Curtis + Rogers Design Studio, Inc. Bid Document (10)

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Approach to Project Management Cost Control In general, our projects are brought in on budget. We prepare cost estimates from schematic design and throughout the process continuously updating and back checking them to reflect current market conditions and trends. At the end of each design stage, we review project budget vs. program to make sure our original assumptions and program have not been altered to affect the outcome. During the construction documentation process, the C+R team will submit updated cost estimates with all progress submittals, as well as a final bid tabulation set. We continuously hold a percentage of the budget as a contingency during all estimates which begins at 20% during schematic design and is progressively reduced as elements and construction documents are developed. We involve our consultants in all aspects of the development of estimates to make sure each element is properly budgeted. Additionally, we maintain a database of projects recently bid so we can continuously compare and update our cost assumptions. An example of this happened during a contract with Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation for 4 playground replacements we were hired to design. The timeline for design of these playgrounds took place during COVID, a time when construction costs were often shifting and funding availability was causing delays in the green lighting of projects from the design into construction. Our approach of working closely with our vendor representatives allowed us to gather frequent updates to the costs for equipment, freight and installation, keeping our estimates close to what ultimately was priced during the bidding phase and eventually installed. We keep budget and cost projection discussions on-going throughout the process so that there are no surprises during the bidding phase, whether traditional, design build, or construction management method. In instances when our projects that run into issues of being over the projected budget, we utilize scope modifications to reduce costs, either deferring required items to future phases or eliminating items that may be desirable but are not required to occupy the space. Additionally, when the situation arises, we work closely with contractors to find alternatives and identify opportunities for cost savings while not sacrificing the design intent or the quality of the final product. A successful example of this was a collaboration with the contractors on a project with Florida International University where there was a suggestion to decrease the cost of outdoor furnishings by swapping the bollard covers to a less expensive alternative. Our team reviewed options from various vendors and without losing the design intent or quality of the material was able to switch the product, creating a 41% cost savings on the bollards. In our project Jose Marti Adaptive Redesign with the City of Miami, which was designed in 2019 but is currently beginning construction, costs have significantly changed during the lengthy permitting and bidding process. In this project to offset some of the costs associated with landscaping we have found ways to adjust plant sizing and spacing to reduce the quantity of plants without losing the design intent for planting beds. Additionally, we provided an alternative base material for the hardscaped areas that not only reduced costs but also had a positive impact on our carbon footprint by using recycled concrete. Scheduling Project management at Curtis + Rogers allocates resources based on project complexity and phase, ensuring that our landscape architects and designers, irrigation specialists,