Copying and distributing are prohibited without permission of the publisher
The D in DBFM
01 September 2008
The Canadian market has so far relegated design considerations to a minor role in PPP procurement. This situation could, and should, change. By Simon Chapman, senior vice-president, infrastructure development, Carillion Canada.
The Canadian public-private partnership (PPP) industry has proliferated in the past several years, but one crucial stakeholder is often noticeably absent from the conferences that cover the market – the architects and designers. The PPP industry acronym DBFM says its all – design-build-finance-maintain. Just as a chair needs four legs to stand on, so does a successful PPP solution need full integration of the design with the build-finance-maintain scope.
Design is critical to all infrastructure; roads, schools, courthouses, jails, hospitals. Bad design that, for example, leads to structural failure of a bridge is often invisible until a calamity occurs. Engineering standards and building codes, augmented by technical adviser oversight, would typically act as a check and balance, whether for PPP or traditional procurement. However, good design can be harder to discern; it cannot be put into a spreadsheet, it is not easily amenable to systematic analysis, and subjective and emotional perspectives can...
Take a free website trial to read this article. It’s easy to get a trial – just follow this link or email info@projectfinancemagazine.com.
Or, if you’re a subscriber or have an active trial, simply log in below to read the article.
Subscribe
Subscribers have unlimited access to all current and archive content. Start your
subscription today - click on the button below.
Subscribe
Free trial
Taking a free trial will give you access to the latest news and analysis, as
well as the online deals database, BenchBase. Start your free trial today.
Free Trial