Background and Objective: The Federal Facilities Council of the National Research Council is undertaking a study to benchmark Design Review Processes for Facilities. The FFC's objective is to identify a range of best practices and technologies that could be used by federal agencies to improve the design review process. For purposes of this study, the design review process applies to both new construction and major renovation projects

The study methodology will include a literature search, interviews with industry and federal staff, and information gathered through this questionnaire which is being sent to facilities program and project managers in federal agencies. The final report will be published in the Winter of 1999. A follow up workshop/conference on best practices in design review processes is planned for the Spring/Summer of 1999. All persons completing a questionnaire will receive a copy of the final report and an invitation to the workshop.

Structure: The questionnaire is divided into two parts. Part 1 is designed to elicit information on agencies' policies and practices related to design review and should be completed by the facilities program manager or a designated representative. Part I addresses the purposes of design review, process changes that have occurred over the last five fiscal years, anticipated future changes, if any, and performance measures used. Part 2 of the questionnaire is structured to gather more technical information about how design reviews are typically conducted for new construction and renovation projects. It should to be completed by agency project managers responsible for coordinating individual design reviews. To the extent possible, checklists have been provided to minimize the time and effort involved in completing either Part 1 or Part 2 of the questionnaire.

Deadlines: The questionnaires are being distributed electronically to minimize the time and effort involved in completing them. Questionnaires should be returned by e-mail to lstanley@nas.edu, by Friday, January 15, 1999.

If you have any questions about the study or the Federal Facilities Council, please send an e-mail to lstanley@nas.edu or call Lynda Stanley at (202) 334-3374.

1. Design Review Process

   1. Briefly describe in general terms how the design review process is performed within your agency (attach or send a process flow diagram, if available).

   2. In your agency, what milestones mark the beginning and the end of the design review process?

      Design review begins when:

      Design review ends when:

   3. What intermediate milestones are incorporated into the design review process? Please check all that apply.

      • 15%

      • 30%

      • 50%

      • 60%

      • 90%

      • 100%

      • Other:

   4. Approximately how many full time equivalent (FTE) positions are allocated to performing the design review function?

   5. On average, approximately how many projects (new construction and renovations) are reviewed per year with this level of staffing? Please provide data for the following categories if possible.

      Total number of projects (new construction and renovations)

      Number of projects valued at $1 million or less

      Number of projects valued at $1 million to $10 million

      Number of projects valued at $10 million or more

   6. For what types of projects are design reviews typically conducted (e.g., new structures over a certain dollar value, renovations over a certain dollar value)?

   7. Does your agency conduct the same level of design review for projects valued at less than $1 million as it does for projects valued at $10 million or more?

      • Yes

      • No

      If no, how does the level of review vary?

   8. Are there projects (new construction or renovations) for which no design review is undertaken?

      • Yes

      • No

      If yes, what are the characteristics of such projects (e.g. type of facility, dollar value)?

   9. What are the criteria for determining the level of design review required for a project? Please check all that apply.

• Project value

• Project complexity

• Relation of project to agency mission

• Political sensitivity

• Staff resources available

• Project schedule

• Project delivery method

• Other (please explain):

10. What functions of the design review process are typically performed by in-house staff for projects valued at $1 -$10 million ? Please check all that apply.

    • Scope and budget compliance

    • Compliance with agency design guides

    • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

    • Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

    • Building code compliance

    • Discipline coordination

    • Architectural reviews

    • Mechanical reviews

    • Electrical reviews

    • Structural reviews

    • Constructability reviews

    • Value engineering reviews

    • Review of shop drawings

    • Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

    • Other:

11. What functions of the design review process are typically performed by in-house staff for projects valued at more than $10 million? Please check all that apply.

    • Scope and budget compliance

    • Compliance with agency design guides

    • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

    • Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

    • Building code compliance

    • Discipline coordination

    • Architectural reviews

    • Mechanical reviews

    • Electrical reviews

    • Structural reviews

    • Constructability reviews

    • Value engineering

    • Review of shop drawings

    • Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

    • Other:

12. What functions of the design review process are typically outsourced to contractors for projects valued at $1-$10 million? Please check all that apply.

