9 QA/QC DURING DESIGN 9.3 DESIGN REVIEWS

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1 Chapter: Procedure: 9 QA/QC DURING DESIGN 9.3 DESIGN REVIEWS Revised: May 15, 2018 PURPOSE The purpose of this procedure is to provide a guideline for design reviews. Design reviews are usually conducted at the conclusion of pre-design and at 50% and 90% design levels. The package of QA/QC reviews selected for a particular project should be specified in the Pre-Design Report. In cases where the construction cost estimate exceeds $25 million, a third party review may be required at the 90% completion stage. Value Engineering is also included in the category of design reviews. These reviews follow standard protocols and are conducted to reduce oversights, control costs, increase value, and ensure that the facility will operate as designed. REFERENCES N/A RESPONSIBILITIES Program Manager: The Program Manager is responsible for establishing, implementing and enforcing the quality assurance and quality control review policies and procedures within the program. The Program Manager will assign the Project Manager, Design Review Team Leader, and review personnel and will approve the precise review milestones set by the Project Manager in the work plan for each project. Project Manager (PM): The Project Manager is responsible for completing the following activities: 1. Assist the Program Manager in implementing the quality assurance policies and quality control procedures. 2. Establish precise review milestone dates and enter them into the Project Status Report in the Uniform Project Reporting System (UPRS). Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews Page 1

2 Project Engineer (PE): The Project Engineer is responsible for managing and supervising the design, as well as completing the following activities. 1. Assist the Project Manager in implementing the quality assurance policies and quality control procedures. 2. Coordinate the quality control reviews with the design activities and other quality reviews. 3. Promote a cooperative attitude between the Designer(s) and Reviewer(s). 4. Act as liaison between the Designers and Reviewers. 5. Determine the contents and the required number of copies of the review package. 6. Assemble the review package and determine its readiness for review. 7. Submit the review package to the Reviewer or Design Review Team Leader. 8. Monitor the review process. 9. Review the comments and determine which comments are to be incorporated into the design documents. 10. Submit the comments to the Designers. 11. Review the Designers responses. 12. Act as a liaison between the Designers and the Consultant. 13. Ensure that the Consultant is managing design and review procedures in accordance with the Consulting Engineering Services Agreement. 14. Ensure that the Consultant has an independent, in-house review procedure that is adequate. 15. Monitor the Consultant s in-house review process. Review the comments generated by the Consultant s in-house review team. Designer/Design Team: The Designer or Design Team is responsible for completing the following activities: Page 2 Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews

3 1. Provide the up-to-date plans, specifications, calculations and all supporting documentation requested by the Project Engineer. 2. Address and provide written responses to the review comments in the Design Review Log. 3. Incorporate the appropriate review comments into the design documents. 4. Meet with the Reviewer(s) when requested. 5. Coordinate with other disciplines. Design Consultant: When used on a project, Design Consultants are responsible for completing the following activities: 1. Manage and coordinate the Consultant s design and review activities in accordance with the Consulting Engineering Services Agreement. 2. Implement the Consultant s in-house review procedure. 3. Provide copies of the comments and responses generated by the Consultant s in-house Reviewers and Designers to the Project Engineer. 4. Assemble the review package and determine its readiness for review. 5. Transmit the required number of copies of the review package to the Project Engineer for review by the Reviewer / Design Review Team. 6. Ensure that the Consultant s Designers address and incorporate the appropriate comments from both the City and the Consultant s Reviewers and record their responses in the Design Review Log. 7. Forward the Design Review Log, with the recorded responses, to the Project Engineer. Review Team Leader: A Review Team Leader should be assigned to conduct the 50% and 90% reviews and the Value Engineering Review (if used). The Review Team Leader is responsible for completing the following activities: 1. Function as a liaison between the Design Review Team, Project Manager/Engineer, and design group. 2. Receive the review package and perform a preliminary review of its contents. Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews Page 3

4 3. Coordinate the review efforts (starting with a Design Review Team coordination meeting), answer questions, and instruct the Reviewers. 4. Distribute the appropriate parts of the review package to the Reviewers. 5. Oversee and participate in the review process. 6. Compile the Design Review Log sheets and review the Design Review Team s comments. 7. Forward the Design Review Log to the Project Engineer. 8. Review the design group s responses. 9. Participate in any follow-up action required. Reviewer/Review Team: The Reviewer or Review Team is responsible for completing the following activities: 1. Follow the instructions of the Review Team Leader. 2. Review the supporting documentation to obtain controlling information needed for an adequate review of the plans and specifications. 3. Thoroughly review the plans, specifications, calculations and cost estimate for accuracy and quality. 4. Disclose all inconsistencies, inaccuracies, ambiguities and conflicts. 5. Check for coordination between and within the plans and specifications, compliance with the design requirements, and the overall completeness with respect to the milestone at which the design is being reviewed. 6. Mark the drawings and list all comments on the Design Review Log sheets. 7. Submit the completed Design Review Log sheets and marked drawings to the Review Team Leader at the time requested. 8. Review the Designer s responses when requested. 9. Meet with the Designer(s) when requested. Page 4 Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews

5 ATTACHMENTS / LINKS List of QA/QC Checklist Forms PROCEDURE All projects, whether designed by City staff or Consultants, will be reviewed for quality in accordance with the QA/QC principles discussed in this Chapter. Project type, complexity, size, and schedule will determine the precise timing of the review, the make-up of the review team, and the components of the QA/QC package. The package of QA/QC reviews for a particular project should be specified in the Pre-Design Report. The selection of QA/QC elements included in the package will depend on a number of factors, including project type, complexity, project cost and schedule. 50% and 90% Design Reviews. The following procedures apply to the design reviews that are typically conducted at the 50% and 90% design points. One special note regarding the 90% design: the plans, specifications, and other documents submitted for 90% review should be 100% complete with the exception of the 90% review. It is all too common for the PE/PM to submit plans that are really only 75% complete or to submit plans without specifications. This is inappropriate. The complete set of bid documents and supporting materials must be ready for final review. Timing. A design review of all project plans and specifications is typically performed at the pre-design, at 50% and 90% design milestones, and then immediately prior to the Design Completion milestone. The latter review is a follow-up to the previous review to assure that the previous review comments have each been addressed and appropriately incorporated into the design documents. All established milestone dates are to be entered into the Uniform Project Reporting System by the Project Manager. Reviewer or Review Team. A Reviewer or Review Team should conduct the reviews. Reviewers should be experienced and responsible persons who are as far removed from the specific design activities as the size and concurrent workload of the design organization allow. Reviewers should possess the necessary experience in the discipline assigned to be able to recognize problems, inconsistencies and errors in the plans and specifications. Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews Page 5

6 A team of Reviewers, rather than an individual Reviewer, can be assigned to a project to provide the necessary technical depth or to maintain a project schedule. When a review team is assigned, a Review Team Leader is designated to assure that the review effort proceeds in a coordinated and effective manner. Reviewers usually include the design office staff and the Client. On complex projects, a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of outside experts may be assembled to help in the review process. Squad checks are also a part of the design review process. Each discipline involved with the design process, such as electrical, mechanical, civil, structural, instrumentation and control, should conduct internal checks of their design work. Each discipline is expected to maintain QA/QC standards for their work. The squad checks are to ensure that each design meets these standards. For complex projects, the Design Review Team should include all the disciplines needed for the design which could include the following: 1. Geotechnical 2. Civil 3. Architectural 4. Structural 5. Mechanical 6. Electrical 7. Process Specialty 8. Instrumentation and Controls 9. Construction 10. Operations and Maintenance 11. Landscaping 12. Utility Coordination Group from PACD 13. Other A Reviewer experienced in more than one discipline may be assigned to review all disciplines within his/her fields of expertise. If a quality control design review is conducted simultaneously with the operability and construction reviews, it is not necessary to assign Reviewers from the construction, operations, and maintenance disciplines to the Design Review Team. In circumstances where adequate City staff is not available to do the required review, exchange of personnel between divisions and/or districts, use of consultants, or a combination of these should be considered (see Chapter 6 Using Consultants). Page 6 Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews

7 Review Package. The number of copies of the package or parts of the package to be issued for review will be determined by the Project Manager when the Design Review Team has been selected. The review package consists of: 1. Plans 2. Specifications 3. Calculations (up-to-date by all disciplines) 4. Design Review Log Sheets (including comments and responses) 5. Reviewer Sign-Off Form 6. The Schedule of Work and Prices Supporting documentation that provides the basis of the design should also be made available to the Design Review Team, as needed. Supporting documentation may include the following, as applicable: 1. Pre-Design Report (see Procedure Preparing the Pre-Design Report) 2. Value Engineering Report(s) 3. Geotechnical Report (see Procedure Geotechnical Report) 4. Special Studies Report(s) 5. Updated Cost Estimate (see Procedure Project Estimating) 6. Environmental Documentation (see Procedure Preliminary Environmental Review) 7. Coastal Development Permit Requirements (see Procedure Environmental Clearance) 8. Required Building and Safety Permits and Approvals (see Procedure Review and Permits from City Agencies) 9. Cultural Affairs Requirements (see Procedure Cultural Affairs Approval) 10. Right-of-Way Maps and Documentation (see Procedure Property Acquisition and Right of Entry) Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews Page 7

