Howard Ashcraft and Patrick O'Connor presented "Integrated Project Delivery Contracts, Scope, Risk and Reward" in the fifth and final webinar in WPL Publishing's BIM Roadmap 2009 webinar series. Both are contributing authors to the AIA 2007 version 1 of the Integrated Project Delivery: A Guide, and are considered experts on Integrated Project Delivery (IPD).
Their presentation and discussion was comprehensive and easy to follow. It was right on the target for an audience of design and construction professionals. This is important for a complicated new topic such as IPD. Ashcraft and O'Connor began first with a clear definition of Integrated Project Delivery and its role in projects using Building Information Model (BIM).
Key principles overarching both topics in this webinar were that IPD is a process and BIM is a technology. Their presentation made clear that BIM is an enabling tool in which collaboration is fundamental, and as such, challenges traditional project delivery methods that do not accommodate a fully integrated approach. With this clarification, Ashcraft and O'Connor established an introduction point for the technical subject matter information and a foundation for identifying the industry's need to adopt this project delivery method.
The webinar was organized in two modules. It commenced with "Negotiating an IPD Agreement," in which Howard Ashcraft explained the basics of negotiation between parties in an IPD scenario. Ashcraft stressed the concept that parties should focus on the deal first and put it together as a project team. Once the deal is assembled, the team can work out the contract language between the project team participants. This approach serves to establish an understanding from the very beginning (without defensive stances) and individual protections typical of contract language. Ashcraft made clear that "negotiation is the first collaborative act," with his negotiation workflow diagram supported by IPD fundamentals. In addition, project scope, compensation alternates, project management and target cost concepts were discussed in detail.
Patrick O'Connor presented the second module -- "Integrated Project Delivery, The Basics" -- which emphasized the idea that "IPD means working for the project" through improved communication, cooperation, incentives and decisions focused on the good of the project. O'Connor's presentation included comparisons of the team organization, process, risk, compensation and communication/technology aspects in both a traditional delivery and an IPD. His comparisons and discussion of each clearly identified the differences between traditional and IPD. O'Connor also included an in-depth discussion about the various IPD agreements, with details about the AIA IPD Transitional Forms/Agreements and the Single Purpose Entity Agreement.
If Integrated Project Delivery is to be adopted by the industry, it will require a change in paradigm from traditional project delivery methods. For change to happen, the industry must first understand this new approach. Ashcraft and O'Connor delivered relevant information that attendees can reference and apply to better understand and make the transition to IPD.
Editor's note: You may purchase recordings of individual webinar presentations or a CD set of the entire series at www.bimroadmap2009.com.
Tamera McCuen is a faculty member in the Construction Science Division at the University of Oklahoma's College of Architecture. Her teaching emphasis includes cost estimating, life cycle cost analysis, sustainable construction, construction documents, project communications, interdisciplinary project teams, high performance teams, and the constructor's role in building information modeling. McCuen collaborated with an architecture faculty colleague to design and deliver an interdisciplinary class that received the AIA 2008 TAP BIM Award in the Academic Program/Curriculum Development category. She is a member of the National BIM Standard Project Team; is the Leader for the National BIM Standard Consensus Task Team; and is Communication Liaison for the National BIM Standard Testing Task Team. McCuen is also member of the BuildingSmart Alliance BIM speaker bureau.
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