Project Delivery Process

Based on the sources provided, the design and construction of facilities involves a sophisticated and
complex process often referred to as the project delivery process or the facility life cycle. This
guide is specifically about the process of delivering a facility from conception to occupancy.
Understanding project delivery from a global perspective is considered foundational knowledge for
individuals involved in the built environment.
In this context, the terms "project" and "facility" are distinct. A "project" describes the process
of planning, designing, documenting for procurement and construction, procuring, contracting, and
constructing a facility for delivery to its owner. It is a unique combination of a scope of work, its
budget, and its schedule. A "facility" is the completed project as a constructed entity intended for a
specific purpose and function. The facility is the ultimate goal of a project.
The guide outlines the facility life cycle as a series of stages that a project undergoes from idea to
tangible result. The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) organizes this life cycle into several
key stages:
1. Project Conception: This stage involves transforming the owner's needs or aspirations into
a clear concept upon which the project can be designed and built. It includes planning
activities such as verifying feasibility, securing financial resources, developing a facility
program, and identifying a site. Activities in this stage are often called programming,
planning, or predesign. Key activities include due diligence investigations (financial, site,
community impact), facility programming (establishing goals and requirements),
anticipating costs, and setting the schedule. Participants like owners, advisers, consultants,
and potentially construction managers or A/Es are involved. Documentation includes
reports, the written facility program, preliminary cost estimates, and preliminary schedules.
2. Project Delivery: At some point in the process, the owner determines the project delivery
method to be used. Six primary methods are identified: Design-Bid-Build (D-B-B), Design-
Negotiate-Build (D-N-B), Design-Build (D-B), Construction Management (CM), Owner-
Build (O-B), and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). The choice is influenced by factors like
the owner's capabilities and experience, project extent, and time requirements. This decision
defines the contractual relationships and affects how the project is designed, procured, and
constructed.
3. Design: The project team evaluates preliminary studies, collected data, program
requirements, budget, and schedule to form design solutions. Design is the process of
arranging project elements and components, expressed in graphic and written documents, in
response to the owner's program, AHJ requirements, site conditions, available products, and
the owner's functional, aesthetic, and sustainability needs. It typically occurs in phases,
commonly schematic design and design development. Participants include the owner, A/E,
consultants, product representatives, and potentially CMs or design builders. Key design
considerations include aesthetics, functional requirements, constructability, and
sustainability. Budgets and cost estimates are continuously monitored and aligned with the
design throughout this stage. Deliverables include graphic and written design documents and
cost estimates.
 4. Construction Documents: Building on the approved design development documents, the
A/E prepares documents needed for permits, approvals, and pricing. These documents define
the project for procurement and construction. They include drawings (graphic
representations) and specifications (written requirements for products, materials, and
workmanship). Procurement documents (used to solicit prices) include procurement
requirements, contracting forms, conditions, specifications, and drawings. The contract
documents (forms, conditions, specifications, and drawings) become the legal basis of the
construction contract. Various organizational formats like MasterFormat® and
SectionFormat™ are used for specifications.
5. Procurement (Bidding/Negotiating/Purchasing): This is the transition stage where the
project price is determined. Owners make construction documents available to prospective
contractors. Contractors examine documents, investigate the site, request clarifications,
propose substitutions, solicit prices from subcontractors and suppliers, and submit their
prices (bids or proposals). This stage involves pricing methods like stipulated sum, unit
price, or cost-plus-fee (including GMP). Competitive bidding is common, especially for
public projects, while negotiation is often used for private projects. Purchasing refers to the
direct acquisition of materials and equipment by the owner.
6. Construction: In this stage, the project is constructed in accordance with the contract
documents and regulatory requirements. It's a team activity involving the owner, design
team, contractor team, and supplier team. The contractor is primarily responsible for
Contractor Project Management (CPM), which includes coordinating activities,
managing the schedule, overseeing subcontractors/suppliers, and implementing quality
controls. The A/E typically provides Construction Contract Administration (CCA)
services, representing the owner, observing the work, reviewing submittals, and managing
contract modifications. This stage includes preconstruction activities (mobilization, permits),
meetings, submittal processing, site visits/observations/inspections, implementing quality
assurance (QA) and quality control (QC), managing interpretations and modifications,
executing the work (field engineering, supervision, coordination, sequencing, scheduling,
means/methods, installation, testing, safety), handling claims and disputes, and managing
measurement and payment procedures. The stage culminates in project closeout, including
system start-up, demonstrations, training, record documents, commissioning, determining
substantial completion, and final completion/payment.
7. Facility Management: This is the longest stage, beginning when the completed facility is
put into use and maintained. The facility manager oversees the operation and maintenance
programs to ensure the facility functions as intended. This includes various types of
maintenance (general, preventive, routine, renovation/modification, deferred), utilizing
record documents and O&M data, conducting facility evaluations, managing financial issues
related to operation, and procuring services or goods for ongoing needs. Facility managers
may also be involved in evaluating product performance over the long term.
8. Decommissioning/Deconstruction: This marks the end of the facility's useful life and may
involve abandonment, deconstruction (demolition), sale, or adaptive reuse.
Throughout these stages, various stakeholders and participants, including the owner team, design
team, contractor team, and supplier team, play interrelated roles in the definition, planning, and
execution of the project to successfully deliver the facility. Effective communication and
coordination among these teams are vital for a successful project.