    • Scope and budget compliance

    • Compliance with agency design guides

    • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

• Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

• Building code compliance

• Discipline coordination

• Architectural reviews

• Mechanical reviews

• Electrical reviews

• Structural reviews

• Constructability reviews

• Value engineering

• Review of shop drawings

• Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

• Other:

13. What functions of the design review process are typically outsourced to contractors for projects of more than $10 million? Please check all that apply.

    • Scope and budget compliance

    • Compliance with agency design guides

    • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

    • Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

    • Building code compliance

    • Discipline coordination

    • Architectural reviews

    • Mechanical reviews

    • Electrical reviews

    • Structural reviews

    • Constructability reviews

    • Value engineering

    • Review of shop drawings

    • Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

    • Other:

14. What types of technologies (e.g., CADD, the Internet, Intranet) are used to support the design review process and how are they used?

15. How does your agency document comments/changes generated through the design review process?

2. Purposes of Design Review

   16. Why does your agency manage and/or conduct design reviews? Please check all that apply:

       • Legal requirements. Please explain:

       • Administrative/policy requirements. Please explain:

       • Code reviews

       • To manage risk. Please explain:

       Quality control to manage:

       • Design deficiency claims

       • Design amendments

       • Change orders

       • Project delivery time

17. • To retain in-house technical expertise. Please explain:

    • Other factors (Please explain).

18. Please rank the following from most important to least important as reasons your agency conducts design review (1 = most important, 6 = least important, 0 = not applicable)

    • Legal/administrative/policy requirements

    • Quality control

    • Assure user requirements are met

    • Maintain core competencies

    • Manage risk

    • Other (please explain briefly):

19. From your perspective, what five functions of the design review process add the greatest value? Please check a maximum of five items.

    • Scope and budget compliance

    • Compliance with agency design guides

    • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

    • Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

    • Building code compliance

    • Discipline coordination

    • Architectural reviews

    • Mechanical reviews

    • Electrical reviews

    • Structural reviews

    • Constructability reviews

    • Value engineering

    • Review of shop drawings

    • Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

    • Other:

20. What functions of the design review process add the least value, from your perspective? Please check a maximum of five items.

    • Scope and budget compliance

    • Compliance with agency design guides

    • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

    • Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

    • Building code compliance

    • Discipline coordination

    • Architectural reviews

    • Mechanical reviews

    • Electrical reviews

    • Structural reviews

    • Constructability reviews

    • Value engineering

    • Review of shop drawings

    • Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

    • Other:

21. Are there any functions of the design review process that could be eliminated with little or no risk to the quality and/or outcome of projects, from your perspective? Please check all that apply.

• Scope and budget compliance

• Compliance with agency design guides

• Compliance with client/tenant design guides

• Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

• Building code compliance

• Discipline coordination

• Architectural reviews

• Mechanical reviews

• Electrical reviews

• Structural reviews

• Constructability reviews

• Value engineering

• Review of shop drawings

• Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

• Other:

21. If the design review process was outsourced entirely to private contractors for all projects, what risks and liabilities would your agency face, from your perspective?

3. Design Review Process Changes

   22. How has your agency's design review process changed in the last 5 fiscal years, in terms of functions of in-house staff, functions of outside consultants, level of review, use of technology (CADD, Internet, Intranet)? Please provide a brief description of trends observed.

   23. What were the driving factors behind those changes? Please rank the following from most important to least important (1=most important, 6=least important, 0=not applicable).

       • Downsizing of agency staff

       • Business process reengineering

       • Cost of design review

       • Time involved with design review

       • Change in agency philosophy or emphasis regarding design review

       • Change in project delivery processes (e.g., increased use of design/build)

       • Other (Please explain):

   24. Over the last 5 fiscal years what changes have been observed or quantified? Please check the answers that most closely reflect trends in your agency.

