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Chaminda Janak BSc (Hons)
Senior Quantity Surveyor - Gardiner and Teobald International in Abu Dhabi
Design and Build Contracts
Introduction
With the construction sector growth taking place in
country, the quality and the quantity of construction
projects are having higher demands in the property sector.
It has integrated the dierent kind of procurement
systems to source main contractors, sub-contractors
and even long lead suppliers. Terefore, the most useful
protection that can be oered to a client for his value for
money is a reasonable policy for selecting a procurement
strategy for their development.
Te procurement strategy is usually focused on the need
for the project as a basic element or as an investment.
When considering the above there are procurement
criteria in relation to project type or importance to each
particular client. Mainly, the above criteria includes,
building functions and performance, time, cost, quality,
accountability, sustainability, exibility, risk, value for
money, etc.
Te procurement strategy applied for the purpose of
project procurement in conjunction with the client,
designing and overall strategy must suit all of the needs
and as many of the wants as possible and also identify the
project characteristic.
Furthermore, the choice of procurement strategy must
suit the project characteristics and how it is to be
administrated. Te following three procedures would
apply to procurement in many projects:
Selecting the strategy
Implementing the strategy
Planning the administration of the contracts,
necessary to implement the strategy.
Finally, the overall objective is to produce a successful
project, and thus a satised client.
When considering the above procurement criteria
and project characteristics for construction projects,
it will lead to the selection of the most appropriate
procurement path suited to the construction industry.
Tere are a number of procurement approaches utilized
in the construction sector. Te following procurement
approaches can be mainly taken into account:
Te traditional procurement path
Te traditional procurement path is the most commonly
used method in the construction industry. In this method
the design team, with an architect as the lead consultant,
fully design the project and cost control consultant
prepare the tender documents. In most of the project by
using this approach, select the contractor. Te selection of
the contractor would be through the competitive tender
and carries it out for an agreed lump sum xed priced
contract.
In the traditional procurement system, the person
appointed has taken responsibility for two separate tasks:
translating the employers requirements into drawings,
specications and the like through the process of brieng
and design along with administering the building
contract.
Tis type of contract gives the contract administrator the
power to change (as a variation) the work as required of
the project. According to the RICS annual survey of
construction contracts, the traditional path has been
ranked as the most commonly used path in the world of
construction sector.
Te main advantages of the traditional approach are given
below:
Completion of design before tender to provide good
time and cost control
Participation of designer for the entire duration
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of the construction process, which provides good
quality control
Te approach is well set up and familiar to all
everyone recognizes how it works
Extensive provision for client changes and
well described procedures for the evaluation of
variations
However, the traditional approach has the following
disadvantages:
Can be long-winded. Te procedure is extremely
sequential.
During the design stages, there is less opportunity
for the contractor to provide skills and suggestions
regarding constructability and his expert skill in
consecution. .
Te Figure 1, below illustrates the organizational
arrangement of the Traditional method of procurement.
Design and Build
Features of design and build contracts
In this method, the employer directly identies his
requirements to one organization. With this type of
contract, the organization is responsible for both the
design and construction of the development.
Design and build contracts can choose a xed price or
a target price with a sharing mechanism for better cost
Approaches to design and build contracts
Design and build is a reasonable and obvious system for
procuring a wide range of buildings. As a procurement
route it is a practical and valuable option to general
contracting or construction management. While there is
no real limit on the type or scale of project for which it
can be used, it is not recommended for use in high-risk
projects.
eciency. Te above options have a certainty of cost and
are also supported by the project team to create savings
to the advantage of the client
Where design and build contracts would be
suitable
Te features of projects where design and build contracts
would be appropriate can be considered under the
following headings;
Te relative signicance of the clients main concern
(time, cost, function, quality, value for money,
etc.).
When expertise knowledge of construction is
required for the project.
Te single point responsibility and ease of
communication.
Te requirement for an early start on site.
Figure 1: Traditional Procurement Route
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Generally, the following advantages of this type of contract
can be taken into Account:
Speed of construction
Single point of responsibility i.e. the contractor is
exclusively liable for failure and/or the success of the
construction
Specialisation and know-how of the contractor can
be utilized for the project development.
Te client is aware of his total nancial requirement
from the commencement of the project
Close inter-communication between the contractors
design team and construction teams
Similarly, this method also has some disadvantages:
Te client has no idea whether he is achieving the
best value for money unless he employs his own
independent advisers, which adds to his costs.
Te quality control assurance procedures are mostly
in the contractors hands
Te Figure 2, below illustrates the organizational
arrangement of this method of procurement.
Management contract
Te management path normally contains a fee for the
provision of management Expertise. In this method,
normally there are two options are available, Management
Contracting and Construction Management.
