DESIGN ASSISTTom Garske, Whiting-Turner Contracting Company

Ed Keener, Korda Engineering

Jeff Ortman, HAWA Inc.

Jennifer Horvath, DesignGroup

Kurt Smith, Turner Construction Company

Monica Wangler, NBBJ

Randy Sleeper, Bruner Corporation

Stephen Metz, SMBH, Inc.

DESIGN ASSIST ESTABLISHES DIALOGUE BETWEEN ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS AND SUBCONTRACTORS EARLIER IN THE DESIGN PROCESS. IT IMPROVES COMMUNICATION, CLARIFIES QUESTIONS, AND REDUCES CHANGE ORDERS.

INTRODUCTIONWhen it comes to complex building programs, the team members that deliver design, engineering and construction bring very different perspectives. Design is all about possibilities. Engineering is about rooting those ideas in reality. And construction is about getting it done.

So it is no wonder that when a building moves from design to engineering to construction, there are common, inherent challenges and inefficiencies. Change orders create delays and add cost. Accountability and ownership can be ambiguous. Key details can be lost in translation. Each discipline shares the same goal: creating a successful building.

Design assist (DA) is a procurement method by which, prior to the completion of design, one or more subcontractors are retained to assist the architect, engineer or construction

There is real value to bringing subcontractors into the design process earlier. Here are the benefits and how to make it happen.

DESIGN ASSIST

manager (CM) in the development of the design and construction documents. If this seems like a fairly obvious solution, think again. Bringing together many different disciplines so early in the process is a bold move, a deviation from the way things have always been done, says Jennifer Horvath, DesignGroup.

This article provides an overview of the design assist process. It starts with a summary of the benefits of early, interdisciplinary collaboration, then provides a step-by-step look at how design assist works. It includes examples from actual projects that have adopted and benefited from DA principles. And it recommends ways to learn more about design assist and put it into practice.

In some ways, this article is a working demonstration of design assist principles. It was written collaboratively by different members of the Ohio Construction Transformation Consortium (Ohio CTC), a professional association of architects, engineers, contractors, and construction managers.

Bringing together many different disciplines so early in the process is a bold move, a deviation from the way things have always been done.

Jennifer Horvath, DesignGroup

DESIGN ASSIST: WHAT IT ISIn traditional design-bid-build projects, the design team works independently to design the various systems with preliminary cost estimates prepared at design milestones. The project owner may engage a CM for preconstruction services that provide insight into the overall cost, sequencing, and constructability. When the design is completed, the construction documents are published and turned over to subcontractors for bidding. Subcontracts are awarded and then the process of coordination, shop drawings, and procurement begins. As discrepancies arise, the design team is called upon to answer a request for information (RFI) or modify the construction documents. This is a frequent cause of delays, change orders, and added cost. This process has been used by the construction industry for decades. Unfortunately, it fails to fully capitalize on the strengths of all parties and often creates adversarial relationships between the design and construction entities.

The DA process changes this dynamic. With DA, the project team determines how each party can best contribute at each stage and when transitions

should occur to maximize efficiency. DA subcontractors typically do not assume design liability; they assist the architect and engineers of record with input as the design develops. They do, however, understand and embrace the project goals and priorities and assume some ownership of the design. In most cases, this results in a reduction in coordination-based RFIs and change orders.

HOW IT HELPS Design assist can be implemented on nearly any construction project regardless of type or size. The benefits of this early involvement include improvements in design efficiency, better-managed cost, speed to market, and constructability. It is best leveraged when early engagement of certain subcontractors is most beneficial for the project.

Design EfficiencyInvolvement of DA subcontractors earlier in the design process reduces redundancy inherent in the traditional design-bid-build process and helps the subcontractor detect and resolve constructability issues prior to construction. The result is a reduction in design-related RFIs during construction

- when the potential for budget and schedule implications are the greatest. In addition, design assist creates a collaborative environment for the design and construction team to work toward a common goal of producing the best building for the owner. Communication is improved throughout the project by ensuring that all members of the design and construction team fully understand the goals and priorities of the project.

When goals and priorities are established early in the design phase of the project well ahead of when subcontractors would be engaged using traditional delivery methods the frequency and severity of disputes is often reduced or resolved more easily because of the relationships formed through the design assist process.

Pricing AccuracyCollaboration with DA subcontractors earlier in the process provides the project team with more accurate market pricing earlier in the design process when the cost of changes is less than during construction. DA subcontractors provide feedback to the team on materials with greater price volatility so the project team can lock in pricing and make decisions faster.

