Assembling A Collaborative Team - Other - Page 28
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Assembling a Collaborative Project Team
direction of a particular concept, can be invaluable. At Stage 3, having input
from those specialist contractors making the greatest contribution to the
design process, which might typically be curtain walling or mechanical
services contractors, can allow value engineering and innovation to be
delivered earlier in the design process as well as providing a more robust
coordination process. Put another way, early contractor involvement can
ensure that the Developed Design is based on sound technical input and is
therefore more robust at the commencement of Stage 4. Of course, many design
teams will regularly work with the same specialist subcontractors and may
involve them in the early design stages regardless of the form of procurement.
•
Single point of responsibility – with contractor-led procurement, the client has
a single point of responsibility. In the event that any issues arise during the
course of the design and construction, or more importantly post occupancy,
the client would discuss these issues with the contractor who would then
determine whether the issue was a result of the design or the construction
and resolve it accordingly.
• R
isk – procurement options that involve a transition from a traditional project
team to a contractor-led project team create additional risk for the contractor.
The contractor is expected to take responsibility not only for what the incumbent
design team have designed but also for what they have not designed! Furthermore,
the contractor may have no experience of working with members of the client’s
design team. With contractor-led procurement the contractor, typically via the
design manager, is fully aware of the status of the developing design and is party
to design decisions, allowing risks to be understood, considered in greater
detail and, where possible, eliminated. Furthermore, the contractor can select
the parties that will make up their team.
relationships in aproject
contractor-led
Figure 2.3 The relationships in The
a contractor-led
teamproject team
client
contract
contractor
design
team
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