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

WSDOT/APWA Specifications Special Provisions  Who?  What?  Where?  When?

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

 1963 – APWA Std Specs 1 st 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

Contacts

APWA GSPs

Change Log Download directions

Plans or Specials ….. which one comes first?

.. recent GSP in response to new RCW..

GSP with fill-ins..

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

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.

WHO ????

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

HOW ???? Elements of the Special Provision  Description of Work  Materials  Construction Requirements  Measurement  Payment

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

WHAT ???? Clear Concise Complete Consistent Complete ConsistentSupplementReviseMeasurePay

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 If yes– then stop No? Then look for already written and tested Special Provisions No? Then look for already written and tested Special Provisions

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

Pitfalls …  Non-management of boilerplate: allowing all staff to “play” with it allowing all staff to “play” with it no regular program of review & update 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 May not be applicable Skimming, not editing carefully Skimming, not editing carefully Out of date references Out of date references

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

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

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) (results in confusion, repetition, contradiction)  Careless terminology ‘Specifications’, Contract Provisions vs. Contract Documents‘Specifications’, Contract Provisions vs. Contract Documents “Federal” Funding“Federal” Funding Engineer vs. Owner’s Consultant, etc.Engineer vs. Owner’s Consultant, etc. your Contractor vs. other contractorsyour Contractor vs. other contractors

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

Equitable Allocation of Risk  Don’t go overboard – be fair and realistic  ‘Talking strong’ is OK, if FairFair BiddableBiddable EnforceableEnforceable  Don’t try to protect yourself from everything that could ever happen

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 bid it? Can I build it? Can I build it?  Have the Construction Manager review for biddability, constructability, materials  Ask a Contractor to review?

Questions? Remember – “Specials” come before the Plans