Preconstruction Activities
Preconstruction Activities
Preconstruction covers everything from issuing procurement documents to the contractor's mobilization. Know the delivery methods - design-bid-build, negotiated, CM at risk, design-build - because every question about who holds risk, who awards, and who can be directed hinges on them. In design-bid-build, the architect prepares bid documents, assists during bidding, answers questions only through addenda, and evaluates bids; the owner awards the contract - the architect never does.
Understand the bid-phase instruments: alternates (additive or deductive, taken in the order listed), unit prices (for quantities that may change), allowances (a stated sum for undefined scope), and pre-bid substitution/approved equal requests. Bonds are distinct from insurance: bid bond (guarantees the bidder will sign), performance and payment bonds (usually 100% of the contract sum each).
The pre-bid conference occurs before bids open; the preconstruction conference occurs after award, before mobilization, and establishes communication protocols, submittal schedules, and site logistics. The contractor owns the construction schedule; the architect reviews it for conformance with the contract documents.
Traps: a bidder who fails to acknowledge an addendum is generally rejected; an oral answer at a pre-bid meeting is not binding - only written addenda are; an owner who "levels" bids must apply identical criteria to all; an unbalanced (front-loaded) bid warrants review, not automatic rejection.
Worked example: Base bid $5.00M; Alt 1 (add) $220,000; Alt 2 (add) $95,000; Alt 3 (deduct) $130,000; budget $5.20M. Take alternates in order while staying in budget: Base + Alt 1 = $5.22M, over budget, so Alt 1 is dropped; Base + Alt 2 = $5.095M, within budget. Award at $5,095,000 including Alt 2.