WDBC E-News – February 6, 2015

Design-Build Management Workshop

2015 AWWA/WEF Utility Management Conference
Tuesday, February 17 in Austin, Texas

Managing Design-Build Projects for the Water Infrastructure is a “problem-solving” interactive education session designed specifically for utility administrators and agency managers involved in capital water and wastewater projects. The overall goal to equip industry professionals with the essential knowledge they need to plan for and manage through the transition process, a design-build water and wastewater infrastructure rehabilitation and replacement project. Using actual case studies participants also learn how to apply WDBC’s Guidelines for Best Practices which facilitates achieving savings in both project cost and schedule. Attendees have an opportunity to provide advance questions and project-related issues to be addressed in the workshop. In addition to the workshop presentation, a copy of the WDBC Municipal Water and Wastewater Design-Build Handbook and Guidelines will be distributed. Topics include:

Organizing and Preparing to Manage Design-Build Projects
Managing the Evaluation and Selection of a Design-Build Delivery Method
Managing Design-Build Procurement (Progressive) – Risk & Liability
Successful Steps to Manage a Design-Build Project Transition

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Public-Private Partnerships (P3): A Long-Term Solution?

Mark E. Alpert, P.E., Executive Director of the Water Design-Build Council

For many municipalities and water agencies, the challenges these industry professionals face not only address water scarcity, source sustainability, but the critical aspect of maintaining competitive water rates to support growth, economic development and quality of life. Water Reuse technology is only one aspect of the overall picture. Reuse must make sense from a cost standpoint, but more importantly water reuse works if it becomes a revenue stream and is attractive from an investment standpoint. Reuse also addresses sustainability considerations, especially in light of drought issues facing the state of Texas. However, at the end of the day, the project must make sense from a business perspective if reuse is to become a viable tool for agencies and municipalities when addressing their long-term water needs.At the Jan 27 UTC Conference in Houston, TX, Mr. Alpert addressed the often overlooked aspect of what makes a reuse project attractive from a business perspective, and provide owners with valuable insight on how to create an attractive business environment through public-private partnerships.

Water Design-Build Council Guidelines for Best Practices
Optimizing Value Engineering

Value engineering, a design concept intended to produce designs with maximum value, adds definable, measurable, and desired benefits to a project. Using a systematic approach – often through a facilitated workshop – value engineering (VE) focuses on addressing functionality by leaving alternative benefit and value options open. Although the most obvious benefit is reducing the cost of construction, value can also be measured in schedule improvement, improved functionality, greater reliability, reduced operating costs, and reduced risk. These guidelines presents best practices for getting the most out of using value engineering for design-build projects.

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Building an Effective Team to Accomplish a Successful Design-Build Project

Is your organization considering the steps needed for a water or wastewater project – and seeking to identify the best delivery method to achieve your goals and priorities? Or have you been given approval to initiate a search or RFP for a contractor for some facet of your water or wastewater system? If so, this is an ideal time to “pause” and take advantage of an important Education/Training Workshop offered by the Water Design-Build Council on “Preparing, Procuring and Managing a Design-Build Project.”

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