Services we provide

Capital Projects supports the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio with planning and administration of the University’s Major Capital Improvement Program including the following services:

• Development of facilities programs and major capital project budgets.
• Development of major capital funding requests.
• Administration of design and construction for major capital projects.
• Leadership of facilities planning and improvement projects.
• Provide FF&E, procurement, construction, and warranty period review for major capital projects.

Capital renovations for the campus. Capital Projects serves as the primary interface with stakeholders, architects and engineers, and construction workforces from the planning of a construction project through its completion. During the construction period Capital Projects will monitor progress and assure quality standards.

Capital Projects provides scheduling, implements cost controls, communicates with stakeholders, and collaborates with departments to meet the project goals.

Capital Projects manages major capital projects including a myriad of consultants and contractors, overseeing approximate $1 billion in projects annually. Major capital projects currently ranging from $60,000,000 to $400,000,000 in size, and typically new construction with extensive site development work.

Project Approvals. The requirements for obtaining funding and receiving necessary approvals at each major phase of the Major Capital Project delivery process is outlined below in the Major Capital Project Approval Process Chart. The UTHSCSA major capital projects are institutionally managed.

The requirements for obtaining funding and receiving necessary approvals at each major phase of the Major Capital Project delivery process is outlined below in the Major Capital Project Approval Process Chart. The UTHSCSA major capital projects are institutionally managed.

The typical delivery of the architect’s services for design of a building project is considered basic services. The owner may request to supplement the basic services to address particular project requirements with additional services.

The basic services performed by an architect during the following five phases of a project: schematic design; design development; construction documents; proposal phase; and contact administration.

Schematic Design Phase

The first phase of the architect’s basic services. In this phase, the architect consults with the owner to ascertain the requirements of the project and prepares the schematic design studies consisting of drawings and other documents illustrating the scale and relationship of the project components for approval by the owner. The architect also submits to the owner for approval a preliminary construction cost estimate.

Design Development Phase

The second phase of the architect’s basic services. In this phase the architect prepares from the approved schematic design studies, for approval by the owner the design development documents consisting of drawings and other documents to fix and describe the size and character of the entire project as to structural, mechanical and electrical systems, materials and such other essentials as may be appropriate. The architect also submits to the owner for approval a further preliminary construction cost estimate.

Construction Documents Phase

The third phase of the architect’s basic services. In this phase the architect prepares from the approved design development documents, for approval by the owner, the working drawings and specifications and the necessary bidding information. In this phase the architect also assists the owner in preparation of bidding forms, the conditions of the contract, and the form of agreement between the owner and the contractor.

Proposal Phase

The fourth phase of the architect’s basic services, during which competitive bids or negotiated proposals are sought as the basis for awarding a construction contact.

Construction Phase – Administration of Construction Contract

The fifth and final phase of the architect’s basic services, which includes the architect’s general administration of the construction contract(s).

Warranty Period. Typically, one year after completion of construction during which deficiencies are evaluated and addressed.

Additional Services

The professional services which may, upon the owner’s request or approval, be rendered by the architect in addition to the basic services identified in the owner-architect agreement. Additional services may include, but not limited to the following:

• Definition Phase. The project Architect/Engineer (A/E) will provide with their professional services a Definition Phase which includes the Basis of Design, Owner’s Project Requirements and Facility Program as additional services. The Definition Phase also includes the Schematic Design Phase which is included with the basic services fee.
• Providing Programming Services
• Providing Master Planning Services
• Providing Medical Equipment Planning Services
• Providing Laboratory Planning Services
• Providing Furniture and Equipment Purchasing Services
• Providing Audio Visual/Data & Telecommunications Engineering
• Providing Security Planning Services
• Providing Graphics/Wayfinding Planning Services
• Providing Safety Engineering Services
• Providing Kitchen Equipment Planning Services
• Providing Accessibility Review and Inspection
• Providing Art Procurement Services
• Other Additional Services: Alternative Project Delivery Selection, Record Drawings, Project Documentation, Sustainable Design, Urban Design, Bidding/Negotiating/Price Discussions, Project Management, 3D Renderings, Computer Modeling, Feasibility Studies, Site Selection, Building Condition Audits, Full-Time Site Representation, Multiple Contract Preparation, and other specialist expertise or services

Owner Provided Services

The services listed below are provided by the Owner at Owner’s expense:

• Survey Services
• Geotechnical Services
• Plan Check
• Forensic Consultant
• Construction Auditing Consultant
• Testing and Balancing
• Hazardous Materials Survey and Abatement
• Laboratory Testing (Soils, Materials, Environmental, Welding, Steel Construction)
• Project Commissioning
• Wind Tunnel/Air Quality Analysis
• Exhaust Stack Testing

Project Delivery Methods

The Texas Higher Education Code 44 allows public institutions of higher learning to use alternative delivery methods for constructions of capital projects. It does not preclude use of the traditional, design-bid-build approach. Under this legislation, the new approach may result in the award of a construction contract either based solely on the lowest responsive bid or based on the benefit of consideration of value provided, relative to established criteria, other than strict adherence to the lowest bid. The three alternative delivery methods are competitive sealed proposals, construction manager-at-risk, or design-build. Selection of the appropriate project delivery method will consider criteria such as the project cost, refinement of the Facility Program, project design, project quality, project construction, constructability, subcontractor selection, selection of the prime design and construction firm, and project delivery schedule. Competitive Sealed Proposals (CSP)

This delivery method follows the design-bid-build approach. The design and construction contracts are held separately, and construction documents are completed prior to award of a contractor. CSP further offers benefit of some limited degree of constructability and value negotiation including some input to the determination of subcontractors; neither of which is likely when selection is based entirely on lowest price. Construction Manager-At-Risk (CM-R)

This delivery method combines the traditional design team relationship with expedited involvement by the construction team prior to the completion of contract documents. Both the design team and the CM-R are contracted separately to the Owner and each is selected through the Request for Qualifications and Request for Proposals process (2-part). Under this contractual relationship, which is similar to CSP, the Owner remains responsible to the CM-R for error and omissions on the part of the design team. The CM-R’s services are divided into Part 1 – Preconstruction Services and Part 2 – Construction Services and the Owner derives benefit from “in-house” construction expertise throughout final development of the project documents and materials selections as well as budget and schedule development and tracking. Subcontractors are selected through competitively sealed proposals for trade packages. The CM-R is encouraged to utilize the CSP process to allow for consideration of values other than price. Design-Build (DB)

This delivery method creates a unique singular contract agreement between the Owner and a singular entity (most often a limited joint venture of construction and design firms) for both the design and construction of a project. Under this contractual relationship, the Owner is not typically responsible for the designers’ errors. The DB’s services are (like the CM-R) divided into Part 1 – Preconstruction Services and Part 2 – Construction Services. While the Owner gives up direct control of the design process, those Architect/Engineering services typically amounting to full professional services, including administering the construction phase, are included in the DB contract requirements. The Owner derives benefit from having construction expertise involved at the very beginning of design, so constructability and budget/schedule control are maximized throughout the project development.