Sharing Industry-Leading Transportation Expertise in Public-Private Partnerships and Progressive Design-Build

In April 2022, Nebraska authorized the state’s agencies and its cities to deliver transportation projects through public-private partnerships, or P3s, and progressive design-build project delivery methods, expanding the state’s previous alternative delivery options. As part of this change, the Nebraska Department of Transportation was required to update the state’s project delivery guidelines to incorporate these alternative methods.

NDOT turned to HDR for assistance in updating the state guidelines. The work included reviewing relevant statutes, gathering feedback on current guidelines, updating existing sections, and drafting new sections with explanations of the methods and guidelines for their use.

Our procurement experts have helped draft guidelines for alternative delivery methods in multiple states, including Nebraska’s earlier document from 2016, which addressed policies and procedures for design-build and construction manager-general contractor project delivery methods. During this most recent update, our team worked closely with NDOT, adding new guidance on P3s and progressive design-build and adjusting the previous guidelines to incorporate lessons learned.

National Expertise to Inform and Update

The transportation industry across North America is increasingly exploring and implementing these alternative project delivery methods, bringing new efficiency in cost and schedule. Our procurement experts understand each unique method and how to choose the appropriate method for each project or program. Ensuring that Nebraska’s guidelines reflect the latest best practices, we provided our nationally recognized experts in procurement and alternative delivery to help draft and edit this update.

As cities or counties in the state consider the advantage of alternative project delivery methods, they look to the state transportation agency for guidance. This document will also help them understand how each of the alternative project delivery methods work, which alternative project delivery method is a likely candidate based on project characteristics, and each of the method’s benefits and challenges. Knowing when to use each alternative project delivery method and how to make the best use of these alternative project delivery methods is key to the success of an alternative delivery program.

A Useful Framework for Informed Decisions

The information provided in the final guidelines provides a framework for using each of the alternative project delivery methods. Commonly asked questions are presented, and the guidelines offer recommended procedures for the use of each option. They also include discussion of the risks of each alternative project delivery method and the decisions that must be made to have a successful procurement.

Included in the updated guidelines are clear roles and responsibilities for each party and guides for which alternative project delivery method may be best for each project. The document covers the project initiation process through procurement, from how to choose an alternative project delivery method, to considerations for evaluating proposals.

The updated guidelines, delivered to NDOT in March 2023, will also be reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration in fall 2023 prior to being published. This step will ensure that advice in this document matches federal guidelines that direct how grants are awarded.