In this chapter we describe the significant activities that take place in the project development process prior to the selection of the organisations that will assemble the various project elements in the field. After describing many of the parties involved in the planning and design phase, we divide this phase into three stages. In the first, or planning and feasibility study stage, the various parties define and clarify the projects purpose and scope, conduct feasibility studies, select and acquire land and investigate site conditions and consider options, in a preliminary way, for how the work might be assembled. In the second, or design stage, schematic design lays out the relationships among the project elements, while design development provides the detailed calculations and drawings that specify the sizes and locations of the structural members, earthworks, mechanical systems and all other parts that make up the project. In the contract document development stage, all of the documents required to enter into a construction contract are put together, including the detailed working drawings, technical specifications and legal conditions of the contract. When the planning and design phase is complete, the owner or the owners representative is ready to select the construction organisation. As we have already described in Chapter 2, many project delivery options are available, some involving various advisors to the owner and different approaches to the sequencing of the design and construction work. Under a designbuild contract, for example, a single organisation is responsible for both design and construction and phased construction may be employed, whereby not all of the design work is completed before construction is begun. This organisation may also be involved in the planning and feasibility study stage. For most projects, the stages described in this chapter must all be carried out, although not always in the strict order presented here. For simplicity, the order given here assumes that all design will be completed prior to contractor selection.
