Federal Architect/Engineering Contract Considerations for Computer Aided Design

Based on a survey of 84 firms and 11 Federal agencies, GAO concluded that computer use on Federal projects is often limited or hampered by the actions of agency officials and agency procedures and practices. An environment more conducive to greater, more efficient use of computer-aided methods is needed. GAO recommended that Federal agencies educate their personnel about the capabilities and uses of computers in the design process; require computers for functions which can be done efficiently only with computers; evaluate computer expertise when selecting firms for design work; discuss computer use during negotiations; and revise fee proposal formats to recognize the computer's role on the project and clearly identify the services to be performed under the contract. Many Federal officials see the computer as only an analytical tool. Federal officials are bothered by the difficulty of evaluating computer costs. Computer pricing policies of Federal agencies should be flexible and permit those pricing practices endorsed by the American Society of Civil Engineers. An architect/engineering (A/E) firm should decide how it is going to do the required design work on a Federal project. It is necessary to require that the most efficient, most accurate methods be used. The agency has the responsibility to assure that the A/E firm uses the right program, understands the program, and assumes full responsibility for the results of their analyses and for the decisions based on their analyses. Discussions during negotiations hopefully would prevent some erroneous assumptions about the use of computer aids. Questions for consideration include: whether agency concerns about over-use, misuse, and user loss of control of a job justify inhibiting and discouraging the use of computer-aided design methods; whether computer capabilities, expertise, and experience should be evaluated when selecting firms for Federal design work; whether there are other unaddressed factors relating to the computer and its role which have a bearing on the alleged shortcomings in the Federal Government's A/E services contracting process; what factors should be considered when evaluating fee proposals; whether firms should only be allowed to use proven computer programs; whether the computer is being neglected as a design tool; and whether Federal agencies can continue to ignore the productivity potential of the computer in design.