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DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION 3.11

• Field observation of the work as it progresses to verify the contractor's compliance with
contract documents
• Clarification of contractor questions pertaining to the drawings and specifications
• Review of shop drawings submitted by the contractor
• Review of payment requests
• Monitoring compliance with the construction schedule
• Testing materials and systems for acceptability
• Coordination of field orders and change orders

Timely and relevant communication between all parties involved in the construction
of the plant improvements is critical to the success of the project. On larger or more com-
plex projects, formal "partnering" is sometimes utilized to facilitate communication be-
tween all parties and to minimize conflicts.

Coordination of Design Disciplines
All design disciplines should be actively involved in construction administration. Mem-
bers of the design team should make periodic visits to the construction site to monitor
construction activities related to their discipline. As part of plant construction adminis-
tration, it is necessary to coordinate modifications and changes to design with the various
design disciplines.

Construction Approvals
No matter how carefully a construction job is planned and designed, there are almost al-
ways some changes that must be made during construction as a result of unexpected prob-
lems or a change of mind by the owner, designer, or regulatory agency.
Owner Approval of Change Orders. To facilitate timely processing of changes to con-
tract documents, the owner should be apprised of potential or upcoming change orders as
they become apparent. Owner approval is normally required for most change orders un-
less the designer has been designated as the client's contractual authority. Documentation
should be provided for each change order to ensure that all parties have a clear under-
standing of the changes it will cause in the project cost and construction schedule.
Regulatory Approval of Change Orders. In many instances in which regulatory ap-
proval of the design has been obtained, change orders must be approved by the agencies
to ensure that the project still complies with agency regulations. Regulatory approval of
change orders may also be necessary when funding for construction is provided by a reg-
ulatory agency.

Facilities Start-up

The final phase of a water treatment plant construction project involves activities associ-
ated with start-up and initial operation of the new facilities. The contractor is normally
required to organize and conduct the start-up of new plant facilities, with the owner and
designer overseeing the activities.