Timothy Stokes, PE, MBA Parsons, Principal Project Manager Denver, Colorado

Transcription

1 A SE Approach to Enhance and Support the Acceptance Process for RTD FastTrack's Projects Timothy Stokes, PE, MBA Parsons, Principal Project Manager Denver, Colorado

2 Key Take Away Points 1. Alternative delivery methods such as design-build are precipitating new ways work is accepted. 2. The Requirements Verification and Traceability Matrix is a SE tool to help support acceptance (Theory). 3. RTD are using a process to help accept projects that is supportive of their requirements-based oversight methodology (Practice). 4. As the industry more broadly embraces SE tools and techniques there is opportunity to improve the way projects are accepted (move to obtaining benefits promised by theory).

3 Project Acceptance Process From the perspective of the RTD, we are focused on the Contract scope hand-over aspects of the Close-Out Phase of a Design-Build project. Does not include financial close aspects.

4 West Rail Line Open, CMGC Delivery Denver Union Station Open, D/B Delivery East/Gold/Northwest Rail Lines (EAGLE) Nearly 80% complete; commuter rail cars are arriving, Concession I-225 Rail Line Nearly 60% complete, D/B Delivery U.S. 36 BRT Phase 1 of express lanes 95% complete, Phase 2 nearly 60%, D/B Delivery North Metro Rail Line Track removal continues, design 90% complete, bridge construction to begin this summer. D/B Delivery Southeast Rail Extension In process for federal grant, RFP released. D/B Delivery

5 Systems Engineering Supportive of Alternative Delivery Methods Some relevant examples: Requirements need to specified in the RFP to describe what is wanted the problem statement. The contractor provides a solution to those requirements. The status of all verification and validation activities needs to be known, to prove that all the work meets its requirements, safe and support the acceptance decision.

6 Requirement's Verification and Traceability Matrix The Requirements Verification and Traceability Matrix is a helpful SE tool: Know (prove) that all requirements are implemented. Know that Stakeholder needs have been considered and incorporated. Be able to know impacts of any changes to requirements. Owner can have confidence to accept the project.

7 Schematic of a Matrix Verify/validate requirements incorporated into design documents Verify/validate work products conform to design documents

8 Implications of the Requirements Verification and Traceability Matrix Owner does not need to be actively involved in monitoring the quality of the Work. Acceptance may be efficient (shorten time) since verification/validation would be progressive (assurance). Industry not quite there yet

9 Traditional Acceptance Approach Traditionally in design-bid-build contractual environment, acceptance involves the Owner and its consultants actively managing and supervising the work throughout the entire implementation phase to: review contract submittals, inspect/test products as they are constructed, and as the work progresses to completion; coordinate/witness the integration testing; and actively manage punch lists. For design-build, the Owner is performing an oversight role, and is less involved in the day-to-day work.

10 Bridging the Gap FasTracks does not specify a Requirements Traceability and Verification Matrix. However, its acceptance process: Provides for an organized approach for the Contractor to prove for each large work element that there is sufficient verification data to support acceptance. Flexibility in what kinds of information can be presented and what method is used to communicate that the contract completion conditions have been fulfilled.

11 RTD s Acceptance Process The aims of the process are: 1. Support RTD s requirements-based oversight methodology; 2. Confirm that Contractors have met acceptance conditions; and 3. Report upon the status completion and acceptance to discern trends, identify issues, and take action, if necessary.

12 Acceptance Process Description Implementation RTD/Contractor Contractor RTD Oversight RTD/Contractor Planning Completion Milestones Major Work Elements Acceptance Conditions Sources of Verification Data Sign-off Organizations Condition Met Confirm At each milestone, for Confirm Contractor s each condition, present decision. verification data. Update Status Check-off that condition has been met. Note: Not focused on financial close requirements.

13 Acceptance Dashboard Depicts the status of completion/acceptance of a project based on quality records and progress. Designed as a collaboration tool between RTD and its contractors, and stakeholders. 13

14 Example Acceptance Dashboard Work Elements Number of punch-list items associated with work element. Data presented is - Real time - Interactive GREEN indicates that Owner (RTD) has verified that the work is done. Contract Dates YELLOW indicates that the Contractor considers the work is done. RED indicates that the RTD disputes the contractor s claim that the work is done. Clicking on any of the status bars takes the user to the details that back up the color of the bar.

15 Data Input Jointly agreed definition of Contract Condition. Decisions on status are made following review of available information. When RTD has verified the condition completed, they click to change status to green. When Contractor considers a condition completed, they click to change status to yellow. If RTD disputes a condition s completion, they click to change status to red. Anyone can add a comment to provide additional information for decision makers 15

16 Lessons Learned During the planning for the acceptance process for West Rail Line, instead of planning at a very high level, actually re-organized the framework to use the process for components of the work which was not the intent became unwieldly. One of the issues that exacerbated completion and acceptance of the Denver Union Station was the interfaces among other contracts and projects that RTD needed to manage. The acceptance process could have taken this into account, and help mitigate some of these issues.

17 Future Considerations Extend the RTD process to include the Contractor s design, procurement, and construction hold-points which when work is verified at those hold-points, they would roll-up to completion milestones. Adoption of SE, especially Requirements Management, will enable the effective use of SE tools such as the Requirements Tractability and Verification Matrix to help Owner s accept projects. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) or Building Information management Systems (BIMS) tools, where completion can be displayed more intuitively, and all the technical information can be readily accessed, monitored, and understood holistically.

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