Upon completion of the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in August 2011, the project team not only delivered a significant health care facility, it also tested a new procurement method for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Developed as part of the Dept. of Defense's Base Realignment and Closure program, the new $958-million hospital replaces the 50-plus-year-old DeWitt Army Hospital at Fort Belvoir and greatly expands its facilities. In total, more than 2.3 million sq ft of structures were built in less than five years.
The main facility consists of a nine-story main hospital building, two three-story clinical buildings and two two-story clinical buildings. The complex also includes an ambulance shelter, helipad, two parking structures, a central utility plant and a utility tunnel.
To meet its fast-track schedule, with a fixed end date established under BRAC, USACE used a new integrated design-bid-build delivery method. As USACE had not previously used IDBB on a hospital project, "there was no Army playbook on how IDBB should work," says Victor Mudryk, project executive, Gilbane Building, Laurel, Md.
The joint venture of Turner Construction, Arlington, and Gilbane worked with the design team of HDR, Alexandria, Va., and Dewberry, Fairfax, Va., to develop new procedures to expedite paperwork flow, submittal procedures, reporting and decision making.
Early contractor involvement was a key component of the plan. Mudryk says the team was brought on board when designs were at 12%, including a group of key trades such as sitework, structural steel, mechanical, electrical, fire protection, roofing and waterproofing contractors. By participating in early design collaboration, the team quickly translated design decisions into direct implementation in the field.
Up to 1,500 trade workers were on site at peak construction. The team coordinated with 90 key subcontractors and vendors.
"[IDBB] proved to be the right process given the schedule," Mudryk says. "It opened up communications, and everyone knew where everyone else was at all times."
Fort Belvoir Community Hospital Fort Belvoir, Va.
Key Players
General Contractor: Turner Gilbane Joint Venture, Arlington, Va.
Owner: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, Norfolk, Va.
Lead Design, Structural/Civil/MEP Engineer: HDR/Dewberry, Alexandria, Va.
Submitted by: Gilbane Building Co.
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