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Construction Standards - Division 1 Subcommittee Tina Nelson, P.E., Committee Chair

WSDOT/APWA Specifications When do you need a Special Provision?. Construction Standards - Division 1 Subcommittee Tina Nelson, P.E., Committee Chair. CRAB Design Conference, October 7, 2009. WSDOT/APWA Specifications. Special Provisions Who? What? Where? When?.

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Construction Standards - Division 1 Subcommittee Tina Nelson, P.E., Committee Chair

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  1. WSDOT/APWA SpecificationsWhen do you need a Special Provision? Construction Standards - Division 1 Subcommittee Tina Nelson, P.E., Committee Chair CRAB Design Conference, October 7, 2009

  2. WSDOT/APWA Specifications Special Provisions • Who? • What? • Where? • When?

  3. WSDOT/APWA Standard Specifications for Road, Bridge, and Municipal Construction • 1957 • 1988 • 1991 • 2006

  4. 1963 – APWA Std Specs 1st Ed 1988 – Separate APWA 1-99 Book 1991 – Supplement Included 1997 – H&LP Letter 1997 – Div 1 Committee reactivated WSDOT/Admin Team 1998 – Updated 1-99 Published 2005 – APWA GSPs 2006 – 1-99 is out of the Book APWA on WSDOT website 2008 – APWA GSPs can be downloaded like WSDOT GSPs APWA WA CHAPTER 1-99 Supplement - Div 1 - History

  5. www.apwa-wa.org

  6. Contacts

  7. APWA GSPs

  8. Download directions Change Log

  9. Plans or Specials … .. which one comes first?

  10. .. recent GSP in response to new RCW ..

  11. GSP with fill-ins ..

  12. Standard Specifications/Special Provisions • Div 1 – Contractual section • Div 2 through 8 - Describes the final product what needs to be done how we are checking to make sure we get there how we are compensating for the work • Div 9 – Material details

  13. Or … • Division 1 Bunch of legalistic gobbledygook……..Who cares……… • Division 2 Is there stupid trees and stuff on the site that you don’t want? Get rid of ‘em, for Pete’s sake! Want a hole? Dig a hole! Digging out part of a hill? Just make sure it doesn’t fall down on top of you. What do you need, a map? • Division 3 Need dirt and rocks for your job? Go dig ‘em up someplace else, and don’t let them dribble from the truck on the way to the site. Unless it’s dark. • Division 4 Spread out the rocks smooth, just like you would in your driveway. No big wup. If you don’t want dust flying up when people drive by, mix the rocks with goop first. • Division 5 More of the above. If you want a fancy schmancy road, mix up concrete, just like you would in your wheelbarrow for a post hole, but more. Lay everything down nice and tidy, with even edges, and clean up any mess. Just watch your wife frost a cake. No dif. OK, ‘spouse’. • Division 6 Want to cross a river? Just lay down something that reaches from bank to bank, and won’t break with the weight you’re putting on it. Allow for after Thanksgiving weight, even though it only happens once a year. • Division 7 Want water, rain, and disgusting stuff to go where you want it? Pour it through a [big] straw. Use a funnel at the top end. Don’t let it go where it shouldn’t. Unless it’s dark. • Division 8 A bunch of this ‘n’ that, just to guide people to go where they should know how to go in the first place. Watch out for other cars, and don’t run into ‘em. Just use your imagination. • Division 9 A bunch of recipes. What are we, pansy-assed chefs? If the bolt won’t fit in the hole, it’s the wrong one, stupid. If it breaks off under the load, it’s the wrong one, stupid.

  14. WHO ????

  15. WHEN ???? 30% ? 50% ? 60% ? 90% ? 98% ?

  16. HOW ???? Elements of the Special Provision • Description of Work • Materials • Construction Requirements • Measurement • Payment

  17. HOW ???? Incidental to … Included with … “As directed by the Engineer …” “To the satisfaction of the Engineer …” Contractor shall … Agency will …

  18. WHAT ???? Clear Concise Complete Consistent Supplement Revise Measure Pay

  19. Special Provisions • Don’t reinvent the wheel • Start early – keep a “Special” Log • Use the Engineer’s Estimate, build on bid items • Read Standard Specifications for each item—are they covered adequately? • If yes– then stop • No? Then look for already written and tested Special Provisions

  20. Special Provisions Con’t. • Written and tested Special Provisions: • WSDOT GSPs • Standard – fill-ins • Specialty– from Bridge Division, from NW Region • APWA GSPs • Div 5 & 9, easier HMA spec • If you still can’t find what you need: • Copy specific SP from a successful project • Write your own • What goes in Plans vs. Specs

  21. Pitfalls … • Non-management of boilerplate: • allowing all staff to “play” with it • no regular program of review & update • ‘Div. 0’ / Div. 1 / Technical Provisions written by different people for one Project • Copying whole spec from your last job • May not be applicable • Skimming, not editing carefully • Out of date references

  22. Pitfalls – Div. 0 & 1 • Contradictions / confusion between your Agency & funding Agency • Using a mish-mash of forms and General Conditions from different sources • Thinking one-sided, trying to remove all risk from Agency

  23. Pitfalls - Special Provisions • Specs written/compiled by the wrong person: • Whoever is not busy • Someone other than the Project’s Designer or Project Manager • Not carefully reading the Standard Specs & Div. 1 first

  24. Pitfalls – Special Provisions, cont. • Copying wholesale from previous project • Not checking referenced specs and test methods • Temptation to “improve” existing language (results in confusion, repetition, contradiction) • Careless terminology • ‘Specifications’, Contract Provisions vs. Contract Documents • “Federal” Funding • Engineer vs. Owner’s Consultant, etc. • your Contractor vs. other contractors

  25. More Special Provisions Tips • Think from the contractor’s point of view • Lingo – use precise, defined terms • For the players involved • Cross-reference to standards • Say it once • Within ALL Bid Documents – plans, Std Specs, Special Provisions • Just cross-reference where helpful • If using WSDOT Standard Specs as your base, do not repeat phrases like, “include all materials, tools, equipment”…

  26. Equitable Allocation of Risk • Don’t go overboard – be fair and realistic • ‘Talking strong’ is OK, if • Fair • Biddable • Enforceable • Don’t try to protect yourself from everything that could ever happen

  27. Checking and QC • One wrong word, one wrong dimension, could cost you thou$ands! • Pretend you’re a Contractor -- think: • Can I bid it? • Can I build it? • Have the Construction Manager review for biddability, constructability, materials • Ask a Contractor to review?

  28. Questions? www.apwa-wa.org knelson@co.kitsap.wa.us Remember – “Specials” come before the Plans

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