PURPOSE
This Procedure describes more specific aspects of the preparation of design and construction documents for air/water quality and wastewater treatment projects managed by the Bureau of Engineering (BOE). For general or typical aspects of the design process applicable to all project types, please refer to Procedure 8.1.
REFERENCES
Standard Specifications for Public Works Construction (Green Book) – Latest Edition
American Public Works Association – Standard Plans for Public Works Construction
RESPONSIBILITIES
Project Manager (PM): The PM is responsible, normally through the efforts of the Project Engineer, for the completion of the design documents within the schedule and to the satisfaction of the Client. The PM is also responsible for insuring that quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures are followed and that the project remains within the approved budget and is consistent with the concept presented in the Pre-Design Report.
Project Engineer (PE): The PE will be responsible for the preparation, coordination, updating, and revision of the design and construction documents. The PE is required to follow the procedures outlined in this Chapter to protect public health, safety, welfare, and to ensure successful completion of the project. These procedures facilitate the production of accurate, consistent, complete, and understandable final plans and specifications, to be used to initiate and complete the construction of a project. The PE is responsible for coordinating the design documents with all of the design disciplines that have contributed to the project.
PROCEDURE
The Design Process
The preparation of final design documents starts with the transition from Pre-Design activities to development of detailed design and finishes with the development of final construction plans and specifications. During the Design Phase, the PE and Design Team will accomplish the activities listed in Section D. Design Phase of the EED-Project Engineer/Project Manager Checklist. The PE must also maintain a Project Binder and/or project files to properly document the Design Phase.
The Design Team for air/water quality and wastewater treatment projects will typically consist of process, architectural, civil, structural, electrical, and instrumentation, and control disciplines. The Design Team, in completing the activities contained in the EED-Project Engineer/Project Manager Checklist, must strive to create a biddable and constructible project that is consistent with the selected alternative from the Pre-Design Report. In doing so, the Design Team may utilize Architectural/Engineering (A/E) consulting services for architectural (including landscape), environmental, geotechnical, real estate, structural, and survey as necessary to produce the set of final construction plans and specifications. A/E services can be in-house staff (BOE or consultants) and/or consultant services obtained through pre-qualified on-call consultants lists.
Development of the Technical Specifications should begin with the initiation of the Design Phase. Refer to Procedure 8.2 and Chapter 10 for additional discussion of specifications and bid documents.
The construction documents are the compilation of the complete design package and consist of the final plans, specifications, and special provisions. Construction documents must be accurate, consistent, complete, and understandable. Strict adherence to the EED-Project Engineer/Project Manager Checklist will insure that the construction documents are complete and of high quality.
Typical Activities
The EED-Project Engineer Checklist can be enhanced with the following additional activities (as necessary):
Verify that the Pre-Design Report and selected project alternative are approved by the Client.
Complete the process description and process flow sheet(s) if not already completed in the Pre-Design Report. These must be completed very early in the Design Phase.
Establish a lead discipline for CAD design and maximize the use of similar backgrounds among the support disciplines.
Participate in regular discussions with the Client/User regarding project scope, cost, and consistency with the Pre-Design Report and selected project alternative.
Document Client/User meetings and evaluate the impact of decisions on the cost and schedule of the project.
Obtain Client and Program Manager approval for significant design changes and/or deviations prior to re-directing Design Team activities.
Outline a probable construction document drawing package, with numbers and types of drawings enumerated for all involved disciplines. This should be significantly complete at the 50% design milestone, including title and index sheets.
Verify at the 50% design milestone that all plan sheets are numbered, titled, and contain the names of design team members.
Update the construction cost estimate to Class B status at the 50% design completion point and compare it to the project budget.
Secure additional approvals from the Client and Program Manager and obtain additional funding for significant changes in scope and budget, including documentation.
Distribute technical review, squad check, or other interim review packages a minimum of two-weeks prior to conducting meetings, and require design team members to conduct their reviews and mark-ups prior to the meeting.
Identify site constraints for staging, lay down, construction trailers, construction staff access, parking and safety.
Complicated or extensive utility issues.
The following activities will enhance the development and assembly of the construction document package:
Develop a list of all project drawings and other documents, including a brief description of their contents.
Prepare a Schedule for preparation of construction documents with milestone markers and reviews as appropriate to allow for proper coordination with other disciplines.
Investigate product literature or question representatives about material selection information.
Coordinate and cross-reference all documents, including the work of all Consultants.
Cross-check products and materials called for in the Special Provisions for consistency with corresponding terminology and descriptions in the construction documents.
Check the project for discrepancies between the design development and construction documents.
Conduct final document review for compliance with applicable specifications, regulations, etc.
Obtain any required approvals and permits.
Identify the need for project detour and construction traffic lane requirements.
Include plan sheets for the Bureau of Street Lighting and Department of Transportation.
Send 90% plans to Utility Coordination Section, Project Award and Control Division.
Typical Issues
The following typical issues apply in some cases and must be considered early in the Design Phase:
Special stormwater pollution abatement, air quality, or other environmental requirements such as National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Air Quality Management District (AQMD) permit conditions and electrical area classifications.
Additional potholing to enhance substructure knowledge where existing records are lacking, especially in congested areas of older facilities.
Inclusion of operations and maintenance staff as design team stakeholders.
Use of 3-D CAD to detail complex piping and equipment interfaces.
Early identification of specialized equipment, sole-source equipment, and long lead time equipment.
Conduct field investigations whenever necessary to support the design process.
Utilize institutional knowledge to the maximum extent practicable in the decision- making process.
Deliverables
In addition to the deliverables identified in the EED-Project Engineer/Project Manager Checklist, the following items must also be provided either as a deliverable or included in the project files:
Complete, signed, and stamped calculations.
Complete, signed, and/or initialed QA/QC checklists.
All Client and Program Manager approvals for significant deviations from the Pre-Design Report and funding approvals for increases in project costs.
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