Construction Documents
Construction documents are compiled from design development documents. They include all the architectural drawings and specifications necessary to complete the project, and are the basis of the bid documents and the construction contract.
In this phase the total project is reviewed for:
- Compliance with all applicable state and federal codes and statutes.
- Compliance with the University standards.
- Verification of the building site conditions.
- Quality controls during the construction phase.
- Estimates of all associated costs.
The estimated project costs are reviewed and updated to reflect current construction costs and are compared with the established project budget. If it is no longer feasible to complete the project within the established budget, alternative approaches and practical cost reductions are identified.
The bid process
When construction documents are complete, the project is ready to "put out for bid". The bid process is the industry standardized method of selecting and hiring contractors and other professional services. Qualified construction companies and contractors are provided with bid documents, which they use to determine the costs and prices for their bid package. The bid submissions are reviewed and accepted based on completeness of the bid package, compliance with the terms in the bid documents, construction suitability and the bid cost.
After all bids are received and reviewed, it is sometimes the case that all the submitted bid costs exceed the authorized project budget. For construction to proceed, either the project budget must be increased or changes made to the scope or quality of the project.
The contract document package
This accompanies the award of the project contract. It includes the construction documents, bid addendums and clarifications, as well as any other document related to accomplishing a construction contract.