CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2025

The San Antonio River Authority (River Authority) used Progressive Design-Build (PDB) delivery for the Salitrillo Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Expansion project, which expanded the WWTP from a capacity of 5.83 million gallons per day (MGD) to 7.33 MGD. This delivery method was new for the River Authority, and it quickly became an effective but challenging way to manage schedule and cost in a new virtual environment. The RFQ was issued 01/08/22, after which the qualified design-build teams were shortlisted. An RFP was then issued on 03/16/20, the same day San Antonio’s mayor issued an emergency declaration urging the public to avoid gatherings of ten or more people. Along with the new challenge of collaborating in a virtual environment, there were issues during construction with cost escalation and material delays that tested the flexibility and benefits of PDB. This presentation will discuss the following from an owner’s and design-builder’s perspective: • The procurement process and associated challenges and solutions • Best contracting practices in a volatile construction market • Project management lessons learned • Managing constant fluctuations in raw material and equipment costs during pre-construction and construction phase • Pros and cons of using PDB, and recommendations for using this method