To that end, the alliance has sharpened its focus. This now has been narrowed to five, although each firm continues to have the opportunity to team with any other on a needs or opportunity basis, members say. The 3,000-person alliance clearly still is evolving. Starting with the quarterly directors meeting in February, GDA will be inviting selected contractors to attend, partly as an educational and outreach effort and partly to size them up for possible membership. The alliance already has two affiliate members, commercial real estate firm Julian J. Studley Inc., Washington, D.C., and the International Tenant Representative Alliance, Lilburn, Ga., which provides real estate services for corporate tenants.
Recruitment is part of the picture.
Fifty firms would be too many, but 20 is a goal, he says. The key GDA goal is to land design assignments for complex projects with multiple locations. Another hurdle cleared involves insurance. It now is clear that such an alliance can hold professional liability insurance in its own name, which had been a question asked by some major potential clients. It is more the teaming for everyday kinds of projects that require multi-company skills.