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Bridging the gap Bridging consultants date back to ancient Egypt, but in today’s market, it’s a good way for architecture firms to position themselves in the design-build industry.
W hat is bridging? On most design-build projects, the architect or engineer works as a subcontractor to the design-build contractor. The project owner does not have an “independent” design professional watching out for the owner’s interests. In addition, designers and contractors complain that in a design-build competition, the expense of preparing cost proposals is too great.
G. William Quatman
To solve both problems, some owners, especially in the public sector, retain an independent consultant to prepare a preliminary design. They then prepare outline specifications, assist with the RFQ/RFP process, and even stay on board during the construction phase to review pay applications, inspect the work, and certify the completion date. “Bridging” is the name given to this process, a term first coined by George Heery, FAIA, formerly of Heery International , now chairman emeritus of the Brookwood Group in Atlanta. The bridging consultant, also called the “A/E-1,” prepares design documents, usually to a level of no more than 30 percent complete. These schematic design documents are then used to obtain competitive proposals from design-build teams, whose architects and engineers will complete the
remaining 70 percent of the information needed for construction. With the design already laid out by the owner’s consultant, some refer to this process as “draw-build,” because all that is left for the design-build team is to “draw it.” Oftentimes, the owner’s bridging consultant serves as the owner’s representative to provide construction administration services, including final inspections and project close out, acting in the traditional role of the architect or engineer. The consultant may also function as a neutral in resolving disputes and in passing judgment on the quality of work. OLD ROOTS. The concept of one design professional completing a design started by another is not new
See G. WILLIAM QUATMAN, page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER May 2, 2016, ISSUE 1150
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