Te important fact here is that the contractor is the
main point of contract. In this method, the contractor is
involved with the work package contractors. So, although
the contractor gives an active contribution during the
construction process and he is responsible for managing
construction operations, the managing contractor would
normally be expected to provide and maintain the entire
site facilities (oces, storage, water, electricity, power,
plant, equipment and attendance etc.)
Te main advantages of management contracts are given
below:
When the work package has been designed, the
work can start on site
Te contractors practical knowledge and
management skills are available to help the design
team
Figure 2: Design & Build Procurement Route
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Overlapping of design and construction can
considerably decrease the time requirements,
ensuring an earlier return on the clients investment
Te contractor is part of the clients team, and
therefore able to recognize the clients requirements
However, the management contracting method also has
the following disadvantages:
Uncertainty regarding the nal cost, until the nal
works package has been completed.
Tere may be a cost increase due to design changes
during the construction process and because works
packages have been closed due to minimal design
information.
Due to the number of works contractors,
coordination problems could have arisen, reducing
the overall construction progress.
Te Figure 3, below illustrates the organizational
arrangement of the Management Contracting method of
procurement.
Figure 3: Management Contracting Procurement Route
Construction Management
Construction Management is similar to the management
contracting process. Te contractor will be responsible
for the planning, management and co-ordination of the
works on site and for arranging for it to be carried out in
an ecient manner. With this form of management, the
construction manager has no contractual liability as the
individual trade and specialist contractors are in direct
contracts with the employer and can be considered to be
working in the best interests of the employer.
Te construction manager is then responsible for the
overall control of the design team including the cost
manager and various trade contracts, during both the
design and the construction processes of the project.
Te following advantages of these contracts can be taken
into consideration;
Design processes are continuous, in line with
construction works
Te construction process is more closely incorporated
into the management of the project
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Close relationship between the construction
management contractor and the designers
However, this method also has some disadvantages:
Te clients nancial commitment is uncertain until
the nal package has been executed
Te client has one consultant and a number of
contractors with whom to deal instead of only one
main contractor
Due to the number of works contractors, it could
create coordination problems and reduce overall
construction progress
Tis path attempts to merge characteristics of the design
and build and management paths. Te contractual and
management relationships as shown on Figure 4:
Collaborative approach Partnering
Te concept of collaborative procurement refers to where
the employer and contractor work jointly to achieve
mutually agreed-upon and complementary aims.
Partnering is a management approach used by two or
more organizations to achieve specic business objectives by
maximising the eectiveness of each participants resources.
Te approach is based on mutual objectives, an agreed method
of problem resolution and an active search for continuous
measurable improvements. Partnering can be based on a
single project (project partnering) but greater benets are
available when it is based on a long-term commitment
(strategic partnering or alliancing).
Figure 4: Construction Management Procurement Route
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Partnering should not be classed a procurement method
for two reasons. Firstly, it is not strictly a procurement
system at all. It is a philosophy which can be used in
conjunction with most procurement systems. Secondly,
the principle of you scratch my back and Ill scratch yours
is not new. Two partners helping each other for mutual
benet, instead of each one trying to gain the most at
the others expense, has to be the way forward for any
civilised business environment. It should be regarded as
the way forward for success in the construction industry.
Te potential benets of successful partnering to the
client are given below:
Better value for money
At least the same level of quality
Less confrontation and therefore speedier delivery
Less risk, greater certainty of satisfaction
Fewer claims
Less bureaucracy
Better communication, understanding and tolerance
of problems
Faster construction
Continuous improvement
Te benets to the contractor are as follows:
Increased prot potential
Less confrontation
Greater certainty of workload
Better communications and understanding from
clients
Less bureaucracy
More involvement in key decision-making
Greater potential for prot
No competitive tendering process, therefore reduced
overheads
Reliable ow of design information
In the construction industry the prime objective of a
partnering approach is to achieve completion of a project
in which both parties are satised with the result the so
called win-win scenario.
Discussion
Te Government and private developers are the major
Employers in the Industry. As the construction industry
has continued its level of investment, the strain being
positions on construction through conventional processes
of procurement..However, when the procurement route
is adopted by the contracting parties, it is necessary to
bear in mind both the advantages and disadvantages of
each approach so that informed decisions can be made
prior to project commencement.
Formerly, most projects suered from inadequate or
inappropriate procurement decisions. Te industry
lacks a sensible and systematic strategy for selecting
suitable procurement routes. However, the most helpful
protection that can be oered to a client is a reasonable
policy for selecting a procurement approach for each
project.
However, it seems that the design and build procurement
route has the possibility to achieve a win- win status in any
project. Te success factor is adequately strong, especially
when thecontractor and the employer are very clear in
terms of function and liability of each other while making
certain that the appointed consultant is appropriate for
this design and build type of projects.
It is a recognized fact that developers look for minimum
costs, tight schedules and zero impact on the post-bid
budget. Some consider that the nal option is choosing
the design and build procurement method, not knowing
that design and build does not always achieve the required
integrated solution.
