A message from WDBC Pres. Larry Johnson. WDBC education sessions brought to you virtually. Water industry survey coming your way in 2021!
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WDBC E-NEWS – December 2, 2020
Issue Highlights
A Message From WDBC President Larry Johnson, PE, DBIA, PMP - Decreasing Risk & Increasing Collaboration
Virtual Education Sessions Available - Find Out More
Blog Feature - Successful Owner Project Procurements Begin With Deciding What’s Important
WDBC Survey Coming in January 20201 - We Need Your Input!
Message from WDBC President Larry Johnson, PE, DBIA, PMP "Decreasing Risk & Increasing Collaboration"
Last month I had the opportunity to participate in a workshop with an owner who is implementing their first progressive design-build project using many of the best practices and template documents developed by the Water Design-Build Council. We had conducted several workshops previously, all held virtually due to COVID, but decided to have this one in person. For most of us, it was the first in-person meeting since March and, as you would expect, we took precautions to reduce COVID risk by conducting the meeting outdoors, wearing masks, and staying at least six feet apart from each other. We used the above graphic for our safety moment that day, and it was comforting to know we were all meeting in the “safe spot."
It also helped that we were in a warm climate, it was a perfect autumn day, and we had access to a beautiful city park with picnic tables and nearby power receptacles. At the end of the day we all remarked how productive the meeting was. Our previous workshops held virtually worked fine, but the added benefits of collaborating in person were noticed. There is no substitute for live interaction, spontaneous conversation, and sharing perspectives in person, even while wearing masks and maintaining six feet of separation. There was even a benefit in our next workshop (held virtually) as we each remembered with clarity the takeaways from the outdoor meeting on that autumn day in the park.
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.
When considering a project delivery approach, municipal owners may be reluctant to choose a collaborative-delivery method. Design-bid-build (DBB) has been the standard approach in public works contracting, so changing to a different approach can be challenging and uncomfortable. Some owners may fear that they have less influence with a collaborative-delivery approach than they do with DBB. Owners still maintain influence throughout collaborative delivery but will exert that influence differently than with DBB. This influence starts with the procurement documents and is memorialized in the design-build (DB) contract.
Find many more blogs on our website:
WDBC Seeking Member and Industry Input
In an effort to support our organizational vision to transform the water industry through successful collaborative-delivery methods, the WDBC embarked on a strategic branding initiative in the fall of 2020. A critical aspect of this project is to gather perceptions about the WDBC and the broader industry at large from our members, advisors, owners, and industry professionals. As such, we will be working with our outside consultant, Stacy Lewis of Sector Brands, to conduct a confidential sample survey and series of phone interviews in early 2021. Please keep an eye out, and thank you in advance for your willingness to participate!
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.
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