Successful RFPs in Construction: Managing the Request for Proposal Process [Paperback]

Richard Fria (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 18, 2005

The negotiated contract method for RFPs is a rapidly growing trend in construction. Traditionally, RFPs have gone through a competitive bid method – meaning that 100% of the design work is done without the input of contractors and with very little real cost information. With the negotiated contract method, only about 10% of the design work is done before a contractor is brought to the table, which means less paperwork and lower up-front costs. There are several advantages to the negotiated contract method: • Because only a small part of the design work is done up-front (before a contractor is brought on board), no extensive re-design work has to be done when budget/schedule issues with the design become a factor. • A complete team – architect/designer and contractor – is assembled earlier, making for a much more efficient process and outcome. • The RFP process becomes a collaborative effort, rather than a competitive one. There is no other book on the shelf that either focuses specifically on RFPs in the construction industry, or features a step-by-step method for implementing the negotiated contract method. This is a step-by-step guide for managing the RFP process in a way that saves time, money, enhances team collaboration, and assures quality in construction. Focusing on the negotiated contract method (as opposed to the competitive bid method), the book takes readers from articulating the needs/wish list for a construction project, to the analysis of responses and interviews, through negotiations and finalization of the deal. This is a roadmap for: • Preparing, understanding, and assessing the quality of information in an RFP. • Gathering critical, project-specific information from free and up-to-date local databases. • Adding value to the process by assisting consultants in marketing and project management capabilities. • Selecting and working with a team early in the process to stay on-schedule and on-budget. • Improving the materials selection process and the end-result overall quality of construction. • Example and template forms make it easy to create a successful RFP process.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

With FREE Downloadable Forms and Templates!

STEP BY STEP TO A WIN/WIN NEGOTIATED CONTRACT

Construction expert/project manager Rick Fria's Successful RFPs in Construction is the only book that turns the new negotiated contract RFP paradigm inside out to show why negotiated contracts are rapidly replacing competitive bidding. This guide gives you a detailed roadmap to negotiated contract RFPs that lead to happy beginnings, middles, and endings in design/construction, and to savings you would not have believed possible.

BENEFITS FOR BOTH SIDES
This book teaches everything needed to manage the negotiated contract RFP process, adroitly and with maximum economic benefit. Inside, Rick Fria shows you how negotiated contract RFPs can:

• Turn construction projects into collaborations, not competitions
• Improve project coordination and teamwork by bringing the contractor aboard when design work is about 10% complete
• Streamline and trim project costs with early-on architect/engineer and contractor cooperation and input
• Virtually eliminate costly and frustrating midproject redesign
• Get better on-time and on-budget project performance
• Enhance marketing and project management functions
• Improve materials selection, quality of construction, and end-result satisfaction
• Reduce paperwork and upfront costs

WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS
Open Rick Fria's guide and learn how to:

• Personalize this resource's free downloadable templates for faster, easier RFPs
• Get critical, project-specific information from local databases
• Prepare expert RFPs with specificity, clarity, and completeness
• Target and qualify contractor candidates
• Quantitatively analyze responses and interview effectively
• Negotiate the final deal

THE ONLY GUIDE YOU NEED TO NEGOTIATED RFPs

About the Author

Richard T. Fria owns, operates and is president of The Fria Company, Inc., which provides project and construction management services on large commercial developments. He is well-known for on-time and in-budget delivery while assuring adherence to program and aesthetic requirements.

Mr. Fria has worked in the industry for 35 years, completing over five million square feet of projects totaling in excess of $500 million. His expertise in office, biotech, hi-tech, retail, multifamily, and hospitality construction provides a diverse understanding of complex designs, systems, and budgets. His team-oriented leadership and management style have contributed to award-winning success, including:

• AGC Award for Excellence in High-Rise Construction and Canada Precast Industry Project of the Year for the Second Seneca Building
• AGC Grand Award for Excellence in Construction for Pacific Place
• AGC Grand Award for Excellence in Construction, NAIOP Development of the Year, and AIA Renovation of the Year (Honorable Mention) for the ZymoGenetics Building

Drawing on his experience working with nationally recognized design firms, developers, and owners, he has formulated unique techniques for "managing design to meet budget and program," particularly in the negotiated project delivery approach. The RFP is a key element in this process.

In this book, Mr. Fria presents a systematic tutorial on getting the most from the negotiated construction RFP process. The system is designed to deliver extensive, project-specific information to the owner and design team, affording the ideal opportunity to validate schedule and cost assumptions as well as to collect relevant data useful in refining the scope, design, and budget. This process offers a quantitative and thorough means to determine which contractor team will add the most value to the project.

For access to free downloads of forms and templates that can be customized for your specific RFP situations, please visit http://books.mcgraw-hill.com/engineering/updatezone.

The Fria Company (www.friaCM.com) contracts to developers, owners, operators, and architects, and provides services ranging from full-service project management to task-oriented functions such as managing the RFP, strategic project planning, value engineering, quality assurance, construction and project management, and problem-solving. Special emphasis is placed on team play and value-added consensus decision-making.

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 1 edition (March 18, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071449094
• ISBN-13: 978-0071449090
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #613,903 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth the investment!, March 20, 2006

By 

J. R. Schwartz (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Successful RFPs in Construction: Managing the Request for Proposal Process (Paperback)

A great guide for obtaining pricing early in the development process. Presented in a straight-forward, concise manner, this book will allow owners, consultants, and project managers to obtain useful pricing information that can be used to underwrite financial analysis and assist in selecting a contractor to work with during the design process. We just used the system on a large mixed use project and had excellent results. The analysis tools and approach allowed us focus in on what was the "real" cost of each contractor proposal, not just the cost per square foot. I highly recommend it!