AWWA ACE61635

To offset the rapid increase in construction costs, CH2M HILL has successfully implemented innovative procurement methods to reduce the costs of major process equipment during the design of projects throughout the country. Three equipment procurement methods have been widely implemented: pre-negotiation, pre-bidding, and pre-purchasing. By identifying the key process equipment components and determining the preferred vendor for specific equipment items, negotiating, bidding, or purchasing the equipment prior to the bidding of the project can generate significant cost savings for the owner. Each of these equipment procurement methods has resulted in improving the efficiency and quality of the design and construction phases and in achieving the primary goal of controlling construction costs. Specifically, these innovative procurement methods have been utilized for obtaining the process equipment at the J.G. Beacham Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Athens, Georgia, at the Rockdale County, Georgia, WTP, and at three WTPs in Clayton County, Georgia. This paper presents in detail the procurement methods employed for each of these projects. Includes 3 references, tables.