| In the economic climate that we find ourselves at | | | | and collaboration of team members throughout |
| the moment, it seems that the only projects out | | | | the project. Interestingly, trade contractors are |
| there are public jobs where bids are solicited and | | | | considered the most crucial element of early |
| any warm-blooded creature with a pulse and a | | | | project collaboration because their input will have |
| remote ability to read plans can submit a price on | | | | significant impact on design and project cost. |
| the job. The municipalities are required by law to | | | | Jonathan Cohen with Integrated Project |
| accept the lowest responsible bid. Of course | | | | Resources recently published six case studies of |
| words like responsible can be interpreted in many | | | | IPD projects through the American Institute of |
| ways, so the public entity reserves the right to | | | | Architects. Cohen defines IPD by projects having |
| exclude bids from companies that they feel are | | | | the following characteristics:o Early Involvement of |
| not capable of performing the work. However, | | | | Key Participantso Shared Risk and Rewardo |
| when tax dollars are in the mix, I would think that | | | | Multi-Party Contracto Collaborative Decision Making |
| it is difficult to justify not taking the low bid | | | | and Controlo Liability Waivers Among Key |
| especially if they can provide the bonding and | | | | Participantso Jointly Developed and Validated |
| insurance requirements. | | | | Project Goals |
| I've been doing a lot of hard bidding lately with | | | | Cohen goes into analysis about each individual |
| only very limited success. Last week I bid a $4 | | | | project but sums up the study by writing: |
| million animal sanctuary where there were at least | | | | In every case these projects met or exceeded |
| ten other bidders. Of course I didn't get the job, | | | | the owner's expectations with respect to budget, |
| and not only was I frustrated at wasting nearly a | | | | schedule, design quality, and sustainability and also |
| week putting this bid together, I was also | | | | met the financial expectations of designers and |
| frustrated by wasted the time of 50 or so | | | | builders. Every participant interviewed was |
| subcontractors that delivered bids to me. If we | | | | enthusiastic about IPD and eager to try it again. |
| think about all the time wasted on this bidding | | | | I think IPD is certainly the method of project |
| process from all ten bidders and potentially | | | | delivery that makes the most sense, but will |
| hundreds of subs, the man hours begin to hit the | | | | certainly involve more upfront investment of time |
| stratosphere. Sometime I think that there has go | | | | and money in a project. Will owners be able to |
| to be a better way. | | | | stomach this release of monies early in the |
| Well, there probably is, and it is call Integrated | | | | construction project in hopes of delivering a |
| Project Delivery (IPD). IPD is a negotiated form of | | | | better product? Evidently they have and will |
| project delivery where risk and reward are | | | | hopefully continue to do so. |
| shared among the owner, architect, prime | | | | It will at least cut down on the hours of wasted |
| contractor, and sometimes even subcontractors. | | | | bidding time. |
| IPD emphasizes early involvement of contractors | | | | |