What is the result of this collaboration? Project owners can have more confidence in estimated costs, says Kurt Smith, Turner Construction Company. Real-time cost feedback occurs throughout design and construction phases.

Speed to MarketIncluding DA subcontractors in the design phase also allows construction coordination to begin during design and simplifies the process of early equipment purchasing, which is often required to accommodate an accelerated schedule. By involving them earlier than traditional delivery methods, increased collaboration of the design assist team can speed

up the schedule. It ensures a level of understanding of the established project goals and priorities. This minimizes overall construction time by pre-establishing the project team relationships prior to the start of construction, by reducing the time for the construction team to get up to speed, and by minimizing the time delays associated with RFIs.

ConstructabilityIncorporating DA subcontractors into the team allows project constructability and phasing challenges to be better defined during the design process and incorporated into the construction documentation. The team can identify and consider more efficient construction methods such as prefabrication, which improves quality of the completed project and results in a more efficient and economical construction project.

HOW IT WORKS There are four basic steps for establishing an effective design assist process:

1. Selection: Build a design assist subcontractor team 2. Execution: Establish a plan for collaboration3. Transition: Transition responsibility of the model4. Design Responsibility: Sealing the documents

Here is a closer look at each.

1. SelectionWhen the owner and project team decide the project will benefit from

design assist for select trades, the procurement process can move forward. Careful planning and execution of the procurement process is critical to a projects success using design assist, and for ensuring that all team members are brought into the approach and satisfied with the outcomes.

DA Subcontractor Trades Building trades associated with DA typically represent significant cost drivers, greatest areas of risk, and most complex and critical aspects of the design.

The most common design assist subcontractors include: HVAC

Electrical

Technology

Fire protection

Large sitework packages

Structural concrete (concrete framed

buildings)

Precast concrete

Structural steel

Plumbing and medical/laboratory gas

Miscellaneous and ornamental metals

Roofing and metal panels (for more

complex designs)

Curtainwall

Large drywall packages (including

load bearing metal framing systems)

Large finish carpentry or healthcare /

lab casework packages

Furniture systems

Selecting DA SubcontractorsIn most cases, project teams elect an expedited process where a Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued to firms pre-qualified by the CM or Design-Builder, owner and design team. The

Project owners can have more confidence in estimated costs. Real-time cost feedback occurs throughout design and construction phases.

Kurt Smith, Turner Construction

Company

firms are then short-listed based on the RFP responses, and the short-listed firms are interviewed. The DA subcontractor selection could also follow a two-step process: Request for Qualifications (RFQ), short-listing the most qualified firms, then a Request for Proposal (RFP) and interview process.

DA subcontractor selection should be value-based, and selection criteria typically includes qualifications, experience, past performance, fees, and a preliminary estimate.

Start EarlyWhile selection of the design assist subcontractors should occur early in the design and preconstruction phase of the project, the optimal timing for each project may vary based on trade, the preference of the owner and project team, and complexity of the project. Many successful design assist projects select subcontractors between the end of schematic design (SD) to the end of the design development (DD) documents.

Selection should take place before the design reaches a level of completion at which significant changes to incorporate the subcontractors input would delay the projects schedule, increase the project budget and/or cause significant re-work. Projects with a phased or fast-track design schedule may require additional considerations for the timing of when to procure

subcontractor services. For example, if an office building project is being designed and built in two phases core/shell and interior fit-out the interior design will likely lag months behind the design of the core/shell. In this case, it would not make sense to bring on design assist subcontractors for interior trades until the interior design has started and sufficiently progressed to provide an initial basis of design.

The most common form of contract used in a DA scenario is Cost Plus, typically with the inclusion of a Guaranteed Maximum Price or GMP. The reason this is most effective is because the level of design at the time of procurement is generally not complete enough or of sufficient detail to be able to get realistic lump sum quotes.

By utilizing a Cost Plus GMP, the subcontractors who are proposing are able to provide a complete cost for their scope of work which includes filling holes in the design that will be necessary based on their experience. This can also give the selection team an indication of how familiar the subcontractor is with the type of work which can further aid in procurement.

2. Execution The team must follow a clear design assist execution plan. The plan should define team roles and responsibilities, identify required software, and establish transition points to ensure adequate staffing and coordination throughout the project.

Early teamwork among the entire project team helps to establish a cohesive, committed, and trusting team where all parties understand the priorities and goals of the project. Collaboration fosters mutual respect for the value that each party contributes this trust allows decisions to be made more efficiently because neither side needs to be defensive or wary of the others intentions.

