Project Delivery Systems

We offer a number of different project delivery systems and can help you determine which system will work best for you:

Design-Bid Build
Design-Bid-Build is a project delivery method in which the agency or owner contracts with separate entities for the design and construction of a project. Design-Bid-Build is the traditional method for project delivery and consists of three main phases:

  • The Design Phase
  • The Bidding Phase
  • The Construction Phase

Design-Build
Design-Build is a project delivery system used in the construction industry in which the design and construction services are contracted by a single entity known as the Design-Builder (or Contractor). Design-Build is used to minimize risks for the project owner and reduce the delivery schedule by overlapping the design phase and construction phase of a project.

GC/CM
General Contractor/Construction Manager (GC/CM) Contracting is an Alternative Public Works Delivery method that is available to Public Owners and Agencies. Unlike traditional Design-Bid-Build contracts, GC/CM Contracts select the contractor early and engage the contractor during the design phase to meet the cost, scheduling and quality criteria for the project. GC/CM Contracting is a process of collaborative management and construction process between the owner, architect and contractor.

GC/CM Contracts may feature early construction, allowing portions of the work to be constructed before the final design is completed. This makes GC/CM an effective delivery method for complex projects that may have multiple delivery dates or compressed schedules. Collaborative input from the GC/CM contractor is an effective means to identify and control risks and costs early in the project. Also, unlike Design-Build contracts, a GC/CM contract gives the Architect a direct agreement with the Public Owner/ Agency that is separate from the General Contractor.

In order to utilize the GC/CM contracting method, Public Owners must be approved by CPARB's Project Review Committee (Capital Project Advisory Review Board). DES is approved by CPARB and may utilize GC/CM Contracting for our client agencies.

Job Order Contracting (JOC)
JOC can eliminate time-consuming, costly aspects of the traditional public works process for repair and renovation of public facilities through the use of unit price books and work orders, and avoids requiring separate contracting actions for each small project. (RCW 39.10.420 (3))

The JOC process can accommodate most types of construction projects, but there are certain types of projects for which JOC is especially suited. Some examples of these projects are as follows:

  1. Small new construction, renovation and alteration projects that are not typically procured by Limited Public Works or Small Works Roster and usually in the $10,000 to $350,000 range.
  2. Multi-discipline projects that require management and coordination.
  3. Customers with restrictive schedules including non-standard hours.
  4. Projects with budget limitations that require flexible scopes of work.
  5. Management intensive projects such as communication and security systems, hazardous material abatement, mechanical and electrical system upgrades and renovation in occupied spaces.

E&AS is currently under contract with four (4) regional job order contractors (JOC) each with a capacity of $6 million per contract year. The DES/E&AS project manager is the responsible party authorized to initiate individual work orders and administrate the job order contract on behalf of their client agencies.

Small Works Roster
The Small Works Roster is a listing of State of Washington licensed contractors who have applied for and been placed on the roster. The Small Works Roster is used for projects under $350,000.

Organizations use the roster to generate a list of contractors based on the contractor type, type of work and project location. Contractors on the list receive instructions, usually by email, on how to obtain project documents.

Learn more about the Small Works Roster.

When to consider using an A/E

The Project Manager and the Client Agency will decide when to use an A/E. These are some considerations:

Low risk nature of work may not require an A/E

  • Has fairly simple scope.
  • In-kind replacements.
  • Building Permit is not required.

Higher risk nature of work (May require an A/E)

  • May be more complex.
  • May require engineering review or verification.
  • Building Permit requires Architect/Engineer stamped documents.
  • The A/E takes on the traditional responsibility for the design and end function of the solution and/or construction administration.
  • To assist the owner and E&A Services to ensure that the quantities and proposed costs are reasonable.

If the Project Manager and Client Agency decide to use an A/E, they may choose to use an on-call consultant, campus consultant, or select from the A/E Reference File.