From: Bradsher, Elizabeth (School Board Member) [ETBradsher@fcps.edu]
To: Tistadt, Dean
CC:
BCC:
Sent: 6/23/2010 3:28:56 PM
Subject: RE: Design-Build
Attachments:
I will call you I am furious. Telling SOAR people that they can take Clifton’s place on CIP. Continuing with design-build, said he passed something yesterday that the BOS agreed to look at CIP queue and work to increase pace of renovations. Said this was going to go to a vote? He is working on doing your job.
Liz
Elizabeth T. Bradsher
Fairfax County School Board
Springfield District
Phone: (571) 296-1875
Debora L. Cain, Executive Administrative Assistant
Phone: (571) 423-1070
________________________________
From: Tistadt, Dean
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 3:06 PM
To: Bradsher, Elizabeth (School Board Member)
Subject: RE: Design-Build
There is definitely a lesson to be learned in that experience…..
From: Bradsher, Elizabeth (School Board Member)
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 3:04 PM
To: Tistadt, Dean
Subject: RE: Design-Build
Can’t believe he is on this call. I told him I had a conference call and he asked with “who” and I was too honest. CRAP!
Elizabeth T. Bradsher
Fairfax County School Board
Springfield District
Phone: (571) 296-1875
Debora L. Cain, Executive Administrative Assistant
Phone: (571) 423-1070
________________________________
From: Tistadt, Dean
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 3:03 PM
To: Bradsher, Elizabeth (School Board Member)
Subject: RE: Design-Build
Can’t wait to hear the outcome. Hang tough.
From: Bradsher, Elizabeth (School Board Member)
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 3:02 PM
To: Tistadt, Dean
Subject: RE: Design-Build
Have a conference call now with SOAR and guess who is on this call too???
Elizabeth T. Bradsher
Fairfax County School Board
Springfield District
Phone: (571) 296-1875
Debora L. Cain, Executive Administrative Assistant
Phone: (571) 423-1070
________________________________
From: Tistadt, Dean
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 3:01 PM
To: Bradsher, Elizabeth (School Board Member)
Subject: RE: Design-Build
I hope he reads it before 4.
Do you want to talk before that meeting?
From: Bradsher, Elizabeth (School Board Member)
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 3:00 PM
To: Tistadt, Dean
Subject: RE: Design-Build
Lovely…
Elizabeth T. Bradsher
Fairfax County School Board
Springfield District
Phone: (571) 296-1875
Debora L. Cain, Executive Administrative Assistant
Phone: (571) 423-1070
________________________________
From: Tistadt, Dean
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 2:54 PM
To: 'pat.herrity@fairfaxcounty.gov'; Herrity, Pat
Cc: 'Bulova, Sharon S.'; School Board Members; School Board Office; Dale, Jack; 'Griffin, Anthony H.'
Subject: Design-Build
Dear Supervisor Herrity,
Several months ago you made mention to me in passing about the school system considering a change in its historical method of managing capital construction projects. Per Liz Bradsher’s request, I would like to provide additional information about our school construction expertise and offer further information regarding your comments that FCPS should consider “design-build” in lieu of our current practice of “design-bid-build”.
The following definition of design-build has been extracted from Wikipedia:
Design-build (or design/build, and abbreviated D-B or D/B accordingly) is a construction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction project delivery system where, in contrast to "design-bid-build
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design-bid-build " (or "design-tender"), the design and construction aspects are contracted for with a single entity known as the design-builder or design-build contractor. The design-builder is usually the general contractor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_contractor , but in many cases it is also the design professional (architect
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architect or engineer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer ). This system is used to minimize the project risk for an owner and to reduce the delivery schedule by overlapping the design phase and construction phase of a project. Where the design-builder is the contractor, the design professionals are typically retained directly by the contractor. The most efficient design-builder has design and construction professionals working directly for the same at-risk entity. This is one of the oldest forms of construction since developing from the "master builder" approach.
A primary advantage of design-build appears to be to shorten the delivery time frame of capital projects by overlapping the design and construction phases. Another significant benefit is that owners only have to contract with and deal with a single entity for the entire process versus having separate contracts for design and construction.
It appears to me that design-build can be a very favorable strategy for organizations that have funds for a specific project or projects, have total control over the design of the those projects, and wants to move them to market as quickly as possible. Design-build also works well for organizations that lack internal expertise and thus lack the resources/talents to manage projects from start to finish.
For Fairfax County Public Schools, none of those conditions exist that make design-build advantageous. For example:
· Our main limiter for capital projects is not time to market but rather a lack of sufficient capital funding from the Board of Supervisors. Certainly, we could accelerate projects through a variety of mechanisms but we cannot do so if it would result in our exceeding the annual spending limit of $155 million. While I recognize that this amount from the Board of Supervisors is generous considering the budget situation and the County’s capital needs, this annual limit remains quite low when considering our capital improvement requirements even with the current excellent construction prices that we are obtaining.
· We design our capital projects in collaboration with the school communities. It would be very difficult, if not impossible, to conduct simultaneous design with communities while already starting construction. The School Board continues to place a strong emphasis on community collaboration and transparency.
· We have a great deal of internal expertise and have had no problems managing both design contractors (architects) and construction contractors. Our internal review, oversight, and control processes ensure minimal conflicts between architects and general contractors. In fact, many other school systems ask for our advice and expertise due to our excellent reputation for managing our construction program.
· Finally, we perform phased occupied renovations of schools. This is a relatively unique renovation strategy about which very few design-build firms have expertise or experience. Phased occupied renovations require great attention to issues such as student/staff safety, indoor air quality, and project phasing. It would not be advisable for the school system to contract with a design-build firm that does not have the requisite experience.
For these reasons, we don’t see design-build as being part of a strategy to address the school system’s capital program needs. This is not to say that we have not tried to be creative. We have sold surplus property as a means to raise revenue for capital projects. We executed an energy performance contract that resulted in over $20 million in improvements to nearly 100 schools entirely funded by the energy savings that resulted from the improvements. We acted as the general contractor for the Woodson High School renovation and saved approximately $8 million as a result. We have spent absolutely no capital bond funding to renovate any administrative centers to ensure that the bond funds we do have available are used strictly for schools. We closed and moved one elementary school scheduled for renovation due to significant site constraints that would have increased construction costs. Effective July 1, 2010, we are closing an alternative high school that will not only save operating funds but also will save over $6 million in capital improvements that had been scheduled for that school. Finally, staff has recommended closure of another elementary school with site constraints that will cause higher than typical renovation costs.
I hope this adequately addresses any questions you might have on this subject. I would be happy to respond if you have further questions or need clarification.
Thank you.
Dean Tistadt