Capabilities · Design-build & general contracting
Design-build and general contracting for federal agencies.
We take federal projects from schematic design through permitting, construction, commissioning and operator training, with one team accountable for the whole job.
What we do
SIS has performed at-risk bid-build and design-build work for the National Park Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USDA, GSA and DoD installations.
On the National Park Service's Buffalo Point project we designed, permitted, built and commissioned two wastewater treatment plants on remote sites at the same time. On USDA's Building 8 HVAC project we designed the foundations and steel platform ourselves and re-engineered the footings around buried vaults without losing the deadline.
Services
- Design-build and bid-build delivery
- Design submittals and construction documents
- State and local permitting
- Scheduling and cost control
- Self-performed mechanical, civil and masonry work
- Commissioning and operator training
- O&M manuals and as-built drawings
- USACE quality control and EM 385-1-1 safety
Past performance
Related projects
Buffalo Point wastewater treatment plants
Two wastewater plants designed, permitted and commissioned at once in a national river park.
Case study →
USDA laboratory rooftop HVAC
Lab rooftop HVAC on a new steel platform, on time and on budget.
Case study →Melvin Price Federal Building parking lot
Low-carbon parking lot repairs at a historic federal courthouse.
Case study →Delivery methods
What design-build means for a federal owner
In design-build, one contract covers both design and construction. The agency defines its requirements, usually with a request for proposals and a schematic or 35% design, and the design-builder carries the project through final design, permitting, construction and turnover. The owner has one point of accountability instead of managing a designer and a builder separately.
Federal agencies use design-build under FAR Part 36, often through a two-phase selection: a technical and past-performance evaluation first, then price proposals from a short list. It suits projects where schedule matters and the requirement can be stated as performance criteria, such as treatment plants, utility conversions and equipment replacements.
SIS has delivered both models. Buffalo Point was design-build for the National Park Service; most of our Corps work has been bid-build against a complete design. In both cases we self-perform core trades and hold the subcontractors and suppliers to the same schedule.
How we deliver it
From RFP to operator training
- Step 1
Requirements review
We review the RFP, the schematic design, site data and existing utilities, and list every permit the project needs before we price it.
- Step 2
Design and submittals
Our design team develops design-development and construction documents for agency review, with the constructability input of the people who will build it.
- Step 3
Permits and approvals
We obtain state and local approvals, such as the construction and discharge approvals Arkansas required at Buffalo Point.
- Step 4
Construct, commission, train
We build, test and commission the systems, train the operators, and turn over O&M manuals and as-built drawings.
Compliance
Contract requirements we work to every day
Federal construction has its own rulebook, and much of a general contractor's value is knowing it. We price and plan for these from the first day rather than discovering them during submittals.
- Davis-Bacon prevailing wages and certified payroll
- Miller Act payment and performance bonds
- Buy American Act material documentation
- USACE EM 385-1-1 safety requirements on Corps work
- Three-phase quality control: preparatory, initial and follow-up inspections
- Submittal registers and USACE RMS/QCS reporting
- Accident prevention plans and activity hazard analyses
- Closeout with O&M manuals, warranties and as-builts
Self-performed work
Capabilities we self-perform on design-build projects
Frequently asked questions
Does SIS deliver design-build projects?
Yes. SIS delivered the Buffalo Point wastewater treatment plants for the National Park Service as design-build, from design and permitting through commissioning and operator training.
What agencies has SIS served as general contractor?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, GSA, USDA, the National Park Service, the Forest Service and Army and Air National Guard installations.
What is the difference between design-build and design-bid-build?
In design-bid-build, the agency hires a designer, completes the design, then bids construction separately. In design-build, one contractor holds both design and construction under a single contract, which shortens schedules and gives the owner one point of responsibility.
Does SIS self-perform work as a general contractor?
Yes. SIS self-performs mechanical, plumbing, civil, carpentry and masonry work and manages specialty subcontractors for the remaining scopes.
Can SIS handle permitting on federal projects?
Yes. On design-build work we identify, apply for and obtain the required state and local approvals, as we did for the Buffalo Point wastewater plants in Arkansas.
Have a project or solicitation in this scope?
Send us the details and our BD team will respond within one business day.