Facilities projects involve repair, replacement and renovations to structures and their various components. This includes work on building exteriors, electrical systems, fire alarms and fire sprinklers, heating, ventilation and air conditioning units, plumbing, walls and windows.
A majority of these projects go through a six-phase process, beginning with initial planning by the District’s Office of Facilities and Construction (OF&C). Phase 2 involves advertising and hiring architects or engineers to design the project. In Phase 3, the design professionals draw up plans for the contractors or vendors who are hired in Phase 4. The actual work starts Phase 5 and once that is completed, the project undergoes quality assurance inspections in the final Phase 6.
Other projects may undergo an alternative process aimed at expediting the work, such as bringing contractors and the design team together in a collaborative effort to complete the project.