The Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC) Detention Facility Program was the first unsolicited Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in Virginia to utilize the design-build delivery method. The design-build process provided an essential means by which the team achieved the client’s goals for a prototype detention facility through ongoing collaboration. The VDOC program earned a Design-Build Institute of America National Merit Award in 2008, as well as a national award from the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships, underscoring the accomplishments of this “first” for Virginia.
The VDOC Detention Facility Program allowed Balfour Beatty-Moseley LLC to provide design, preconstruction and construction services for two Level-3, medium-security state detention facilities located in Pittsylvania County and Tazewell County, as well as an addition to an existing Level-2, minimum-security facility in Southampton County. The contract to provide the facilities improvements was procured through Virginia’s Public-Private Infrastructure Act of 2002.
The two design-build medium security projects of approximately 250,000 square feet of space among nine buildings were planned, including four prisoner housing facilities, double-bunked to accommodate 1,024 inmates each; an administration building; a program support building for food services, medical, education, gym, vocational/technical training, intake, segregation and visitation; a gate house; a warehouse maintenance facility; and a hazmat storage building. The Pittsylvania County project also included provisions for wastewater treatment facilities, water storage and water supply. The minimum security facility included a 600-bed dormitory addition to an existing prison: three dorms with two wards each. This project also features an expansion to the administration office, food service, education and visitation areas and a new 20-bed medical facility.
Overall goals for this project included:
- Delivering 2,648 beds in 32 months.
- Using the first unsolicited PPP to utilize a design-build approach and fulfill a critical bed/inmate need of the state.
- Creating a blended project team, which included the owner from pursuit phase to closeout.
- Pioneering a PPP project using design-build by a state of Virginia agency.
- Collaborating between the design-builder and the VDOC to champion the project at a state level.
- Developing a set of operational and architectural standards for the first medium security Level-3 prototype for the Commonwealth.
The VDOC Detention Facility Program was procured through the (then) newly enacted Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act of 2002 (PPEA). Balfour Beatty Construction worked with Public Private Infrastructure (PPI) to identify this project as a viable PPEA opportunity, and the DOC agreed to consider the alternative procurement method as a means of delivering much-needed new facilities in a shorter period of time.
Public project delivery via PPP works best when a suspension of traditional mindset is replaced by a required level of cultural compatibility. The team members are no longer separate entities, each solely responsible for its own specialty; instead, in a PPP project team, members have a vested interest in the entire team’s success. The firms selected as team members for this pursuit possessed both an understanding of the PPEA approach and the highest caliber credentials. Each of the key members brought particular strengths to the Balfour Beatty-led team, including VDOC’s leadership and courage to embrace design-build delivery.
The key factor that made the program successful was the partnership and team environment created by the owner. The VDOC embraced the team approach and design-build delivery offered by the Balfour Beatty-Moseley team to drive the successful completion of the program. This early collaboration and acceptance of single-entity risk drove the team-based philosophy throughout the project program.
Program requirements
The development of program requirements was conducted jointly between the design-build team and the VDOC. Additionally, the information and coordination the design-build team created during the pursuit phase helped the state define its need in functional terms. Critical metrics were used as a baseline (number of facilities and beds, layout, location, site adaptability, schedule and cost) and further prescriptive measures were used to guide the team towards a known program (of an existing VDOC facility design for reference). Finally, the design-build team utilized the VDOC’s operational philosophy during design. The resulting decisions set the course for development of Architectural Standards for a new Level-3 medium security facility prototype.
Kimberley Lipp, acting chief, architectural & engineering services at the Virginia Department of Corrections, commented on the process saying, “The design process filled a void for VDOC by delivering a new prototype design for a Level-3 (medium security) facility, which the Department did not have in their inventory.” She continued, “In addition, the design team worked closely with a VDOC committee to capture details for prison operations and incorporate the resulting design decisions into a set of Design Standards for VDOC.”
Procurement process
While the Comprehensive Agreement and Design-Build Agreement were being negotiated, the two-phase PPEA procurement process continued to provide the forum for the parties to reach alignment on program, cost, schedule and quality goals. Inherent to the discussions and planning, several agreements were developed that allowed the team to give-and-take on key areas of the project program, cost sharing, schedule development, quality needs and long- term goals established by VDOC.
