Contract Administration Blog
Design Information Modeling (DIM™) is a Context Capital Asset Management approach to Design Management for Owner’s Project Management pre-construction services.
DIM is the first and second dimensions before Building Information Modeling (BIM) 3rd to 8th dimensions and are purely fundamental and complimentary to BIM.
DIM starts during the Feasibility / Conceptual Phases through to Design Procurement, Schematic Design, Design Development and finally construction documentation. The blog presents a smattering of ways that Context controls costs and manages projects.
When developing the Request for Designer Services (RFS), We suggest ask for their approach on drawing percentages if the owner does not have plan or is in need of suggestions or improvements on their current design contracts. It seems that there could be multiple iterations and multiple approaches.
Pro tip to Owner's Project Managers and Owners and Awarding Authorities. We recommend the owner (and OPM if hired early on), to add a budget line item for and hire the following consultants and incorporate these design deliverables:
Two separate cost estimators for cost reconciliation throughout the pre-construction phase because it is difficult to receive services when the cost estimators have nothing to go by. Designers or OPMs may attempt to receive this service from contractors rather than third-party estimators which is a conflict of interest.
Commissioning Agent and Building Envelope Commissioning Agent (BECx) during pre-construction
Drawing Progress and percentage of total fee earned are two separate considerations.
Drawing Progress
Conceptual
Schematic
50% DD or Design Development
100% DD
50% CD
90% CD AHJ and OPM reviews
100% CD / Bid Documents (incorporating AHJ and OPM review)
Fee Allocation
Conceptual 5%, 5% Cumulative
Schematic 15%, 25% Cumulative
50% DD or Design Development 10%, 30% cumulative
100% DD 10%, 40% cumulative
50% CD 15%, 55% cumulative
90% CD AHJ and OPM reviews 15%, 70% cumulative
100% CD / Bid Documents 5%, 80% cumulative
Construction Administrative 20%, 100% cumulative
Pro tip No. 2. Design Contingency for Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for Scope Creep or unforeseen conditions. The OPM must encourage the team to define the program and the end user stakeholders.
Let us know if you would be interested in an OPM news letter so you can learn about some important contract considerations that an Owner’s Project Manager would be providing as a pre-construction service. We have many up and coming best practices to share through thirty years of lessons learned.
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