BCI provided VM facilitation services for the $39 million Portland cement concrete pavement (PCCP) and overhead catenary system (OCS) replacement, and utility and lighting improvements for Metro’s six-acre electric trolley bus fleet parking, maintenance, and wash facility—Metro’s first use of State of Washington Heavy Civil GC/CM MACC project delivery.
Project considerations included a complex scope and challenging construction and site constraints, for which the design can heavily affect constructability—increasing risk, construction cost, and duration, and impacting stakeholders including operations and maintenance personnel in a continuously operational facility.
The VM team generated 133 creative ideas, developed 23 value methodology proposals, and recommended 17 VMPs for $3.1 million in first cost avoidance with an average of 48% performance improvement.
BCI provided VM facilitation and risk analysis services for a VM study involving participants representing the diverse interests of federal and local agencies, one of which was required for the success of the project, but did not support it. Using the Value Methodology helped the entire group identify needs; define, refine, and prioritize project success criteria; identify the functions that must be performed to meet the criteria; and generate ideas on ways to achieve them. The study helped the stakeholders find solutions that would meet the needs of their individual agencies and the overarching goals of the program.
BCI provided VM facilitation and risk analysis services for the $86 million, design-bid-build diamond-couplet interchange connecting I-5 ramps to a one-way couplet arterial system and extending 34th Avenue East with a new bridge overcrossing I-5.
The VM team generated 60 creative ideas and developed 11 value proposals, including deleting geosynthetic walls and using additional compaction on embankments, avoiding $2,880,000 in initial cost and improving performance by 10%; and eliminating the portion of 34th Street between the off-ramps south of I-5 and 20th Street, avoiding $1,990,000 in initial cost, increasing life-cycle cost by only $227, and improving performance by 38%. The interchange provides efficient movement of traffic into and out of the POT and surrounding areas, with enhanced safety and reliability of access to local and area businesses, while balancing effects to the natural and community environments.
BCI provided VM facilitation services for the $167 million, design-build replacement of the existing southbound bridge over the Puyallup River, reconnecting the I-5/SR 167 southbound ramp, and building a southbound HOV lane from Portland Avenue to Port of Tacoma Road interchange. Value workshop objectives included finding least-cost alternatives to address need and function.
The VM team generated 50 creative ideas and developed 11 VE alternatives, including locating the new southbound bridge closer to the new northbound bridge, putting both northbound and southbound HOV lanes on the new northbound bridge, and constructing a narrower new southbound bridge for general purpose and auxiliary lanes, avoiding $22,910,031; and reducing lane widths in the project area from 12 ft. to 11 ft. while replacing existing pavement with HMA in lieu of PCCP, avoiding $13,672,000.
BCI provided VM facilitation and risk analysis services for the $51 million design-bid-build reconstruction of the SR 520 east-bound off-ramp to 148th Ave. NE and construction of a tunnel that will cross under 148th Ave. NE.
The VM team generated 62 creative ideas and developed 9 value proposals, including reducing the number of buildings taken, decreasing initial cost by $5,519,000 and improving performance by 22%; locating a permanent utilidor at 148th to span over the future tunnel, increasing initial cost by $39,000 while improving performance by 18%; prescribing a roll-in-place lid underneath 148th, increasing initial cost by $606,581 while improving performance by 12%; and comparing WSDOT’s project schedule under design-build (DB) project delivery relative to DBB, which indicated no significant time savings would be achieved by using DB.
BCI provided VM facilitation and risk analysis services for the $1 billion design-bid-build Hartford Water Pollution Control Facility Wet Weather Expansion Project, including a deep tunnel conveyance and storage system with associated consolidation conduits and pump station to provide treatment of wet weather flows. A key objective is to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) from 60 to zero annually, avoiding approximately 50 CSO activations per year.
The VM team generated 109 creative ideas and developed 23 value proposals, including reducing the diameter of the north and south tunnel to store 60 MG and closing the downtown tunnel before one-year storms and larger, avoiding $98,060,000 in initial cost; replacing tunnel storage with parallel, linear storage, avoiding $25,800,000; and making the Granby Spur and Downtown Connector Tunnel the same diameter and using a single tunnel boring machine (TBM), avoiding $2,500,000.
BCI’s Anna Bremmer provided VM facilitation services for the $24 million, 35,760 GSF operations support facility built to sensitive compartmented information (SCI), Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) Intelligence Community Standard (ICS) 705, and UFC 4-010-05 standards. Project considerations included facilitating future operations and wetland impacts.
The VM team generated 46 creative ideas and developed 13 value proposals, including using a two-ply modified bituminous roof membrane, increasing initial cost by $55,755, while substantially increasing durability, minimizing leaks, and reducing maintenance; replacing vinyl composition tile and ceramic tile with resinous epoxy flooring to increase durability and reduce maintenance, avoiding $7,360 in initial cost; and reducing one roof stair tower by one floor to enhance security, avoiding $236,000 in initial cost. The total net initial cost avoidance accepted by USACE for implementation was $231,461.
BCI’s Anna Bremmer provided VM facilitation and risk analysis services for the $21 million demolition and reconstruction of the interior 91 MXG section industrial shop that serves as the only source for classified maintenance of the Minuteman III ICBMs for Minot AFB. The project includes relocation of the shops based upon area need, upgrade of assemblies per UFC, NFPA, and IBC requirements, and optimization of workflow.
The VM team generated 57 creative ideas and developed eight VE proposals, including not adding spray urethane foam insulation, avoiding $406,000 in initial cost and maintaining performance; and using destratification fans in high-bay areas to supplement gas radiant heaters, increasing initial cost by $31,583 while reducing energy usage and improving personnel comfort. Six of the eight VE proposals were accepted for implementation.
BCI’s Anna Bremmer provided VM facilitation for the $16 million programmed sediment remediation. Part of the Great Lakes Legacy Act 101 program and the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC) project, the Ponds Behind Erie Pier project was number two of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA’s) top sites for contamination. Project goals included removing exposure to benthic and fish communities above sediment cleanup levels, maintaining existing open water, restoring habitat, and limiting sediment mobility.
VE workshop objectives included identifying dredging, dewatering, contaminant uptake, and risk mitigation strategies. Through the participation of USACE’s design team, USEPA, and MPCA throughout the workshop, the group developed a concept for a comprehensive recommended alternative, which was accepted for the project, avoiding $1,882,653 in initial cost.
Both the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency representatives and USACE project manager concurred that the VM study reduced design time by four to six months.
In support of the USACE Chief Value Officer’s initiative to achieve SAVE International Certified Value Specialist (CVS) certification for USACE’s District Value Officers (DVOs), BCI’s Anna Bremmer instructed function analysis and the CVS refresher for the two-day course. The purpose was to hone the DVO’s function analysis skills beyond the VMF-1 and VMF-2 courses required for certification and prepare them for the CVS exam. She used her experience as Exams Chairperson on the SAVE International Certification Board to be certain that no exam questions or answers were provided during the course.
It is well known that the function analysis and financial sections of the CVS exam are the most difficult to pass. Historically, the pass rate for first-time examinees has been 10%. This course played a significant support role in certifying 12 SAVE DVOs as CVSs and contributed to a record year for SAVE CVS certification in the United States.
Copyright © 2022 Bremmer Consulting Inc. - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.