Design assist subcontractors brought on early in the design process provide input on constructability, maintainability, and cost estimation for the project. While the design team understands how the building and its systems are to operate, it relies on the subcontractors knowledge of construction techniques, and current equipment and material costs. As design decisions are considered, the subcontractors provide real-time feedback allowing the team to accurately track where the project is compared to the overall budget and schedule.

3. TransitionDuring the development of construction documents, an interim milestone should be established to transition responsibility for the model development from the design team to the design assist subcontractors. This model transition is one of the most critical junctures to define in the DA process.

This transition can occur at different times within the design timeline, but it traditionally occurs from the end of schematic design to the end of design development drawings, when the

construction documents are between 30% and 50% complete. The timing should ensure that all major decisions have been made and clearly conveyed to the DA subcontractors. Explicitly communicating the expected condition of the model and development of the design prior to hand off ensures that the DA subcontractors are prepared for the extent of continued work required.

Because subcontractors traditionally work from completed documents, the extent of development that continues through the end of construction documents can be an unexpected challenge. The means of communicating between the design team and the DA subcontractors after the transition should be determined in the DA execution plan.

4. Design ResponsibilityAfter the transition, the design team typically maintains responsibility for the major system and assembly design decisions and ultimately takes responsibility for the design by sealing the documents for permit application. The model is updated by the subcontractor with oversight by the design team. This allows the DA subcontractors to begin generating system details based on their specific expertise. The process eliminates unnecessary information such as excessive detailing or modeling-specific information (dimensions or tags, for example). In some projects, the design assist subcontractors are responsible for generating the model details and finalizing the permit drawings.

The use of a shared design platform is valuable in DA projects. Currently, the software predominantly used by architects and engineers is different from the software that subcontractors use to fabricate their components. Utilizing a platform like Revit can allow the flexibility needed during design while incorporating some of the detail needed for the fabrication software. Translator programs can be used to feed information between programs instead of duplicating model development efforts.

This streamlined approach also allows many coordination issues to be addressed earlier in the process. Better dimensional accuracy of the building components can enable component prefabrication, improve space planning, and increase early equipment selection. This requires earlier decision making from all key stakeholders, but can lead to stronger commitment to decisions so the team can move on.

Early collaboration also increases the opportunity for innovation and prefabrication by incorporating constructability recommendations based on specific expertise. Early reliability of the design decisions allows the team to direct their energy toward improving constructability issues.

MAXIMIZING BENEFITWhile design assist has a significant, positive impact on design efficiency, cost, speed to market, and constructability, these benefits are maximized when incorporated in high risk, complex projects. Project

complexity is driven by many factors including the sophistication of systems selected, confined site conditions, accelerated schedule, phasing of construction, and material/equipment procurement methods.

Project risk is generally associated with undefined circumstances that carry significant cost implications. The risks of the design and construction process can be mitigated through the DA process by reducing material cost uncertainty, performing real time cost estimating, more clearly communicating design intent to the contractors and providing constructability and phasing feedback earlier in the design process.

A project with an accelerated schedule can also be more positively impacted by design assist. The early participation of the design assist team members allows for the pre-purchase of materials and identification of long lead time items. As the complexity of a project increases, interdependency of the trades may become more critical. Determining which design assist contractors to add to the team during the design phase should be based on the complexity and risk factors for each specific project.

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES Design assist is not without its potential drawbacks. Here are some common concerns and reassurances.

Challenge: Obtaining competitive pricingSome owners believe early involvement with subcontractors and the construction manager precludes them from receiving competitive bids.

Solution: As the construction team is hired early in the design phase, competitive pricing can be achieved by obtaining benchmark prices during the programming phase. In addition, nonbinding preliminary price proposals can be obtained during the DA selection process based on initial plans, such as schematic drawings, and binding final prices can be submitted upon completion of the plans.

Challenge: Added costs of the processDesign assist may add time and cost to the design phase of the project due to additional collaboration with subcontractors and added time to procure services.

Solution: The reductions achieved in construction cost and schedule should offset additional costs during the design phases, making design assist advantageous overall.

Challenge: Design liabilityThe increased collaboration amongst the architect, engineer, subcontractor and construction manager creates a concern in defining who has responsibilities and design liability throughout the process.

Solution: The project team should clearly set obligations and liabilities of the team members with respect to plans, specifications and the BIM model (if applicable) to overcome this concern. Also, it is customary to develop a design assist execution plan to identify roles, responsibilities and deliverables for all team members.

Challenge: UnfamiliarityThis is still a relatively new delivery model, and architects and construction managers may have a tendency to revert back to traditional roles.

