WDBC E-NEWS – December 16, 2020

Message from WDBC President Larry Johnson, PE, DBIA, PMP

Last week the WDBC conducted our final advisor/committee and board of director meetings for 2020. As with all of our previous gatherings this year, our end-of-year meetings were conducted virtually, which we are all now accustomed to at work and at home. Despite COVID challenges faced in 2020, the WDBC was able to accomplish quite a bit this year in terms of making our operations more efficient and making significant progress in our research, communications, technical practices, and education work. Here are just a few of the accomplishments we achieved in 2020:

• Upgraded our records management and financial management systems
• Formed an Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Culture Task Force and a Membership Governance Task Force to continue focused work in these areas in 2021
• Conducted a research charrette and pilot study with owners about what makes a collaborative-delivery project successful and what challenges are encountered
• Engaged Sector Brands to advance our messaging and brand in the water industry
• Engaged Colorado Legislative Strategies and Venn Strategies to advance collaborative-delivery advocacy in the water market sector
• Updated and enhanced the WDBC CMAR Procurement Guide and RFQ/RFP templates and CMAR contract template to be finalized during the first quarter of 2021
• Conducted four in-person owner training programs (before COVID restrictions) and for the first time in one calendar year conducted all five modules of “train the trainer” education sessions for the WDBC advisor and regular members

The work the WDBC accomplished this year sets up an exciting year ahead with strategic initiatives and best practices being further advanced in the areas of research, communications, technical practices, and education.

Jacobs VP Michelle Green, PE, DBIA, Receives WDBC 2020 Collaborator of the Year Award

At the quarterly WDBC Board of Directors meeting on December 10, 2020, WDBC President Larry Johnson presented the inaugural Collaborator of the Year award to Michelle Green, PE, DBIA. Michelle is a vice president and design-build lead at Jacobs who serves as the chair of the WDBC Technical Practices Committee. She has dedicated countless hours this year leading the revision of the WDBC CMAR Model Procurement Guide due to be published in 2021. Great job, Michelle!

To add to that excitement, the Council also elected its new slate of officers for 2021:

President: Michael B. Watson, PE (Stantec)
First Vice President/Treasurer: William O. Hixon, PE, BCEE (Arcadis)
Second Vice President/Secretary: Marlea Tichy, PMP (Kiewit Water)
Third Vice President/Advisor Liaison: Bob Dudley, PE (Ramboll)
Past President: Lawrence P. Johnson, PE, DBIA, PMP (HDR)
Advisor Group Chair: Kyle M. Kruger, PE (Garver)
Advisor Group Co-Chair: Ernie Maschner, DBIA (Victaulic)

Stay tuned in 2021 for spotlights on our officers!

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By Dave Jones, Sales Manager, Energy Systems Group

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Planning for 2021? Let WDBC Bring Education Sessions to You Virtually

The Water Design-Build Council has adjusted to the challenges that COVID-19 has presented to our education program by providing online sessions via Microsoft Teams. Though not the same as our 1- or 1-1/2-day in-person sessions that allow for face-to-face interaction, we have found that the Teams format provides for an effective method of delivery.

Using our 5th edition Water and Wastewater Design-Build Handbook as a guide, we can customize an education session for your organization using one or more of these module topics to fit in your allotted time and audience requirements:

• Deciding to Implement a Collaborative-Delivery Project presents key components of strategy, tactics, and implementation on what is required to build internal understanding and consensus about a project’s goals, priorities, and drivers, with special emphasis on the role and responsibilities of an owner advisor.
• Principles and Best Practices of Collaborative Delivery describes the relationships of the core collaborative-delivery methods—construction management at-risk, progressive design-build, and fixed-price design-build—the differences as well as advantages and distinctions.
• Risk Management and Contracts addresses the areas of risk that are typical for water and wastewater projects: common project risks and allocation principles, managing risks, addressing liability and risk in the collaborative-delivery contract, contract commercial concepts, industry-standard contract forms, and cautions for consideration.
• Conducting the Procurement Process describes the major steps in the procurement process from preparing the request for qualifications and request for proposals to selecting the design-builder or CMAR firm.
• Managing and Implementing Collaborative-Delivery Projects focuses on core activities for three distinct areas.
  
  1. Team Structure for Effective Collaborative Delivery
  2. Developing a Collaborative Working Environment
  3. Implementing a Project Management Plan
• Getting to Project Completion and Transition provides a roadmap of activities essential to the success of the final project stages that allows all stakeholders to view the project with the most balanced risk profile and clear understanding of critical success factors.

In addition, the Council is working with consultants to create professional recordings of our education modules that will allow participants to watch on their own schedule. Stay tuned for more details on this initiative.

For more Information or to customize a program for your organization, please contact WDBC Business Operations Manager Bob Golden.

Member Companies

The Water Design-Build Council stands ready to contribute its expertise, resources, innovation, and enthusiasm to the challenge of strengthening our water and wastewater infrastructure.