The team dynamics that surfaced between the design-build team members helped to keep the project program heading in the right direction while the agreement process unfolded. To keep the project on schedule as planned, the design-build team proceeded at-risk with site development, research activities and analysis of pre-existing site conditions on the various VDOC sites prior to contract signing. Correctional facilities built in Virginia are typically sited on state land in remote and challenging areas – often with unknown site conditions. Because of this, and the nature of trust infused into the process, the state has since adopted the ability to create an interim agreement through the PPEA procurement process with its design-build partners. The interim agreement is specifically used to conduct site investigative work and other pre-planning activities that the team feels will benefit the project. While the innovative approach by the Balfour Beatty-Moseley team to solve the problem ultimately became a tool for the state to utilize on future projects, it was a unique tie between the contracting approach and the procurement process used to select the design-builder.
Successful performance
Collaborative design-build delivery of the VDOC’s Detention Facility Program was deemed a success by the owner. “Collaboration proved to be very beneficial to the project,” said Kimberley Lipp of VDOC. She added, “At a time when many other state agencies were returning to the Legislature to ask for additional funding due to extreme and unanticipated inflation, this project team worked together openly and fairly to ensure the VDOC got what it wanted within the original budget.” Now under construction in Grayson County, Va. is a fourth prototype project, which was awarded by VDOC to the Balfour Beatty-Moseley design-build team based on its performance on the VDOC’s Detention Facility Program.
The Virginia DOC Detention Facility Program met and exceeded the following design build expectations:
- Pioneered the use of design-build by a state agency in Virginia.
- Single-source partner with the Virginia Department of Corrections.
- Early cost model for the Commonwealth.
- Shortened the duration of construction to deliver a critical need.
- True partnership was achieved; goals were defined and issues were solved.
- Quality construction and an above-satisfactory product produced.
- Operational efficiency in design was achieved.
Program enhancements
Enhancements to the project program were made where possible through smart planning and efficient design and construction solutions. Examples included:
Early procurement of trades and early budget certainty – The early procurement of key trades helped achieve the best value for the Program and create buy-in to the schedule. Early specialty partners included mechanical, electrical, fire protection, pre-engineered metal building, precast concrete cells, site work, detention equipment and security systems. In addition, the early award of precast cells allowed our team to focus on a specific manufacturer’s standard cell molds and design, which saved time, versus the traditional method of waiting until completion of 100 percent construction documents, bidding and then redesigning the cells.
Accommodating changes – The team was able to engineer the non-programmed feature of slider cell doors in lieu of swing cell doors. The provision for sliders was crucial to fulfill VDOC’s desire to create a flexible security environment that could later be classified as a Level-4 or Level-5 prison.
Piloting new technologies – The team used design-build specialty partners to plan, furnish and install a state of the art fence security component at the Pittsylvania facility. The De-Techeonsensor Coil provided a new technology for the VDOC and was selected as a pilot program for the facility at Pittsylvania. The team used combined savings and owner FF&E monies to fund the system.
Incorporating end-user designs – At the Pocahontas prison, the Warden and operational staff suggested that cleanliness and serviceability of floor finish in key inmate areas was desired. Above the standard sealed concrete specified, the team installed a Grind-n-Seal floor finish to achieve a more durable and maintenance-free finish.
Time savings – The PPEA process initiated by the design-build team proved beneficial due to the significant time savings as compared to VDOC completing the projects through a traditional design-bid-build process. Early delivery of beds was critical given the current and growing bed space shortage. The PPEA design build process saved an average of 17 months across the project program.
Better suited equipment – The owner and design-build team consistently right-sized systems and evaluated required equipment throughout the process. Equipment consisted of specialized training, education and food service components, as well as MATV components, including a radio tower. Intercom systems equipment accommodates recording of all intercom systems voice traffic and downloading to DVD for third party review or archive as needed.
Fast track permitting – Fast track permitting allowed the design-build team to obtain permits for: site, foundation, structure and final building. The focused permit approach allowed for the design to be fast tracked and for the work to start sooner. Three months after contract award, site work began. Three months later, foundations started and structural erection followed. The design was packaged to drive construction start dates.