CIRIA - Civil Engineering Design And Construct

This publication is a guide to best practice in managing the project process in civil engineering design and construct (D&C) projects. It discusses the issues to be addressed when managing design and explains the attitudes and practices that are recommended to enable projects to succeed. It is intended to increase awareness and understanding of the issues involved, identifying what decisions need to be made, when and why. Differences between D&C and traditional procurement routes are highlighted along with contractual issues. "Design and construct" is taken to be a generic term encompassing the whole family of design, construct, finance, own, operate and transfer procurement strategies, in which one party is responsible for both designing and constructing a facility. This includes projects procured under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Considerable emphasis is placed on imparting awareness of the importance of the designer-constructor interface as, in a D&C project, the most critical lines of communication are at this interface. As well as describing contractual frameworks, this guide also contains management toolboxes for reference. It is a working document that will assist those at a senior level (clients, contractors and consultants alike) who have to make crucial decisions affecting the outcome of a project.