Design-Builder Selection

1. Purpose

This Design-Builder Selection Policy (“Policy”) promotes operational efficiency at the University of Florida (“UF”) by ensuring that Design-Builders who desire to provide Design-Build Services to the university (including any component of the university) are selected to enter into Contracts in compliance with Florida Board of Governors Regulation 14.008, as amended from time to time, and UF’s Procurement Policy for Professional and Construction Services.

2. Applicability

This Policy applies to all entities that contract with the UF Board of Trustees as its signatory as well as UF’s affiliated practice plans. To the extent any portion of this Policy conflicts with other university rules, policies, or procedures, this Policy will control.

3. Definitions

3.1. Competitive Response: The response submitted by a Design-Builder to a Competitive Solicitation.

3.2. Competitive Solicitation: A written solicitation announcing the need for Design-Build Services, which may take the form of a request for statements of qualifications, an invitation to bid, a request for proposal, or an invitation to negotiate.

3.3. Design-Builder: A contractor or professional services provider who desires to provide Design-Build Services to the university or an Affiliate.

3.4. Design-Build Services: Contractual services provided for an entire pre-construction, maintenance, repair, alteration, remodeling, renovation, construction, or demolition project, including all related planning and design services.

3.5. Contract: A contract with a Design-Builder.

3.6. Law: Applicable statutes of the United States or the State of Florida, including regulations promulgated thereunder, and applicable regulations promulgated by the Florida Board of Governors, all as amended from time to time.

3.7. Negotiate (and all its forms): To conduct arm’s length deliberations, discussions, or conferences to reach an agreement the specifications, terms, and conditions of a proposed Contract.

3.8. Negotiator: The President, or the President’s designee, who Negotiates a proposed Contract with a Qualified Vendor.

3.9. PD&C: UF’s Department of Planning, Design & Construction.

3.10. Qualified Vendor: A Design-Builder who satisfies all eligibility requirements under Law and of the university, as well as any additional prequalification requirements of the university, and, where applicable, whose Competitive Response conforms in all material respects to the Competitive Solicitation.

3.11. Selection Committee: The committee responsible for selecting a Design-Builder in a Competitive Solicitation conducted in accordance with this Policy.

3.12. Special Interest Project: A project undergoing a Competitive Solicitation that has an anticipated project budget of more than $50 million or that the VP or their designee otherwise designates as a project in which the university has a special interest.

3.13. VP: The Vice President for Construction, Facilities, and Real Estate.

4. Policy Statement

4.1. General Procurement Requirements

Each procurement under this Policy must also comply with the general requirements of UF’s Procurement Policy for Professional and Construction Services. In determining whether Design-Build Services are appropriate for a project, the President or the President’s designee will assess whether: (1) the project is of sufficient size and complexity to make retention of a Design-Builder advantageous; and (2) timely completion of the project is critical to the university’s or any Affiliate’s ability to repay debt service or to meet grant obligations.

4.2. Eligibility and Prequalification

The university will only enter into Contracts with Qualified Vendors. PD&C will determine whether each Design-Builder is a Qualified Vendor.

4.2.1. Eligibility Requirements. To be qualified to enter into a Contract with the university, every Design-Builder must:

1. hold all applicable professional licenses required by the State of Florida and be in good standing under each of those licenses;
2. if an entity, be legally constituted and in good standing in the State of Florida or, if not domiciled in Florida, hold a current and active foreign qualification authorization to do business in the State of Florida;
3. not be disqualified under University Regulation 3.074;
4. not have been convicted of a violation of any Law in the transaction of business with any governmental authority involving antitrust, fraud, theft, bribery, collusion, racketeering, conspiracy, or material misrepresentation within the 36 months preceding the Competitive Response submission deadline; and
5. Provide evidence of satisfactory insurance coverage, as determined by PD&C.

4.2.2. Prequalification Requirements. Prequalification requirements for a project may be specified in a Competitive Solicitation announcement or may be otherwise required by the university and may require a Design-Builder to demonstrate its capability to provide the needed Design-Build Services.

