Phase-by-Phase Workflow

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Step-by-step estimator actions for every phase of a design-build manufacturing plant project. The scenario thread throughout is a real-world type example: a Midwest food & beverage manufacturer adding two new automated filling lines in a 35,000 SF building expansion.

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Phase 0: RFP Receipt and Project Kickoff

Your first job is to understand the project before you price it.

Step 0.1 — Receive and Log the RFP Documents

1. Create a project folder with consistent naming convention
2. Log every document received (drawing list, specifications, geotech, survey, addenda)
3. Note the proposal due date and work backward to build your bid schedule
4. Identify who owns each estimate section (self-perform vs. sub-bid)

Step 0.2 — RFP Review and Scope Understanding

Read documents in this order:

1. Project narrative / scope of work — understand what the owner wants
2. Contract form and GMP provisions — understand risk exposure before pricing anything
3. Specifications (Division 01 first) — general requirements govern the whole project: insurance, bonding, LDs, warranty, allowances
4. Drawings — civil/site → structural → architectural → mechanical → electrical → process

As you read, mark up three lists: things that are clear (can be priced), things that are ambiguous (need RFI), things that are missing (need assumption or exclusion).

Step 0.3 — Issue Pre-Bid RFIs

List every unresolved question and submit as formal RFIs. Never price over an unresolved ambiguity without a written assumption in the BOE.

Step 0.4 — Develop the Bid Schedule

Work backward from the proposal due date:

• Day -X: Send bid packages to subcontractors (allow 10–15 working days for mechanical/electrical)
• Day -3: Sub quote receipt deadline
• Day -2: Bid leveling complete; internal estimate finalized
• Day -1: Internal review and QC
• Day 0: Proposal submitted

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Phase 1: Conceptual / ROM Estimate (Class 5)

Design completeness: 0–5% | Used for: feasibility screening

1. Collect minimum parameters: GSF, facility type, rough equipment list, site location
2. Apply $/SF parametric benchmarks from historical database, RSMeans, C&W Industrial Guide
3. Add process equipment estimate: use ratio from similar projects (e.g., equipment = 60% of building cost for this line type)
4. Add soft costs and contingency: design fees 6–12%, permitting 1–3%, owner’s contingency 20–30%, escalation at 12–18 month project midpoint
5. Produce one-page ROM summary — state clearly: “This is a Class 5 estimate with accuracy -30% to +50%. For feasibility screening only; not suitable for budget commitment.”

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Phase 2: Feasibility / Preliminary Estimate (Class 4)

Design completeness: 5–15% | Used for: project authorization, internal capital request

Minimum documents needed: conceptual site plan, preliminary equipment list, PFDs, utility requirements (compressed air SCFM, chilled water tons, electrical kVA).

Equipment-Based Estimate (Lang/Hand Factor Method)

For process-heavy manufacturing plants, the equipment factored method is standard at Class 4:

1. Develop equipment list with FOB purchase price for each major item
2. Apply a Lang Factor:
   • Solids processing: Lang ≈ 3.9
   • Mixed solids/fluids: ≈ 4.1
   • Fluids processing: ≈ 4.7
3. Lang factor accounts for: installation labor, piping, electrical, instrumentation, civil, structural, insulation, painting, indirect costs

Scenario: Two filling lines at $2.1M FOB each. Lang 4.0. TIC = $2.1M × 4.0 = $8.4M per line → $16.8M total.

Develop separate parametric estimate for building and site. Combine with contingency 20–30%.

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Phase 3: FEED / Class 3 Estimate — GMP Candidate

Design completeness: 10–40% | This is the most commercially critical phase in design-build.

Minimum FEED Documents Required

• Architectural floor plans and sections
• Structural framing plans (enough for steel tonnage)
• Mechanical P&IDs issued for design (IFD)
• Electrical single-line diagram (SLD) with load schedule
• Equipment list with budgetary vendor quotes for major items
• Plot plan / site plan

Process

1. Issue sub-bid packages early — do not wait for complete drawings. Send structural steel, mechanical, electrical, roofing, concrete/site, process equipment install packages with scope description and design maturity statement
2. Self-perform takeoff while subs are quoting: earthwork cut/fill volumes, concrete CY, structural steel tonnage
3. Receive and level sub quotes — see Subcontractor Bidding and Bid Leveling
4. Assemble estimate in CSI MasterFormat order (Div 01–49)
5. Develop contingency by category — not a flat %:
   • Design development: 8–12%
   • Scope gap: 3–5%
   • Execution: 3–5%
   • Total at Class 3: 15–25%
6. Assemble BOE and GMP proposal — attach drawing list, sub quote log, present to owner

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Phase 4: GMP Finalization (Class 2 / Class 1)

Design completeness: 50–100%

GMP-Ready Checklist

Before committing, confirm:

• All major equipment specified and vendor-quoted (or purchased)
• Major sub scopes bid and leveled
• Geotechnical report complete
• Permits identified with known fees
• Schedule developed to Level 3 with cost-loaded baseline

Process

1. Full bottom-up QTO from near-complete or IFC drawings — see Quantity Takeoff and CSI MasterFormat
2. Buy out remaining sub scopes — minimum two quotes per major scope
3. Finalize contingency — at Class 2, total contingency typically 8–12%
4. Internal estimate review — scope coverage check, document compliance check, reasonableness check ($/SF vs. benchmarks), math check, senior estimator/PM review

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Phase 5: Construction — Change Orders and Cost Tracking

• Price change orders as they arise — see Change Order Management
• Support monthly EVM reporting — see Earned Value and Cost Control
• Track contingency consumption against the risk register

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Phase 6: Closeout and Lessons Learned

1. Reconcile final contract value vs. original GMP (total changes, final contingency remaining)
2. Capture actual costs vs. estimate by CSI division — produce variance analysis
3. Document root causes of significant overruns or underruns
4. Extract parametric data (final $/SF, $/unit) for the historical cost library
5. Conduct team lessons-learned session

This data feeds your next Class 5 estimate for a similar project.