Planning and design phase

DELIVERED BY: A ddisyihun Abayneh

May 2019
Outline
The parties and their roles
Planning and feasibility study stage
Design stage
Contract document development stage
The parties and their roles

Architect

The term ‘design professional’ is often used to refer to the architect and engineer as they
perform their planning, design and construction liaison/link tasks on a construction project.

If it is a building or other facility project, the architect is likely to lead the planning and design
team

Engineer
For non-facility projects, the overall role of the engineer is much the same as that provided by
the architect on facilities projects.
Cont’d

Geotechnical specialist
Other specialist
Land surveyor
Cost estimator
Quantity surveyor
Project manager
 Planning and feasibility study stage

Two key things should be accomplished early in the planning and feasibility
study stage.
First, there must be a clear understanding of the project’s objectives, purposes, scope and
nature by both the client/owner and organization responsible for carrying out the work (or at
least those members of the project team identified by that time); a brief or other defining
document is essential to this process.

Second, a relationship between the client/owner and the project delivery organization must
be established, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
 Consultant selection
Among the first tasks to face the owner when initiating the project will be to
select the primary design professional.

The selection procedure outlined below can also apply to the selection of sub
consultants and others on the project team, although often in a somewhat
modified an simplified form.

In order to obtain proposals from prospective consultants, the owner will
sometimes begin by soliciting preliminary expressions of interest and
qualification.
Cont’d
Such solicitations may be made available in the local newspaper, in professional
publications and newsletters and by direct mailings to previously engaged firms.

They will describe the proposed project in a general way and invite responses by a
fixed deadline. Response may require completion of a questionnaire outlining the
‘consultant’s qualifications.

After the prospective consultants express their interest, the owner selects the best
suited for further consideration.
Then selected firms are invited to prepare proposals which contain at the least
the following:
statement of work,

areas of expertise required,

time schedule,

type of contract proposed,

project budget,

submittal date,

information to be included in the proposal and expected selection date.

Preparation of effective proposals is essential to the long-term health of the

consulting organization; many hundreds of hours can be expended on a single

proposal.

To be fair to all parties, the owner should inform proposers of the criteria that

will be used to evaluate proposals.

Most design professionals believe strongly that selection should be based on

qualifications rather than price.

Qualifications-based selection (QBS) uses criteria other than price to select the

consultant, with the fee decided after selection;

According to FIDIC, in QBS procedure, the proposals would include such elements as
the following
 past experience with projects of a similar nature;

 details of organization, project control and financial control;

 size, expertise and responsibilities of staff, especially the qualifications of the proposed

project design manager;

 type of organization and managerial method for executing the work;

 quality assurance organization;

 knowledge of local conditions;

 local resources;

 project methodology;

 availability of resources;

 schedule;

 an indication of how well the proposer understands the project.

Firms prepare their proposals using these or similar elements as their outlines, knowing that
the evaluation will be based on those criteria.

The proposals are submitted and evaluated, usually by a committee from the owner’s
organization, sometimes with the help of the programme or project manager, if one has been
selected by that time.

The top two or three candidates then become the shortlisted firms and
interviews/negotaition are held with each.
Following the interviews, a top-ranked firm is identified (not necessarily Engineering
International, Inc., depending upon the interviews) and negotiations are undertaken to try to
reach an agreement for services.

During these negotiations, the issue of an appropriate fee is considered. If these negotiations
fail to reach an agreement, negotiations are held with the next-ranked firm, and so forth, until a
suitable understanding is reached.
Site investigation

In parallel with other preliminary planning, investigation of the site is conducted at varying
levels of detail.

When several alternatives are still under consideration, the various potential sites will be
studied from the standpoint of general soil conditions, topography, access and cost.

As the options are narrowed, further detail will be developed on the preferred option or
options. The geotechnical specialist will provide major input at this step.
 Constructability analysis
Throughout planning and design, it is essential to consider whether proposed alternatives can
be built and whether they can be built efficiently.

The term ‘constructability’ is used for this evaluation, which is a continuing process, perhaps
more active during the design stage

. . . a process that utilizes experienced construction personnel with

extensive construction knowledge early in the design stages of projects to
ensure that the projects are buildable, while also being cost effective,
bidable, and maintainable.
Public input
 Members of the general public may be involved in the development of the

project programme, prior to the identification and study of alternative

approaches to meeting the programme objectives.