Solution: Although the DA process produces a more efficient, collaborative design process, care must be taken to ensure that the collaborative process continues throughout construction. During construction, there are inevitable challenges. Therefore, it is important to have established a process to address these changes. The collaborative process can be used to resolve challenges in a quick, cost effective manner.

Challenge: Subcontract administrationThe subcontractor might not perform as expected or be in line with the budget.

Solution: It is important to administer a pre-construction contract with the DA subcontractor, which allows the owner to terminate the agreement at any time prior to construction. This acts as a safeguard, for example, if a subcontractors pricing is not in line with the budget with no reasonable solution to get to the budget, the owner would have reasonable cause to terminate their contract. In this situation the trade package would need to be bid, which could push back the schedule depending on the selection process.

DESIGN ASSIST SUCCESS STORY: A Late Start Still Saves $1 Million in Subcontractor Fees

PROJECTA stand-alone central chilled water plant. It was planned as an unmanned facility to be operated remotely. The structure was steel frame with composite concrete slabs. The skin was architectural precast concrete with some curtain wall and glass.

SUBCONTRACTORS USEDThere were four design assist contractors hired for the project. They included:

Mechanical - Complete mechanical package including HVAC, piping, plumbing, and controls

Electrical - Complete electrical package including power, lighting, distribution, equipment, and site lighting

Structural Steel Architectural Precast

PROCUREMENT METHODOLOGYAll four firms were brought on board at the end of the design development phase using a best value selection process. A request for qualifications was issued first and any qualified subcontractor was able to respond. After analysis by the Owner, Architect and CM each trade was shortlisted to the three most qualified firms. A request for proposal was issued to each of those firms asking for their team, approach and an initial GMP (iGMP) based on the design documents available. After the RFPs were received there was an interview with each firm and then a selection was made.

All four contracts were initially issued as cost plus with a GMP based on the iGMP value submitted. At the end of the Construction Document period an updated GMP was received from all subcontractors. The decision was made to convert the steel and precast to a lump sum contract at that point and the mechanical and electrical continued as GMPs through construction.

BENEFITS AND LESSONS LEARNEDThere was a late decision to incorporate design assist subcontractors at the end of design development. While it was still beneficial due to the complexity of the project especially with the MEP systems, there may have been additional benefit to have the subcontractors on board at the beginning of the Design Development phase.

All four contractors were able to stay within the original project budget that was established and the mechanical and electrical subcontractors returned over $1,000,000 to the owner at the end of the project in savings. Care should be taken when hiring to understand how familiar a subcontractor is with the process of managing a cost plus contract.

PROJECTA new, free standing, 500,000 sf, 200 bed hospital. Intended as a model for other system facilities nationally, it was a six-story, steel frame structure with curtainwall enclosure with glass, composite-wood panels, and porcelain tile panels.

SUBCONTRACTORS USED Architectural Curtainwall

PROCUREMENT METHODOLOGYThe subcontractor was brought onto the team halfway through Design Development. Architect and DA began the process in

design charrettes which advanced the exterior detailing, material decisions and construction logistics. Beginning in DD, the model was exchanged on a weekly basis to allow the ability to quickly experiment with options.

LESSONS LEARNEDEarly dialogue and the ability to explore options architecturally and from the construction and material led to a substantial 20% savings in the cost of the exterior wall system and reduced the installation schedule of the enclosure by eight weeks.

The complete shared BIM model also aided in ensuring that the innovative exterior materials used were maintaining the areas allowed by the clients regulations. The model also proved to be a valuable tool in explaining a rainscreen exterior wall system to regulatory authorities who had no experience with such a system.The need to submit eight separate document packages over the course of seven months necessitated frequent and focused coordination sessions among the engineers, landscape designers, and design team. It helped ensure an accurate set of documents and coordination sessions that were smoothed by universal access to the model and information drawn from it.

DESIGN ASSIST SUCCESS STORY: A Single Subcontractor Helps Reduce Cost & Accelerate Project

ABOUT OHIO CTCThe Ohio Construction Transformation Consortium (Ohio CTC) represents a cross-section of construction industry disciplines. Members include architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, vendors, and planners.

The goal of Ohio CTC is to help the construction industry achieve greater efficiency, productivity, and success by examining how things are done and developing strategies and guidelines for doing them better.

Ohio CTCs diversity allows for a comprehensive look at the issues from a range of perspectives and disciplines. The group helps the industry through:

White paper development Speaking engagements at various conferences Client information sessions

For more information about Ohio CTC, or to join our organization, please email us at OhioCTCGroup@gmail.com or contact Tom Garske at 614-456-0951.