Construction Management

The Construction Management branch of the Flood Control District facilitates the construction of all District projects. A construction project may last from several months to approximately two years with costs ranging from $100,000 to $20 million. The majority of projects are financed through the Capital Improvement Program.

The construction process involves four phases:

1. Pre-Bid Phase

During the initial phase of the construction process the project parameters are set. The District's project managers lead discussions in which input from District construction managers, outside consultants and city representatives is compiled to optimize the project design and cost. Project managers are primarily concerned with three criteria:

• Feasibility: Is the project possible to complete and can potential problems be overcome?
• Design: If the project is feasible, what design specifications should be used?
• Value Engineering: The various design specification options are examined to determine which offers the highest quality at the lowest cost.


2. Pre-Construction Phase

The second phase covers the period from the time contractors submit their bids to the point when a contractor is awarded the job. There are three stages of the pre-construction phase:

• Bid Reviews: Bids are scrutinized for inconsistencies and irregularities which would disqualify a contractor from performing the work. The Board of Directors of the Flood Control District gives the final approval on establishing the contractor that offers the best and lowest bid.
• Preliminary Meetings: The contractor who is the low bidder is interviewed regarding their background, experience, qualifications and ability to complete the project in the specified time frame.
• Project Document Setup: Electronic forms and databases are set up in preparation for work to commence on the project.


3. Construction Phase

The third and most comprehensive phase is the period from the issuance of the Notice to Proceed to the contractor through the construction and completion of the project. There are several ongoing processes in the construction phase:

• Partnering Meetings: At the start of the construction phase, all the primary partners in the project meet to discuss the details of the project. Partners include the District project manager and construction manager, contractor and subcontractors, and city representatives. After the initial meeting there are monthly follow-up meetings.
• Progress Meetings: Each week the contractor provides the District and other project partners with project updates and future work schedules.
• Contract Administration: Documents are generated throughout the construction phase, including payments to the contractor, project updates, change orders and RFI (Request for Information) forms from the contractor.
• Pay Estimates: Contractors and consultants working on the project are paid on a monthly basis until the project is completed.
• Project Status Updates: The District provides internal tracking of each step of construction progress.
• Inspection: This important quality assurance inspection occurs periodically during the construction phase until the project is completed.


4. Post-Construction Phase

Once construction is completed and the final inspection has occurred, the District ends its management of the project.

• Project Document Close Out: The as-built document, which is the blueprint of the project in its completed form, is printed and a copy archived at the District administrative office. All financial records are balanced and finalized. The District receives a Certificate of Performance (COP) from the contractor which indemnifies the District and provides a one-year warranty period from the date of the COP.
• Hand Over of the Project to Owner: Typically the District manages a construction project that will ultimately be owned and operated by a city or municipality. In these instances, the District provides the owner with all of the necessary documentation, as-builts, manuals, and training to operate and manage the project after completion.
• One-Year Warranty Enforcement: At the time the project is completed and the COP received, the District performs a walk-through to inspect for defects or other problems per the one-year warranty on the project. The contractor is responsible to make any necessary repairs. A second walk-through is performed at the end of the one-year warranty period and repairs are made by the contractor if necessary.
• Final Partnering and Lessons Learned Meeting: In this meeting, all the partners and stakeholders in the project gather to review the good and bad aspects of the construction process. The discussion and analysis among the parties results in lessons learned, or ways to do things better, that can be applied to future projects.