PURPOSE
The purpose of the pre-design phase is to develop and analyze project scope alternatives, select the best possible alternative to the method to deliver the project and develop design criteria.
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RESPONSIBILITIES
Project Manager (PM): It is the PM’s responsibility to work with the project team to guide the project and to propose the possible means of delivering the project and to lead the analysis of project scope alternatives. The project team includes internal and external participants; project staff, selected interdepartmental, interagency or consultant staff and technical experts. The PM should utilize other members of the project team as necessary to fully develop and analyze the project alternatives. The PM should also rank the alternatives in order of their effectiveness in meeting the project goals and constraints with respect to scope, budget & schedule. When the preferred project alternative is selected by the PM, the analysis of alternatives should be discussed with the Program Manager and Client and obtain their concurrence.
Project Engineer (PE): On complex projects the PM may bring in a PE to assist the PM with his/her responsibilities.
PROCEDURE
Formulation Phase Identify Project Goals and Objectives
This phase will identify the scope of work, goals, and objectives, formulate cost targets and constraints, and identify the time available to complete the project. The project purpose and selected alternatives for evaluation must have clear traceability from the goals and objectives in the project initiation request from the client.Internal and External Participants
Identify the internal and external participants to form the project team. Clearly establish each team member’s role and responsibility, and identify any known constraints related to their efforts.Project Review Plan
Describe the required reviews that are specific for the project during the formulation phase.Hold project team reviews, as appropriate, in accordance with the Project Review Plan. It is crucial to obtain input and approvals from the project team members.
Analysis of Alternatives
Once the project purpose and selected alternatives for evaluation have been identified and approved for evaluation, an analysis of alternatives and delivery methods are performed to determine the best possible solution to accomplish the project scope within the identified constraints. Such constraints as available time, budget, real estate, and environmental impacts to meet the established project goals. It should be noted that the best possible alternative is not necessarily the least expensive.The feasibility, as well as the pros and cons of each alternative, should be discussed. The analysis should include, but not be limited to, the following considerations associated with each alternative: how the alternative solves the problem, the cost, design schedule, construction schedule, impacts on the surrounding community, property needs, geotechnical restraints, environmental impacts, constructability, and ease of maintenance. After all of the alternatives have been discussed and compared, one alternative should be recommended as the preferred solution. A discussion of why this alternative is the preferred solution should be included.
In selected cases, life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) as a tool shall be used to determine the most cost-effective option among different competing alternatives to purchase, own, operate, maintain and, finally, dispose of an object or process, when each is equally appropriate to be implemented on technical grounds.
The PM then prepares a technical memorandum to include the alternative analysis that clearly describes each of the possible alternatives, including the no-project alternative. The technical memo should be approved by the project team and the Program Manager and will later be developed into the pre-design report (see Procedure 7.5 - Preparing the Pre-Design Report).
In addition, the PM should forward this technical memo to the A/E Consulting Services Groups that will be involved with the project (as applicable). These may include: the Real Estate Group or the General Services Department’s Asset Management Group for its assessment of the project’s property needs (see Procedure 7.2 - Identifying Property Needs); the Geotechnical Engineering Division for its geotechnical investigation; and the Environmental Management Group for its assessment of the required environmental documents (see Procedure 7.4 - Preliminary Environmental Review).
Approvals (for Implementation)
1st: The acknowledgment by the project committee and program manager that the project has met expectations and requirements and is ready to proceed for the final approval for implementation.2nd: The approval by the client executives or decision authority to commit the budget resources necessary to continue into implementation.
RELATED PROCEDURES
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