8 11. Survey Drawings (see Procedure Site Surveying) 12. Previous Design, Construction, and O& M Review Logs (annotated) 13. Pertinent Correspondence, Photographs and other Information Required by the Project Manager 14. Permits from other regulatory agencies such as the South Coast Air Quality Management District Squad Reviews. Because designs may involve multiple engineering disciplines, such as process, civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, and instrumentation and controls, design offices are usually organized into separate squads representing each discipline. (They may be called different things in different organizations, but the term squad will be used here.) Typically, these squads conduct their own internal review prior to submitting their design documents for formal design review. These squad checks are an integral part of the QA/QC program and serve as a first line of defense to ensure that each design meets the required standards of quality. After the squad check has been completed, the Design Squad Check Sign- Off stamp should be applied to the flysheet of the specifications, the title sheet, and the first sheet of each discipline of the plan set. Each responsible design squad member should sign the appropriate stamp. When the design squad has completed its check, the Project Manager and, if applicable, the Consultant s Project Manager should provide a preliminary check to determine whether the plans and specifications are ready for a formal review for quality. If the documents are determined to be ready, the Project Engineer or the Project Manager signs the Design Squad Check Sign-Off stamps. Review Process. The Review Team should be assembled at an adequate location, preferably remote from the design activities, to provide an intense, effective, and efficient review. The location should be equipped with all necessary items and should be conducive to the review activities. A sufficient number of review packages should be on hand. The Review Team may use a Quality Control Review Checklist to aid in their review. The following sample Quality Control Review Checklist contains a list of items that may be checked during the 90% Review. The checklist is not all-inclusive and contains items that are not applicable to all projects. It should be modified to accommodate the previous project reviews, which critiqued incomplete plans and specifications. Page 8 Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews

9 For example, at the 50% design review, a set of plans could not be verified as being complete but the set could be verified as being organized in a logical arrangement to be easily understood. A review at 50% design may not necessarily verify that specifications have been included for all required items, but the specifications could be verified as being in the proper format. Even at the 90% milestone, the Plans are not yet signed and sealed by the responsible engineer but this item is shown on the Checklist so that it will not be forgotten at the Design Completion Milestone review. Design Review Checklist. In addition to the List of QA/QC Checklist Forms presented as Attachment 9.2-1, the Review Team checks the plans (drawings) and specifications to confirm that: 1. The concept detailed on the plans and described in the specifications conforms to the intent established by the project authorization documents, the Pre-Design Report, and the up-to-date Design Memorandum. 2. The objectives of the Facilities Plan and the Master Plan are met. 3. Environmental requirements have been incorporated. 4. Coastal Development Permit requirements have been incorporated. 5. Cultural Affairs Commission requirements have been incorporated. 6. Building and Safety and all other permitting agency requirements have been satisfied and incorporated. 7. Design assumptions are reasonable. 8. Design calculations are correct and complete. 9. All materials specified or allowed by the contract documents are approved by the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. Research report numbers and expiration dates are properly shown in the plans and specifications, as applicable. 10. Reasons for selecting specific types of materials and equipment have been addressed in the Design Memorandum. 11. Land survey information, geotechnical considerations, utilities, and site conditions have been adequately and properly incorporated. Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews Page 9

10 12. Information shown on the plans and provided in the specifications is presented clearly, consistently and accurately. 13. Drawing details and sections are appropriate, complete, and accurate and are correctly cross-referenced to each other and to the plan views. Coordinated relationships, uniformity, and continuity are maintained among all details. 14. Plans are complete and organized in a logical arrangement that makes the project easily understood. 15. Continuity is carried through from one drawing to another. 16. The location of the same equipment and features shown on different drawings (same or different discipline) is the same on each. 17. The locations and features of the structures, substructures, equipment, fixtures, piping, conduits, ducts, building members, building appurtenances and utilities are coordinated such that there are no physical conflicts that could prevent their installation or proper use. There is adequate access to all equipment and fixtures that must be operated and maintained. 18. Graphics are used consistently throughout the plan set. 19. All abbreviation and symbol lists are complete and accurate. 20. Plan sheets and details are coordinated within and among disciplines. 21. Technical specifications are included for all required items. 22. Plans and specifications are consistent and coordinated. 23. The General Conditions, General Requirements, and Special Provisions include all necessary legal requirements to protect the City and to ensure efficiency and economy in project delivery. 24. Restrictions, procedures, means and methods provided for in the plans and specifications are reasonable and necessary. 25. When specifying equipment, two or more vendors are called out and the phrase or equal is appropriately used. 26. Proprietary specifications for equipment and processes are justified in the Design Memorandum. Equipment which is to be sole sourced is identified, Page 10 Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews

11 Board approval has been secured, and the phase no or equal is included in the specification. 27. The required real estate, easements, and rights of entry are adequately identified. 28. The project is constructible at reasonable cost. 29. All Value Engineering recommendations have been properly addressed and the accepted recommendations have been incorporated. 30. Verify existing utilities and assure that the most up-to-date information is reflected on the design plans. Where utility location is critical, did the PE / PM pothole during design to verify the location? Avoid utility conflicts where possible and address relocation/removal issues by sending pre-first notice and first notice to various utility companies when design plans are 50% and 90% completed. 31. Previous review comments have been addressed and appropriately incorporated and the logs have been annotated. 32. The construction cost estimate accurately reflects the package being reviewed. 33. Plans have been properly signed and sealed by the Consultant, when applicable, and by the Division Engineer. (This item applies only to the review at the Design Completion milestone.) 34. The Ready to Advertise Checklist has been completed. Each Division or Group within BOE has or may have its own separate set of checklists. The following checklists are samples of checklists used by the Project Engineers in the Wastewater Conveyance Engineering Division: Design Review Checklist Project Engineering E2020_Records Management Plan Review Deputy City Engineer Checklists Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews Page 11

12 When performing the 90% design review, team members are encouraged to comment by describing all inconsistencies and errors and by making suggestions for clarification. Comments should be based on fact. Differences of opinion may be discussed with the Designer; however, giving directions to make changes is inappropriate and may become disruptive to working relationships. The Reviewers can comment and mark suggested changes on the review documents but should also record the appropriate comments on the Design Review Log sheets. Review comments contained in the copies of the reviewed plans and specifications can be forwarded to the Designer along with the completed Design Review Log Sheets, but the Reviewers should retain an identically marked copy for recording purposes. When all comments have been recorded, Reviewers will submit the Log sheets (and the marked drawings and specifications) to the Review Team Leader and sign the Reviewer Sign-Off form. The Review Team Leader will compile the Log sheets, review the comments and, when necessary, discuss them with the Reviewers to ensure validity. The Team Leader will then submit the Log and the marked plans and specifications to the Project Engineer for review and transmittal to the Designers. The Designers will incorporate the appropriate comments into the project documents and provide a response to each comment in the Design Review Log. The Log, with the responses recorded, must be returned to the Project Engineer for review and approval. The competed Log serves as a record of the review and the responses to the review comments. It is important that the responses to comments be documented and the reasons for acceptance or rejection of a comment be recorded. In a legal claim against the City, a contractor argued that there were no responses to numerous design review comments and that the failure to respond indicated that the City knew the plans and specifications were defective. If there is disagreement between the Reviewers and Designers on an item that may have significant consequences, the Project Engineer obtains the final decision from the Designer who will sign and seal the Plans. For Consultant-designed projects, the City staff and Consultant staff perform their Quality Control reviews simultaneously. The Project Engineer and the Project Manager review both sets of comments before submitting them to the design team for response and incorporation into the project documents. Value Engineering Value Engineering (VE) is a specialty review whose intent is to focus on possible construction cost savings to the project. Typically, VE focuses on design Page 12 Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews

13 alternatives that may reduce the initial cost or cost of ownership of a project. Therefore, it is usually reserved for larger projects where there is a reasonable expectation that the cost savings will exceed the expenditures. In practice, VE involves the formation of an outside review team. The review team members should be knowledgeable in the design and construction of major projects and often specialize in areas such as electrical, mechanical, civil, and so on. VE reviews usually last one week and end with a presentation of recommendations by the VE captain. As the Owner s representative, the PM must decide on the acceptance, rejection, or partial acceptance of each recommendation. The PM must then document these decisions in a separate response to the VE report. Third Party QA/QC 90% Design Reviews It may be beneficial to have an independent third party QA/QC 90% design review of the project plans and specifications whenever the construction cost estimate exceeds $25 million. The third party provides an independent evaluation of the project which brings a fresh perspective to the design and construction issues. The decision to use a 3 rd party QA/QC review is project specific and depends not only on the project cost, but also its complexity and the likelihood that the benefits of the review will outweigh the costs. For example, a project that has been done in similar form many times before may not benefit as much as one that is new and unique. The PM should also remember that there are substantial overall cost savings to the project by catching and identifying clarifications, coordination issues and errors and omissions before the contract is bid. Any recommendations from the 3 rd party review must be documented and submitted to the designer for consideration. The designer then must document their response to each recommendation. It is the designer s responsibility to assure that all agreed changes are made to the plans and specifications. The decision to use a 3 rd party review and the method of acquiring the 3rd party firm should be documented in the project s QA/QC Plan in the Pre-Design Report. RELATED PROCEDURES Procedure Project Estimating Chapter 6 - Using Consultants Procedure Preliminary Environmental Review Procedure Preparing the Pre-Design Report Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews Page 13

14 Procedure Site Surveying Procedure Geotechnical Report Procedure Property Acquisition and Right of Entry Procedure Environmental Clearance Procedure Review and Permits from City Agencies Procedure Cultural Affairs Approval Page 14 Procedure 9.3 Design Reviews