The public will likely have other opportunities as well to be part of the project.

At various points in the planning and design process, public hearings and
workshops may be held.
Preliminary cost estimate
In order to determine whether an alternative under consideration is financially
feasible, an estimate of its cost is needed.

During the planning process, such an estimate cannot be made with a large
degree of precision.

Usually the estimator uses some broad measures of cost to develop the
estimate.
Financial feasibility analysis
Not only must a project meet certain technical and performance requirements, it
must also be financially viable.

 The funds proposed to be invested in the project must show the potential to generate
an economic return to those investing in the project that is at least equal to that
available to them from other similarly risky investments.

This concept of ‘return on investment’ is appropriate for most projects, whether in the
private or public sector.
For a private-sector manufacturing facility, the company making the investment of funds

expects to generate sufficient cash flows from operating the facility to pay for the construction

and the ongoing operating expenses and, in addition, have an attractive interest rate of return.

In the case of a publicly funded roadway or school facility, those ratepayers who provide the

funding expect that the benefits, either in money terms or in non-quantifiable measures, will

be at least equal to the funds invested in the project.

 Project recommendation
Having studied the various options from the standpoint of costs, economic benefits, ease of
construction, schedule impacts, as well as the all-important matter of alignment with user objectives and
the project programme, the design professional is then in a position to recommend an option.

Sometimes the recommendation will be not to proceed; ‘do nothing’ is always an option! Whatever the
recommendation, the design professional will prepare a report for the owner describing the planning
process, identifying the alternatives and explaining the rationale for the selected option.

If the recommendation is to proceed, the report will suggest the appropriate steps to be taken to launch
the design stage. The choice of whether to implement the recommendation is the owner’s, of course.
Funding
The point in time at which funding approval is sought for a project varies with the nature of

the project.

Sometimes the money has been allocated before much of the planning process has been

carried out.

Occasionally a complete design is prepared, ready for contractor selection, prior to

availability of funds. More often, however, the process outlined above leads to a

recommendation that the project proceed and that it be funded. In this case, before further

design efforts are undertaken, assurance of available funding is sought.

Site selection and land acquisition

Until funding is approved, there is no need to acquire land for the project
(assuming the site is not already in possession of the owner).

 various sites will likely have been investigated, each with alternative layouts
specific to the site.

important site characteristics such as soil conditions, topography, access and

environmental impacts has to be considered.
When funding is approved, it may be for a project at a specific site or the approval may
allow for alternative sites, depending upon further investigation and negotiation.

In any case, ultimately the project site, if not already owned, must be acquired, through
purchase, lease or other arrangement.

The site acquisition step completes the usual process of planning and feasibility study and
allows the design stage to begin.
Design stage

The two parts of the design stage are schematic design and design development, after which
the contract document (or construction document) development stage results in fully completed
documents.

The process is a continuum, with some overlaps and considerable similarity among the topics
and tasks.
 Schematic design

The design professional is responsible for producing a set of preliminary drawings for
approval by the owner.

On a building project, the architect will take the lead in developing a design concept with
plan, elevation and sectional views that meet the space and program me requirements.

Engineers will develop concepts of how the various systems will fit into the facility
These preliminary drawings may include freehand sketches, but they should illustrate the
project’s character and emphasis such aspects as harmony with the surrounding area and any
improvements, architectural style, exterior appearance, planning and zoning requirements and
overall structural concepts.
 Design development

Design development activities flow naturally from, and are based on, documents produced
during schematic design.
o All of the major decisions for the project will be made during design development.

o The sketches prepared during schematic design will be thoroughly detailed and developed into a
complete set of design drawings.

o All building materials, fixtures and finishes will be selected . . .

o When [design development] is complete, the project will be fully developed

Contract document development stage

During this final stage of the design phase, all of the previous effort is
transformed into documents that will form the basis for the construction
contract.

When this stage is completed, the contractor, or contractors, can be selected,

after which the work involved in procuring and assembling the physical parts
can begin.
Thank you