       • Number of projects reviewed has increased by 10% or more

       • Number of projects reviewed has decreased by 10% or more

       • Number of projects reviewed has remained approximately the same

       • Data not available

       • Staff time involved in review has increased by 10% or more

       • Staff time involved in review has decreased by 10% or more

       • Staff time involved in review has remained approximately the same

       • Data not available

       • The use of technology to support design review has increased

       • The use of technology to support design review has decreased

• The use of technology to support design review has not changed significantly

• Data not available

• The quality of projects has increased

• The quality of projects has decreased

• The quality of projects has remained approximately the same

• Data not available

• Project delivery time has increased

• Project delivery time has decreased

• Project delivery time has remained approximately the same

• Data not available

• The number of change orders has increased by 10% or more

• The number of change orders has decreased by 10% or more

• The number of change orders has remained relatively unchanged

• Data not available

• The nature of change orders has changed significantly

• The nature of change orders has not changed significantly

• Data not available

• The number of design deficiency claims has increased by 10% or more

• The number of design deficiency claims has decreased by 10% or more

• The number of design deficiency claims has remained relatively unchanged

• Data not available

• Client satisfaction has increased

• Client satisfaction has decreased

• Client satisfaction has remained relatively unchanged

• Data not available

25. Is your agency considering future changes in the design review process?

    • Yes

    • No

26. If yes, what might those changes be and what are the driving factors behind them?

4. Performance Measures

   27. What categories of data related to the design review process does your agency track? Please check all that apply.

       • Number of design projects contracted to private A/E firms

       • Number of design projects completed by in-house staff

       • Total funds obligated for private A/E firm fees, by project

       • Number and nature of change orders per project

       • Cost of change orders per project

       • Cause of change orders per project (e.g., errors and omissions by staff)

       • Number of claims per project

• Value of claims per project

• Cause of claims per project

• In-house personnel time spent on design review

• Client/user satisfaction

• Other:

28. Please provide any other information that is important to understanding your agency's design review process that is not captured by this questionnaire.

29. Comments/suggestions on the design review process and/or the study that may be useful to the FFC Standing Committee on Organizational Performance and Metrics:

30. Name, title, and phone number of person who completed this survey (for call back purposes only; individual's name will not appear in final report although references to the agency may be included):

Background and Objective: The Federal Facilities Council of the National Research Council is undertaking a study to benchmark Design Review Processes for Facilities. The FFC's objective is to identify a range of best practices and technologies that could be used by federal agencies to improve the design review process. For purposes of this study, the design review process applies to both new construction and major renovation projects.

The study methodology will include a literature search, interviews with industry and federal staff, and information gathering through this questionnaire which is being sent to facilities program and project managers in federal agencies. The final report will be published in the Winter of 1999. A follow up workshop/conference on best practices in design review processes is planned for the Spring/Summer of 1999. All persons completing a questionnaire will receive a copy of the final report and an invitation to the workshop.

Structure: The questionnaire is divided into two parts. Part 1 is designed to elicit information on agencies' policies and practices related to design review and should be completed by the facilities program manager or a designated representative. Part I addresses the purposes of design review, process changes that have occurred over the last five fiscal years, anticipated future changes, if any, and performance measures used. Part 2 of the questionnaire is structured to gather more technical information about how design reviews are typically conducted for new construction and renovation projects. It should to be completed by agency project managers responsible for coordinating individual design reviews. To the extent possible, checklists have been provided to minimize the time and effort involved in completing either Part 1 or Part 2 of the questionnaire.

Deadlines: The questionnaires are being distributed electronically to minimize the time and effort involved in completing them. Completed questionnaires should be returned by e-mail to lstanley@nas.edu by Friday, January 15, 1999.

If you have questions about the study, the Federal Facilities Council or the questionnaire, please send an e-mail to lstanley@nas.edu or call Lynda Stanley at (202) 334-3374.

1. Design Review Process

   1. Briefly describe the design review process that is typically followed for a project (if a process flow chart is available, please attach or send).

   2. What milestones mark the beginning and the end of the design review process?

      • Design review begins when:

      • Design review ends when:

   3. What intermediate milestones are incorporated into the process? Please check all the apply.

      • 15%

      • 30%

      • 50%

      • 60%

      • 90%

      • 100%

      • Other:

   4. What functions of the design review process are typically performed by in-house staff for projects valued at $1-10 million? Please check all that apply.

