Testing the water
DOTD tackles bridge as first design-build project

By Sam Barnes

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is testing new waters as it prepares for its first design-build project.

Bridge engineer administrator Tony Ducote said a $4 million bridge replacement over the Tensas River in Franklin Parish would become DOTD's first experience with the method. Design-build companies have until January to submit proposals for the pilot project.

DOTD hopes the project will serve as the foundation for larger projects such as the planned $200 million Mississippi River Bridge at St. Francisville.

Ducote said 80 percent of the Tensas River project's funding will come from the Federal Highway Administration's Special Experimental Projects program. The Louisiana legislature authorized the project in 1999.

"The legislation initially authorized three projects not to exceed $500,000," Ducote said. "That was later amended to one project not to exceed $5 million since more information can be gained from a larger project."

advertisement

He added that there are still limitations.

"Even at $5 million it's hard to get an accurate gauge of the effectiveness of design-build," he said. "Of course with a larger project you have more to lose if it's unsuccessful."

The project's price tag includes about $200,000 in design costs.

"We're now working on the design and construction criteria that will go into the request for proposals," Ducote added. "A notice of intent will come first, followed by a request for qualifications, then finally RFPs."

In an effort to expedite the St. Francisville bridge project, legislation was passed during the recent legislative session authorizing design-build for the bridge, but final approvals are still pending.

"The department is in a position to expedite the process just as soon as those decisions are made and final approval is given," said DOTD project engineer Paul Fossier. "We're in a position to move right into the process of developing the request for qualifications."

Louisiana TIMED Managers, a private group hired to manage many projects that fall under DOTD's Transportation Infrastructure Model for Economic Development, would likely have some involvement in the process.

"In a year we should have a design-build firm on board and be able to hit the ground running," Fossier said. "A lot of the line and grade work has already been done by DOTD." Completion of the St. Franciscville bridge is expected in 2011.

Ducote said determining which company receives the contract is no longer a matter of simply awarding it to the lowest bidder with design-build. The evaluation takes into account the elements of time and cost, as well as certain technical aspects of the proposal.

While scoring submittals on time and cost is relatively simple, scoring the technical part of the proposal is more subjective and harder to measure.

"For the pilot program, we'll be looking at innovation in design and aesthetics, the management plan and project scheduling, design and geotechnical services, construction methods, quality control planning, construction engineering and inspection, warranty and maintainability," Ducote said.

With traditional bidding, DOTD engineers perform the design for six to eight months prior to preparing a bid.

"That time goes away with design build," he added. "Much of the remaining design work will be done while construction is already underway."

Critics of design-build say the initial expense required in the proposal preparation is a deterrent to smaller contractors. To counter the expense, DOTD plans to offer a stipend to partially compensate those companies not awarded the contract.

During the Franklin Parish project, DOTD will be required to submit several status reports on the progress of the project as required by the Special Experimental Projects program.

The information will be compiled by FHWA to examine the pros and cons of design-build in highway and bridge construction.

"We're also going to ask for feedback from contractors during the entire process," Ducote said. "There will be meetings when contractors can give feedback and ask questions."

Bridge construction is the most popular design-build project with state highway departments because "there's room for innovation that we hope translates into savings," Ducote said.

"Design-build is also becoming popular for work in highly congested areas where innovation is required to lessen the impact on traffic," Ducote said. "Essentially, design-build is advantageous any time there are constructability issues. There are some things that are impossible to expect and they don't come to light until the contractor comes in."

DOTD hopes to change the perception that design-build leads to a loss of owner control.

"The major difference for the owner is that there's a lot of additional administration up front and less of it as the project moves along," he added.

The Tensas River bridge project should be awarded by March and construction will begin soon afterward.

Useful Source:

For the full text of current state legislation authorizing the design-build pilot study, go to: http://www.legis.state.la.us/leg_docs/04RS/CVT8/OUT/0000LNE4.PDF