If any Design-Builder does not satisfy all applicable eligibility or prequalification requirements or does not timely provide all information required to demonstrate compliance with such requirements to the satisfaction of PD&C, the Design-Builder is not a Qualified Vendor and is not eligible for a Contract with the university.

4.3. Procurement Without Competitive Solicitation

In documented cases of emergency, the requirements of this Policy may be waived, and the Negotiator may Negotiate with any Qualified Vendor selected by the Negotiator in the best interest of the university.

4.4. Procurement by Competitive Solicitation

4.4.1. Required Competitive Solicitations. Competitive Solicitations must be conducted for all new Contracts for Design-Build Services. Such Competitive Solicitations are to be conducted through the process described in Sections 4.5 through 4.11 below.

4.4.2. Receipt of One Competitive Response. When the university receives only one Competitive Response from a Qualified Vendor in response to a Competitive Solicitation, the university may elect, as determined in the best interest of the university, to conduct a second Competitive Solicitation or to proceed with Negotiation based on the received Competitive Response.

4.4.3. Rejection of All Responses. If the Selection Committee determines that it is in the best interest of the university, all Competitive Responses may be rejected, and another Competitive Solicitation may be conducted.

4.5. Appointment of Selection Committee for Competitive Solicitation

When the university desires to conduct a Competitive Solicitation for Design-Build Services, UF’s Board of Trustees or its designee will appoint a Selection Committee to serve throughout the Competitive Solicitation. The Selection Committee must have at least three members, the majority of whom must have demonstrable: (1) experience in the selection of Design-Builders; or (2) education in construction, engineering, architecture, or a related discipline. Additionally, two of the Selection Committee members must be: (a) the University Director of Construction or their designee; and (b) a facilities professional who is affiliated with the university, but who need not be an employee.

4.6. Announcement of Competitive Solicitation

For each Competitive Solicitation, PD&C will prepare and publish an announcement for the Competitive Solicitation on the PD&C website. Each announcement must include at least the following:

1. A general description of the project;
2. An overview of the selection process, including the type of Competitive Solicitation; and
3. Applicable submission deadlines, including for eligibility and prequalification information.

The announcement may contain such other requirements and information as PD&C deems appropriate, such as expectations for timing and deliverables, project specifications, requests for information about the Design-Builder and its personnel, requests for references and representative projects, and an acknowledgement of the form of Contract. Following publication of the announcement, PD&C may, but need not, send copies of the announcement directly to prospective Design-Builders or host a meeting for interested Design-Builders to discuss the Competitive Solicitation process.

4.7. Eligibility Determination for Design-Builders in Competitive Solicitation

Following receipt of the Competitive Responses from interested Design-Builders, PD&C will review the submitted Competitive Responses to ensure each Design-Builder is a Qualified Vendor. PD&C will provide the list of Qualified Vendors to the Selection Committee.

4.8. Creation of Shortlist of Design-Builders in Competitive Solicitation

Throughout the Competitive Solicitation process, the Selection Committee will evaluate the Qualified Vendors to determine which Qualified Vendor is expected to provide the best value to the university, i.e., the highest overall value to the university based on factors that include, but are not limited to, price, quality, experience, and workmanship. The Selection Committee will evaluate the Competitive Responses from Qualified Vendors and prepare a shortlist of Design-Builders for further evaluation, including at least one Design-Builder who has not provided Design-Build Services to the university within the preceding three years, if any. The Selection Committee will prepare the shortlist and rank each of the Qualified Vendors selected for the shortlist using the below rubric, or such other rubric as is specified in the Competitive Solicitation announcement.

Qualifications Statement Evaluation Rubric (out of 100 points):

• 0-30 points Quality of Experience and Representative Projects
• 0-30 points Qualifications of Proposed Personnel
• 0-40 points Satisfaction of Project Criteria, including Schedule, Budget, and Responses to any Project Specific Questions

The final scores will be adjusted to the extent necessary to accommodate any preference required by Florida Board of Governors Regulation 18.001(3).

