The NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) today issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) detailing the first set of projects in its Public Buildings division that will proceed under the agency’s developing design-build program and seeking input from firms regarding their intent to participate in the program.
“We’re very pleased to introduce our new design-build program, which will reduce costs and project durations for critical public buildings such as firehouses, libraries and recreation centers,” DDC Commissioner Lorraine Grillo said in an Oct. 20 statement . “Our design-build team has been researching, preparing and implementing best practices so that our industry partners will consider us an owner of choice, and we expect a robust response to our future solicitations.
“We plan to implement design-build gradually and then observe and modify the program as we go. This Notice of Intent for a limited group of projects alerts firms to begin forming their design-build teams for DDC projects, and we’re prepared to help in that regard, particularly as it relates to minority- and women-owned business enterprises, which are highly encouraged to participate.”
The NOI is the first of a number of steps towards procurement, and is intended primarily for informational and planning purposes. No qualification submittals are requested at this time. Later this year the agency will issue Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) that design-build teams can respond to with Statements of Qualifications (SOQs). Qualified teams will then be able to respond to subsequent Requests for Proposals (RFPs) that will be issued by the agency for various specific public buildings projects.
Interested parties are encouraged to return the NOI Response Form where they can indicate whether they anticipate responding to future RFQs as well as reasons why they may not. Firms completing the Response Form that are seeking to team with other firms in the architecture, engineering and construction industries can also request to have their contact information posted publicly on the DDC website.
The Notice of Intent and the accompanying NOI Response Form can be downloaded here.
The design-build method of project delivery offers several advantages over the traditional low-bid method that City government has been required to use in the past, including reducing project costs and durations and improving coordination between designers and builders. DDC and several other City agencies received permission from the State of New York in December 2019 to begin using design-build for a variety of projects. Since that time, DDC has been working to identify suitable projects to proceed under design-build and to develop a program and materials to proceed with the necessary procurements.
DDC seeks design-build teams that are dedicated, responsive and collaborative, exemplifying the principles that guide the agency’s Project Excellence program. This will be reflected in the evaluation of SOQs and in subsequent RFPs and Design-Build Agreements. Information about DDC’s Project Excellence program can be found here.
DDC intends to use in its design-build program qualified firms that have a demonstrated history of hiring, training, developing, promoting and retaining minority and women staff and to encourage participation by City- and State-certified M/WBE firms. Each design-build project will be subject to M/WBE participation goals for both design/consulting and construction activities.
Eligible firms are encouraged to get certified, and/or to get their eligible trade partners certified, well in advance of SOQ submission. For information about getting certified and assistance in contacting qualified M/WBE firms for partnering and subcontracting opportunities, please visit the website of the NYC Department of Small Business Services here.
DDC will not respond to any inquiries for information about the projects or the intended solicitations. Additional information will be publicly announced at a later date and interested vendors are advised to closely watch DDC’s design-build website for announcements at the link below. All solicitation documents and amendments will be posted on DDC’s website at https://designbuild.ddcanywhere.nyc/.
In June, DDC issued an RFP to select an Owner’s Representative for its new design-build program.
