There are many design and construction options for new interview room projects, but not every option will be appropriate for every type of facility. Whether an agency wants to build from the ground up or simply remodel their existing site, it’s important to follow a process that makes sense for their team and the unique needs and expectations of their community at large.
For some, the traditional design-bid-build model may make the most sense, while others might prefer to go the route of a fully-partnered approach. Reviewing these two different models—as well as a middle-of-the-road option—can help ensure you’re moving forward with the right plan for your site. There are pros and cons to each system.
Traditional Design-Bid-Build Model
Your first consideration for a new interview room construction project (or redesign project) will probably be some variation of the design-bid-build model. This process involves hiring a design team or architectural firm to first draw up your interview room project plans. Once those are approved according to your specific facility needs, the final design can be shared with contractors who then bid on the project.
After those bids have been reviewed and a winning contractor has been identified, the actual construction work can get underway. Sometimes the design-bid-build model will have a generalized project manager to help oversee these stages. They may not have previous experience with other interview room projects, but they could still work to support the communication efforts of the agency or other parties invested in the project. Either way, this model tends to follow the same three steps: design first, get bids on the construction next, and then start building.
Design-Build Request for Proposals
In this situation, agencies will develop a request for proposal (RFP) for contractor-architect teams to submit their interview room design and construction cost-analysis together. These proposals are then reviewed by the jurisdiction and agency team, and a single design-build team is selected to continue with the project. This model can be helpful for agencies that want to have a more streamlined process compared to the design-bid-build model, but it’s still not as comprehensive as the fully-partnered approach.
The Fully-Partnered Build Model
As the title suggests, this project management style takes a highly collaborative approach because the entire project team is selected simultaneously. With the fully-partnered model, agencies and jurisdictions typically hire a consultant to guide the entire project from start to finish. You will often see a dedicated team of interview room design contractors work alongside the traditional design and build professionals.
This team approach helps mitigate communication errors and keep the project timeline in check. Asking for reviews and recommendations from other jurisdictions that have already navigated the interview room construction process can help give you confidence in your final decision. Of course, you’ll also need to carefully interview and vet your consultants and contractors too.
If you’d like to learn more about how we do things here at iRecord, please don’t hesitate to send us a message. We’re always happy to speak with agencies—no matter where you are in your decision-making process.