4.9. Design-Builder Selection Process in Competitive Solicitation

4.9.1. Pre-Proposal Meetings. Once the shortlist is established, PD&C may arrange such question-and-answer opportunities, meetings, and workshops (which may include one-on-one meetings) with the shortlisted Qualified Vendors as may be appropriate to improve understanding of the project, the proposal requirements, and the needs of the university. The shortlisted Qualified Vendors may ask questions and receive informal responses during any one-on-one meetings, but may not rely on responses received during such meetings. The university reserves the right to disclose to all shortlisted Qualified Vendors any matters raised during any one-on-one meetings, except to the extent that the university determines, in its sole discretion, disclosure would impair the confidentiality of or would reveal a confidential business strategy of a Qualified Vendor. PD&C’s project manager or another designated individual will attend each such meeting to ensure all information necessary for the preparation of proposals is shared with all shortlisted Qualified Vendors. Materials distributed at any meeting will also be made available to all shortlisted Qualified Vendors on request. No member of the Selection Committee may attend or otherwise participate in any pre-proposal meetings.

4.9.2. Design-Builder Proposals for Specified Project. Upon creation of the shortlist for a specified project, each Design-Builder on the shortlist will be invited to submit a proposal consisting of the following, as may be modified or further described in the Competitive Solicitation announcement:

1. Fee Estimates
   1. A proposal for General Conditions and General Requirements for the project;
   2. A proposed staffing plan, including line item costs;
   3. A fee proposal for the Design-Build Services to be provided, including for pre-construction services;
   4. A proposed cost model based on the Design Criteria Package Analysis required by clause (b) below;
   5. A proposed contingency and escalation amount based on the Design Criteria Package Analysis required by clause (b) below; and
   6. Anticipated bond and insurance values, including subcontractor default insurance (SDI), for the project based on the Design Criteria Package Analysis required by clause (b) below.
2. Design Criteria Package Analysis
   1. An analysis of the Design Criteria Package provided by the university, including proposed design modifications to satisfy the project budget; and
   2. A proposed schedule for completion of the project.
3. Cost Models
   1. A conforming cost model based on the Design Criteria Package Analysis required by clause (b) above and any design materials provided by the university.
   2. An alternative cost model establishing a reduced cost option, which may consider design aspects that differ from the Design Criteria Package Analysis required by clause (b) above and any design materials provided by the university. The model must include a narrative identifying any such deviations and the specific cost savings associated with each such deviation.

All components of the proposals must comply with university construction standards.

4.9.3. Special Interest Project Design Requirements. For Special Interest Projects, PD&C, in cooperation with UF’s Board of Trustees or its designee, will establish any additional design requirements to be satisfied by each Design-Builder team, as well as the deadlines for the preparation of any such additional design requirements. The additional design requirements will be based on the specific requirements for the project and may, but need not, include renderings, architectural plans, elevations, and models. UF’s Board of Trustees or its designee may, but need not, provide a stipend to each Design-Builder team to assist them with satisfying the additional design requirements.

4.9.4. Selection Committee Presentation. The shortlisted Design-Builders will present their proposals to the Selection Committee, as scheduled by PD&C, and answer any questions the Selection Committee may have. Upon conclusion of the presentations, the Selection Committee will rank all the shortlisted Design-Builders. Each component of the proposals and presentations may be weighted based on the specifications and needs of the project, as specified in the Competitive Solicitation announcement for the project. If no evaluation standards are so specified, the proposals and presentations will be evaluated as follows:

Proposal Evaluation Rubric (out of 100 points):

• 0-40 points Qualifications and Technical Ability, including Project Understanding
• 0-25 points Proposed Schedule
• 0-15 points Site Logistics
• 0-20 points Cost Models and Financial Analysis

The final scores will be adjusted to the extent necessary to accommodate any preference required by Florida Board of Governors Regulation 18.001(3).

4.9.5. Financial Analysis. Every Design-Builder on the shortlist for a specified project must submit any requested financial information to PD&C at least one week prior to its presentation to the Selection Committee. PD&C will provide a financial analysis to the Selection Committee.

