Design/Build for Water/Wastewater Facilities: State of the Industry Survey and Three Case Studies

Abstract

Documented successes of innovative delivery methods and recent changes in procurement laws are enabling water and wastewater utility owners to use alternative delivery methods for the construction of new facilities and the expansion of existing facilities. This shift toward alternative project delivery systems, such as design/build, has resulted in demand for additional guidance for owners and practitioners. This paper provides the results of an industrywide survey and three in-depth case studies. The survey results indicate large-scale growth in the use of design/build project delivery for water and wastewater facilities throughout the United States. The findings from the case studies indicate that common practices exist with regard to selecting a delivery system, contracting, allocating risk, evaluating proposals, determining the level of design in the request for proposals, using consultants, establishing trust, identifying key players, and permitting. These results serve as best practices for owners and practitioners using design/build delivery for the first time.