      • Scope and budget compliance

      • Compliance with agency design guides

      • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

      • Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

      • Building code compliance

      • Discipline coordination

      • Architectural reviews

      • Mechanical reviews

      • Electrical reviews

      • Structural reviews

      • Constructability reviews

      • Value engineering

      • Review of shop drawings

      • Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

      • Other:

   5. What functions of the design review process are typically performed by in-house staff for projects valued at more than $10 million? Please check all that apply.

      • Scope and budget compliance

      • Compliance with agency design guides

      • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

      • Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

      • Building code compliance

      • Discipline coordination

      • Architectural reviews

• Mechanical reviews Electrical reviews

• Structural reviews

• Constructability reviews

• Value engineering

• Review of shop drawings

• Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

• Other:

6. What functions of the design review process are typically outsourced to contractors for projects valued at $1-$10 million? Please check all that apply.

   • Scope and budget compliance

   • Compliance with agency design guides

   • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

   • Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

   • Building code compliance

   • Discipline coordination

   • Architectural reviews

   • Mechanical reviews

   • Electrical reviews

   • Structural reviews

   • Constructability reviews

   • Value engineering

   • Review of shop drawings

   • Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

   • Other:

7. What functions of the design review process are typically outsourced to contractors for projects valued at more than $10 million? Please check all that apply.

   • Scope and budget compliance

   • Compliance with agency design guides

   • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

   • Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

   • Building code compliance

   • Discipline coordination

   • Architectural reviews

   • Mechanical reviews

   • Electrical reviews

   • Structural reviews

   • Constructability reviews

   • Value engineering

   • Review of shop drawings

   • Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

   • Other:

8. What types of technologies (e.g. CADD, the Internet, Intranet) are used to support the design review process and how are they used?

9. How are comments/changes generated through the design review process documented?

2. Value of Design Review

   10. From your perspective, what functions of the design review process add the greatest value? Please check a maximum of five items.

       • Scope and budget compliance

       • Compliance with agency design guides

       • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

       • Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

       • Building code compliance

       • Discipline coordination

       • Architectural reviews

       • Mechanical reviews

       • Electrical reviews

       • Structural reviews

       • Constructability reviews

       • Value engineering

       • Review of shop drawings

       • Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

       • Other:

   11. What functions of the design review process add the least value, from your perspective? Please check a maximum of five items.

       • Scope and budget compliance

       • Compliance with agency design guides

       • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

       • Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

       • Building code compliance

       • Discipline coordination

       • Architectural reviews

       • Mechanical reviews

       • Electrical reviews

       • Structural reviews

       • Constructability reviews

       • Value engineering

       • Review of shop drawings

       • Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

       • Other:

   12. Are there any functions of the design review process as currently practiced that could be eliminated with little or no risk to the quality and/or outcome of projects, from your perspective? Please check all that apply.

       • Scope and budget compliance

       • Compliance with agency design guides

       • Compliance with client/tenant design guides

       • Interface with existing systems (renovation projects)

       • Building code compliance

       • Discipline coordination

       • Architectural reviews

       • Mechanical reviews

       • Electrical reviews

• Structural reviews

• Constructability reviews

• Value engineering

• Review of shop drawings

• Maintenance/life cycle costing coordination

• Other:

3. Performance Measures

   13. What types of data related to the design review process are tracked? Please check all that apply.

       • Number of design projects contracted to private A-E firms

       • Number of design projects completed by in-house staff

       • Total funds obligated for private A-E firm fees, by project

       • Number and nature of change orders per project

       • Cost of change orders per project

       • Cause of change orders per project (e.g. errors and omissions by staff)

       • Number of claims per project

       • Value of claims per project

       • Cause of claims per project

       • In-house personnel time spent on design review

       • Client/user satisfaction

       • Other:

   14. Please provide any other information that is important to understanding your group's design review process that is not captured by this questionnaire.

   15. Comments/suggestions on design review processes and/or the study that may be useful to the FFC Standing Committee on Organizational Performance and Metrics:

   16. Name, title, and phone number of person who completed this survey (for call back purposes only; individual's names will not appear in the final report although references to the agency may be included):