4.9.6. Recommendation to Board of Trustees. The Selection Committee will provide a final, ranked list of Design-Builders to the Board of Trustees or its designee for its review, which need not include all Design-Builders who presented to the Selection Committee. After review of such list, the Board of Trustees or its designee will either, as determined in the best interest of the university, (a) direct that a Contract be Negotiated with the Design-Builders selected and ranked by the Selection Committee, or (b) direct that the Competitive Solicitation be terminated and restarted.

4.10. Negotiation of Contract

4.10.1. Negotiation Mandate. The Negotiator will Negotiate Contracts for the provision of Design-Build Services, including price, terms, and conditions, with Qualified Vendors as and when required under this Policy.

4.10.2. Design-Builder Qualification to Negotiate. Prior to commencement of Negotiations with a Qualified Vendor, the Qualified Vendor must provide the following to PD&C by the deadline set by PD&C:

1. a letter of intent from a surety company that meets the standards set forth in the project specifications; and
2. proof of insurance that equals or exceeds the insurance required for the project.

If the Qualified Vendor is unable to timely provide any of the above documentation, the Design-Builder will be deemed unqualified, and Negotiation may be initiated with another eligible Qualified Vendor.

4.10.3. Compensation. The Negotiator will Negotiate the Contract to provide for a guaranteed maximum price on customary, commercially reasonable terms.

4.10.4. Negotiation Process. Where multiple Qualified Vendors are eligible for a Contract, the Negotiator may Negotiate with each Qualified Vendor in order of ranking to the extent necessary to secure a satisfactory Contract. Negotiations must be terminated with a Qualified Vendor before Negotiations are commenced with the next-highest-ranked Qualified Vendor. Should the Negotiator be unable to Negotiate a satisfactory Contract with any Qualified Vendor, Negotiations may be restarted by following the original order of ranking. All Negotiations may be terminated, and all bids or proposals may be rejected, at any point in the Negotiation process. If the Negotiator terminates all Negotiations, the Negotiator will refer the matter to PD&C to determine whether a new Competitive Solicitation should be initiated.

4.10.5. Contract Award and Execution. The Negotiator will award a Negotiated Contract if one can be successfully Negotiated. Contracts will consist of a bilateral agreement signed by the President or President’s designee prior to the Design-Build Services being rendered by the Design-Builder, and purchase orders will be issued as appropriate under each such Contract.

4.11. Notice of Decision

Where Design-Build Services are procured by Competitive Solicitation, PD&C will post the notice of decision or intended decision as prescribed by Florida Board of Governors Regulation 18.002(3).

4.12. Policy Violations

The VP or their designee is authorized to impose appropriate sanctions against those who fail to follow university regulations or policies. If a person violates this Policy, the VP or their designee may take any corrective action necessary to redress the violation, including, without limitation, suspending or revoking the person’s authority to request or procure Design-Build Services. The decision of the VP or their designee is final.

4.13. Questions

Any questions about how to interpret or apply this Policy should be directed to:

Planning, Design & Construction
245 Gale Lemerand
Gainesville, FL 32611-5050
https://facilities.ufl.edu/
(352) 273-4000
pdc@admin.ufl.edu

5. References and Related Information

• Florida Board of Governors Regulation 14.001, Construction Program Definitions
• Florida Board of Governors Regulation 14.007, Public Announcement Requirements
• Florida Board of Governors Regulation 14.008, Competitive Selection and Negotiation
• Florida Board of Governors Regulation 18.001, Procurement
• Florida Board of Governors Regulation 18.002, Notice and Protest Procedures for Protests Related to a University’s Contract Procurement Process
• Florida Board of Governors Regulation 18.003, Bonding Requirements
• University Regulation 3.074, Construction; Evaluations of Professional Services Providers, Design-Builders, Construction Managers and Contractors; Disqualification Procedure
• University Construction Manager Selection Policy
• University Professional Selection Policy
• University Construction Services Procurement Policy

History