Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/522582
www.datacenterjournal.com agement-at-risk process, as it allows us most flexibility." Construction management (CM) at risk is an approach to a building project in which the contractor—rather than being se- lected solely to implement a predetermined design—plays a role in the design phase. e CM-at-risk firm can help by reviewing design plans, estimating costs and drawing up a schedule. Along these lines, Tyndall highlights the importance of evaluating potential contractors in terms of their efforts before construction begins. "We believe that the success of a project or program is dic- tated during the preconstruction process. Contractors that have solid experiences will typically share information. is sharing of lessons learned can be beneficial to your project." e CM-at-risk approach differs from the more traditional design-bid-build process, in which the general contractor bids on a design offered by the customer and then builds it according to spec. Tyndall notes that in some cases, this more com- mon approach can be a good option. "If you know exactly what you want and have all of the necessary documents, design-bid-build is not a bad approach either. In the case of design-bid-build, make sure your contractor has a solid subcontractor-qualification pro- cess." at process should involve checking a subcontractor's compliance with regula- tions in addition to the obvious matters of expertise and ability to perform the required tasks. Although regulatory matters seldom have anything to do with actual capability, they can arise if something goes wrong or a local authority starts asking questions. One helpful aspect of a contractor in this regard is location relative to the project. "We like our contractor to be local to the community so that it recognizes the subcontractor- vendor market and has experience with jurisdictions having authority," said Tyndall. other ConsiDerations Timing and budget—perhaps the two toughest aspects of any construction project—are of course critical. For instance, Tyndall suggests "looking into the contrac- tor's leverage into the equipment-procure- ment process and how they handle it. What type of leverage they have on schedule and pricing can be significant on data center projects." Addressing your concerns with potential contractors and siing through their responses, particularly with regard to budgeting and scheduling, is important. For instance, what steps does the contractor take to ensure that a project remains within budget? If an unexpected expense arises, what is the process for dealing with it? How does the contractor ensure timeliness—for instance, when scheduling subcontrac- tor work? Does the contractor provide any guarantees on budget or schedule? No project goes entirely as planned: "ings will come up along the way. It's the way that the team responds to 'opportunities' that arise along the way will be a differentiator," said Tyndall. So planning ahead for contingen- cies is vital to success. ese considerations are just a few broad concerns that are germane to most projects. Specific data center designs will have their own defining characteristics that may raise other questions for the contrac- tor. us, finding one that has completed projects similar to yours is thus clearly beneficial. ConClusions Choosing the right data center con- tractor is pivotal to a successful project, and future projects much may go much more smoothly if you have a "go to" firm. Given the expense that's typically involved in a new data center—whether in a newly constructed building or an existing one—the selection process requires time and care. Although weeding out the "bad apples" is of course part of the process, more impor- tant is selecting the right fit from what may be a solid group of candidates. A primary consideration is the contractor's experience with similar projects. Talking with past customers is helpful in this regard, giving you less-biased insight into the contractor's expertise, customer service and so on. In addition, a number of matters related to subcontractors will arise, ranging from the qualification process to the pool of candi- dates that the contractor typically employs. Because so many data center construction projects go over budget and past schedule, the choice of a good contractor is one of the keys to success. n Increased coverage and better defense. Don't let fire events or downtime block your operations! You need the strongest defense to keep your data center facility running 24/7: the FAAST XT aspirating smoke detector from System Sensor. Its 4-inlet technology protects up to 28,800 sq.ft. and provides very early warning of smoke so you can respond to potential problems before disaster strikes. To celebrate FAAST XT's launch, we're offering a chance to win tickets to the Big Game in Feb. 2016! ©2015 System Sensor. All Rights Reserved. We've got you covered. To watch the intro video, visit: go.systemsensor.com/ faastxt-dcj Assembled in the U.S.