procedures Moves competition further back in supply channel Considers availability of suitable equipment Accommodates contractor’s best construction operations Considers workload, efficiency and best fit in fabricating plants and at suppliers Considers latest improvements in safety procedures Moves competition further back in supply channel Considers availability of suitable equipment Accommodates contractor’s best construction operations

How it Works The Owner –Provides common design criteria –Establishes policy that lowest bid will take contract –Allows Contractor Alternate Designs –Provides rules for Contractor Alternate Designs –Provides development information for use by bidders The Owner –Provides common design criteria –Establishes policy that lowest bid will take contract –Allows Contractor Alternate Designs –Provides rules for Contractor Alternate Designs –Provides development information for use by bidders

How it Works The Contractor –If his Contractor Alternate Design bid is successful Submits conceptual plans and schedule of proposed design for approval The Owner –Reviews for essential functional equivalency, based on specifications and approves or rejects The Contractor –Prepares final plans –Provides design calculations –Establishes a required items schedule The Contractor –If his Contractor Alternate Design bid is successful Submits conceptual plans and schedule of proposed design for approval The Owner –Reviews for essential functional equivalency, based on specifications and approves or rejects The Contractor –Prepares final plans –Provides design calculations –Establishes a required items schedule

Rules to Make it Work Anything additional falls on the shoulders of the contractor Delays in submission or approvals are at the contractor’s risk A Registered Professional Engineer, familiar with standards and criteria must prepare the design – the owner reserves the right to approve or reject the designer Contractor may have to pay a review fee Anything additional falls on the shoulders of the contractor Delays in submission or approvals are at the contractor’s risk A Registered Professional Engineer, familiar with standards and criteria must prepare the design – the owner reserves the right to approve or reject the designer Contractor may have to pay a review fee

Rules to Make it Work (2) If the Contractor Alternate Design solution fails to meet the owner specified design criteria and is rejected for that reason, the contractor is required to build the as-designed version for the amount bid

Why Not the Best Design in the First Place? Standards and specifications are at best a compromise between the minimums acceptable while allowing for sufficient competition As-designed solutions are aimed at the lowest common denominator Significant new methods can become available between design and bidding Designers tend to think there is only one solution “Necessity is the Mother of Invention” Standards and specifications are at best a compromise between the minimums acceptable while allowing for sufficient competition As-designed solutions are aimed at the lowest common denominator Significant new methods can become available between design and bidding Designers tend to think there is only one solution “Necessity is the Mother of Invention”

Why not Value Engineering After the Bid? A contractors competitive creativity peaks at bid time when the team to support the project is assembled After the bid the contractor is in a “build it as you see it” mode unless there is a major blunder Can the contractor keep the job stay in limbo for the time needed to negotiate the division of savings, get approvals, and reviews for the proposal ??? A contractors competitive creativity peaks at bid time when the team to support the project is assembled After the bid the contractor is in a “build it as you see it” mode unless there is a major blunder Can the contractor keep the job stay in limbo for the time needed to negotiate the division of savings, get approvals, and reviews for the proposal ???

Public Policy Chapter 2 of the PENNDOT Design Manual states: “Unless approved by the Chief Bridge Engineer, alternate designs by contractors are permitted in all cases. Justification must be provided whenever alternate designs are not allowed.” Chapter 2 of the PENNDOT Design Manual states: “Unless approved by the Chief Bridge Engineer, alternate designs by contractors are permitted in all cases. Justification must be provided whenever alternate designs are not allowed.”

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