Use of New Construction Method on Federal Projects at Three Agencies Can Be Improved

The use of conventional construction and phased construction were compared at the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Veterans Administration (VA). Under conventional construction, the federal agency hires an architect to design the building. Once the design is completed, a general contractor is hired to construct the building and the agency's in-house staff supervises the design and construction. Under the construction manager and phased construction method, a construction manager is hired as a consultant on the design and as the manager of the construction. To reduce the design and construction time, construction contracts are awarded as phases of the building are designed rather than after all design is completed.