A Bridge Over Troubled Waters: How Bridging Documents Facilitate Project Development

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["strong"],["i"]],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"July 12, 2022"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Prior to sending out a request for proposals to design-build\ncontractors, the owner on a design-build project will often retain the services\nof a design consultant to prepare the project\u2019s initial design and budget.\nTypically, this consultant is not the entity who ultimately serves as the\nproject\u2019s contractor. Thus, an issue arises in conveying the initial design and\nbudget to the contractors responding to the owner\u2019s request for proposals.\nBridging documents are often the solution to this issue. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Bridging documents are prepared by the owner\u2019s consultant, a\nbridging architect, and are used to provide design-build contractors bidding\nthe project with the project\u2019s design and construction requirements. These\ndocuments typically contain a summary of the work, technical requirements,\nplans, project constraints, reference materials, and contractual requirements.\nFrom the owner\u2019s perspective, one of the common disadvantages of design-build\nprojects is the loss of control over the project\u2019s development. When properly\nprepared, bridging documents can alleviate this issue and advance the owner\u2019s\ngoals by establishing a clear and competitive procurement process and allocate\nrisks in order to optimize the owner\u2019s risk\/cost tradeoff. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Another advantage to bridging documents is that potential\ndesign-build contractors do not have to incur costly fees associated with the\ntypical procurement process. The potential design-build contractors are\nprovided with the preliminary design from the owner, reducing the amount of\ntime and costs required to prepare a sufficient bid proposal. This allows firms\nwho may otherwise be unable to cover the traditionally high costs of a\npreparing a proposal to meaningfully participate in the bid process. This also\nallows for a more realistic fixed price or cost plus with a guaranteed maximum\nprice contract quicker than other project delivery methods. Bridging documents\nalso reduce pre-construction costs. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"As can be seen, properly prepared bridging documents can span\nthe potential troubled waters between conception and construction on\ndesign-build projects. It is recommended that owners interested in utilizing\nbridging documents take a look at AIA C141-2014. AIA C141-2014 is a standard\nform agreement between the owner and a consultant for a design-build project\nand represents the first step to using bridging documents."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0,1],2,"AIA Contract Documents has provided this article for general informational purposes only. The information provided is not legal opinion or legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship of any kind. This article is also not intended to provide guidance as to how project parties should interpret their specific contracts or resolve contract disputes, as those decisions will need to be made in consultation with legal counsel, insurance counsel, and other professionals, and based upon a multitude of factors. "]]]]}