Design & Construction Manual

Project Closeout Considerations

Download the Project Closeout Considerations  Document

General Guidance

A. This section addresses contractual requirements to complete Construction projects at West Chester University, whether for new buildings or renovations. The procedures cover the time period

1. During the period of Substantial Completion (also referred to as the “transition period”) from Prime Contractor(s) construction responsibility to WCU Facilities limited operational responsibility (typically commencing on the date of Substantial Completion);
2. Ding the limited Construction Warranty period as outlined in the contract documents, typically one year in duration, commencing on the end of the construction period / date of final payment; and,
3. Dring the individual long term product/material/systems Warranty periods.

B. The PASSHE and DGS manuals respectively outline the prescribed procedures for closing out these respective construction projects and their contracts. Interaction between the Prime Contractors and the University during the closeout period is further defined herein. These procedures are intended to ensure that requests for services for potential warranty issues will be documented properly; that any subsequent University action or inaction will not void any product / material / systems Warranty; and, ensures a smooth transition from contractor maintenance and repair responsibilities to Facilities Work Control and maintenance and repair (Plant Operations) responsibility.

1. During the period of Substantial Completion, (a) above, any requests for maintenance and/or repair services related to failures or defects in the building structure or equipment contained within the newly constructed or renovated areas will be performed by the relevant Prime Contractor(s) and/or its subcontractor.
2. During the Construction Warranty period, (b) above, a request will be evaluated jointly by the appropriate D&C Project Manager and Work Control to determine if it is directly related to failure or defects in the construction/material or whether it is due to normal use, misuse, or other University driven issue. If determined to be the former, the D&C Project Manager will be responsible to document the issue, immediately notify the responsible Prime Contractor(s), coordinate the necessary corrective action, and document its completion. If determined to be the University’s responsibility, WCU Work Control will direct the action to the respective University shop.
• WCU D & C Project Manager will continue to monitor and advise through the Construction Warranty period any “service/work requests” to assist in determining whether actions taken in response to work requests create a situation where a warranty would be voided by Plant Operations maintenance actions.
3. Upon completion of the Construction Warranty period (typically described as the Material / Product / Systems Warranty period), all work involving the project will be directed only through WCU Work Control to the appropriate University shop, which will make the determination as to the necessary corrective action required, including but not limited to enacting upon any material or product warranty which may still be in effect. During this final period, the D & C Project Manager will continue to act as a resource for issues and advice.

Additional Closeout Considerations

In addition to the general design and project parameters noted and/or referenced elsewhere herein, the University has established the following specific closeout procedures, documentation and training for use and upkeep of overall construction and specific materials and systems; and, which shall be incorporated into the project documentation by the Design Professional:

A. Training:

Upon receipt and confirmation of the contents of the Operations and Maintenance manuals, the Design Professional shall be responsible to schedule and coordinate training sessions by the contractor/manufacturer on required systems and equipment to the appropriate WCU Facilities personnel. It will be the responsibility of WCU Facilities Division to ensure that the appropriate personnel responsible for this equipment are made available to attend the required training sessions.

• A video record of the training shall be provided by the Prime Contractor / Trainer of the system to the University, accompanied by a list of attendees for each session, the date of the training, and any other applicable information, which will be incorporated into the TMA (work management system) for later reference. As a minimum, the following areas should be incorporated into the project specifications as requiring training:
1. Specialty Equipment
2. Plumbing Systems including specialty fixtures/units
3. HVAC systems including any computerized systems overseeing the operations
4. Electrical systems including specialty lighting, or electronic systems
5. Fire alarm Systems
6. Security Systems
7. Custodial requirements for specialty finishes
8. Grounds Maintenance and upkeep requirements for specialty plantings including “green roof” planting areas

B. Operations & Maintenance Manuals:

The Design Professional shall include in the Project specifications the requirement for operational and maintenance manuals for each major product and system prior to the University’s final acceptance of responsibility for newly constructed or renovated buildings and major building systems. The Design Professional will coordinate the provision of three (3) hard copies and one digital copy of all Operations and Maintenance manuals for each major product or system incorporated into the project. At any time during Substantial Completion, if the O&M Manuals have not yet been submitted or are incomplete, the University may direct limited specific information be provided in order to commence the operations of the respective products/systems.

1. The Design Professional shall compile and submit a list of required preventive maintenance schedules and protocols and the respective specific time frames in order to allow the University to enter the information into its work order system (TMA) so as to generate automatic preventive maintenance recurring work orders for operations and maintenance trades with the needed tasks and frequencies.

C. As-Built Drawings:

The Design Professional shall include in the Project specifications the requirement of three (3) hard copies and one (1) digital copy (in AutoCAD format) of “as-built” drawings be submitted by each Prime Contractor. Issuance of Final payment shall be noted in the specifications to be contingent upon receipt of that payment.

D. Contact Information for Warranty Holders:

The Design Professional shall incorporate into the specifications the requirement of each Prime Contractor to provide a list of contact information for each Warranty holder / Contractor. The contact information shall include contractor point of contact name, phone number, address, systems/components covered and warranty period / expiration date.