Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 2020 - 54

such as acousticians, theatre consultants,
lighting designers, and other specialists.
You can also research and consult peer
institutions and obtain references for professionals that they have utilized.
Whether you have established a
list of selected architects to consider for
your project or you are issuing a public
advertisement, you will need to decide
on a process by which you can gather information on qualifications, experience,
design philosophy, proposed services and
fees, and other relevant information that
will help in your selection of the architecture firm and its consultant team. If you
are unsure of the specific qualifications
of a pool of architects, you might issue a
Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to gather as much information about the teams
as possible. RFQs, in general, do not include a request for fees related to specific
services that would be provided for your
project. A Request for Proposal (RFP),
usually includes requirements for specific
services and fees related to a project. An
RFP can include all the information contained within an RFQ if you do not need
to whittle down the initial list of architects
to a manageable number. A short list of
architects can be made following either
submission, and you might decide to interview all or some of the architects to
get a good feel for who might be working
on your project. No matter which process
you choose, RFQ or RFP, it is important
to remember several things:
*
RFQs and RFPs should be issued as
formal documents. Never issue verbal
requests for information.
* Ask for detailed information on how the

Construction Change Orders: A Quick Guide
Be prepared: There will be change orders. Several types of change orders exist and
each change could combine several aspects of each:
* Owner-directed changes: You decide that you can afford that additional restroom or
want a different configuration for the bar.
* Unforeseen conditions: Many secrets can be hiding under finishes, slabs, and soil.
Performing selective probes during design can help identify some of these, but there
can always be surprises during construction.
* Errors and omissions: Architects and engineers are human, and they make mistakes.
* Code: Sometimes code official interpretations of important elements such as egress
and other life safety accommodations only come to light when construction is in
place. A prime example is the placement of exit signs and emergency egress lighting.
design team will carry out the project,
including providing a time schedule for
their services.
* Be consistent in how you communicate
with any and all design teams. Avoid
giving answers to questions from one
architect without providing the same information to all (in writing).
*
Require that the architect visit your
building before providing a proposal. If
you are conducting walk-throughs individually, adhere to the consistency rule
above.
* Always interview. Meet the teams and
the people with whom you will be working. Remember, you will potentially be
working with them for an extended
period.
* Don't hire on fee alone. Qualifications,
approach, and services must be considered when evaluating proposals.

Dive into Construction
Approximately

percent

your

Strategies to Limit Changes
What are the strategies to limit changes and to effectively manage them when they arise?
* First, early in the process, ensure the architect has been given enough time to complete documents and that an effective quality assurance (document review) process is
in place.
* Make sure that you and your organization review the drawings and specifications with
the architect and engineers to ensure that they reflect the project that you envision.
* During budgeting, carry a construction contingency to fund unavoidable changes.
* During construction, when changes become known, encourage a team approach to
problem solving.
* There may be frustrating and heated moments, and it will be important to remain focused on the big picture.
* Require that the contractor provide detailed information about the costs contained in
each change (i.e. labor and materials shown separately) and rely on your design team to
review each change order request to help determine if the work proposed is appropriate and priced fairly.

54 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | WINTER 2020

project's cost will be spent in construction. This stark reality makes all the planning discussed up to this point extremely
important. You will diligently plan, hire
professionals, fundraise, achieve a design,
develop bid documents, and be ready to
build. If you engaged a construction manager or general contractor during the design phase, you might decide to negotiate
directly with them to provide construction services. Alternatively, a competitive
proposal or bid process could be pursued
(publicly advertised or not), to engage a
construction manager or general contractor to construct the project. Funding
source requirements, particularly those
imposed by government agencies, might
dictate this process, and your architect
and owner's representative can assist in
soliciting bids and evaluating those bids
with you. As with the hiring of all professionals, you should be comfortable with
the people with whom you will be working, so interviews are a must. In addition,
the contractor's proposed project manager and site supervisor should always be
available to discuss the project with you.
Once construction starts, plan for
regular meetings to review progress and
discuss issues that require resolution
along the way. Progress meetings should
include you, the contractor, the architect,
and any other engineers or subcontractors relevant to the stage of construction.
Carefully maintain a watch on the schedule, the project cost, and the quality of the
work throughout the process.
Construction can be messy, noisy,
and can impact your ongoing operations,
so be sure to discuss how the work will
be done in advance of each on-site activity so you can appropriately plan and
react. Last-minute issues and inconveniences will be encountered, and it is

Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 2020

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