Trinity River Authority of Texas Alternative Procurement Through Pre-Construction Purchasing: Is It Right For You?

By 2020, the Trinity River Authority of Texas (TRA) Central Regional Wastewater System (CRWS) plant is expected to face peak flows that are 45% greater than the current peak flow of 405 mgd. When evaluating the plant's influent facilities, it became clear that TRA could not risk long lead times and schedule delays that could result from typical design-bid-build procurement methods. AECOM recommended pre-purchasing equipment as a part of three separate, consecutive construction contracts at the influent structures of the CRWS plant.The equipment was purchased within budget and installed within aggressive timelines. These examples of pre-purchasing show how an owner can innovatively procure equipment when the timeline requires it. The most important phrase to remember is, “coordination is key”. Whether you are looking to accelerate a project schedule, minimize uncertainty that comes with traditional procurement, or have increased control of cost and equipment selection, pre-construction purchasing may be your solution.