Before You Hire an Architect

Before You Hire an Architect:
Facility Planning for Nonprofits
Reduce Costs and Risks, Produce Better Results

Sam Frank
Synthesis Partnership

January 23, 2013

A Service
Of: Sponsored by:

INTEGRATED PLANNING
Advising nonproﬁts in:! www.synthesispartnership.com!
•  Strategy! !
•  Planning! (617) 969-1881!
•  Organizational Development! info@synthesispartnership.com!
!

A Service
Of: Sponsored by:

Affordable collaborative data
management in the cloud.

A Service
Of: Sponsored by:

Today’s Speaker & Host

Sam Frank
Principal
Assisting with chat questions:
Jamie Maloney, Nonprofit
Webinars
A Service
Of: Sponsored by:

Before You Hire an Architect!
Facility Planning for Nonprofits!
Reduce Costs & Risks , Enhance Results!

Sam Frank

Strategy, planning, and organizational development for nonprofits.
!

Reduce Cost & Risk: Facility Planning for Nonprofits!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership
Except for examples owned by others. January 23, 2013!
Wednesday Webinar: 683 Commonwealth Avenue SYNTHESIS
!617 969 1881"
All rights reserved Partnership. All rights reserved
© 2013 Synthesis Newton MA 02459 !www.synthesispartnership.com! P
PA R T N E R S H I

Take-aways"

•  Where the money is
•  A sequence of steps that will minimize surprises
•  What an architectural program and budget are,
and why you need them before hiring an architect
•  How to hire an architect
•  Additional resources

Wednesday Webinar: January 23, 2013! SYNTHESIS
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved PA R T N E R S H I P

Questions for you"
What is the status of your facility project?!
•  Considering a facility project
•  Beginning to plan a project
•  In the process of design
•  In construction or (project recently completed)
•  None of the avove


Questions for you"
How have you prepared for a facility project?!
•  We have a current strategic plan (or are developing one).
•  We have a current program plan.
•  We have a current business plan.
•  We have done a construction project before.
•  We know who on our staff will manage the project.


Questions for you"
If you are close to hiring an architecture ﬁrm, "
what information are you providing them?!
•  An architectural program
•  (I don't know what an architectural program is.)
•  a construction budget
•  a project budget
•  We are asking the architect to suggest a program and
budget.


Facility Planning Fundamentals"
Control over costs!


Integrated Planning"
!


Preparation"
Integrated Planning !
!

Business Data! Budget!

Operations!

Teaching &
Mission! Identity! Learning!
Wednesday Webinar: January 23, 2013!
© 2013 Synthesis Partnership. All rights reserved
Design! SYNTHESIS
PA R T N E R S H I P

Preparation"
!


Operations!

Patient "
Mission! Identity! Experience!
Design! SYNTHESIS

Preparation"
!


Operations!

Visitor "
Design! SYNTHESIS

Preparation"
Integrated Planning Financial Model!
!
Fundraising
Budget(s)!

!
Architectural Program / Exhibit Brief
RFQ/P !
Feasibility Study! Business Data!
•  Capital!
•  Operating!

Case Statement! Operations!
Requirements!

Visitor "
Design! SYNTHESIS

Project Mobilization"


Facility Planning Fundamentals"
!


Programming and Budgeting"
Architectural Program

Specifies intentions
•  Quantitative definition
•  Qualitative definition
•  Foundation for budget

Why develop before hiring the architect?
Incorporate into RFP and contract


Architectural Program !


Architectural Program


Project Budget


Budgets, Estimates & Costs

Budgets Hard costs
Not just construction Acquisition
Projects affect operating budgets Construction
A budget is what you can spend Soft costs
•  Should change only if you decide to Fees
Furnishings and Equipment
Estimates
What someone else says a project will cost Other costs
•  Conceptual ($/s.f.) Contingency
Inflation
•  Design-based (unit cost takeoffs)
Borrowing
Bids Ongoing costs
An actual commitment to deliver Plant reinvestment
•  Firm or variable Operating expenses


Design and Construction"
Phases of the Design Process

Pre-Design Services
Conceptual Design
Schematic Design
Design Development
Contract Documents (drawing & specifications)
Bidding or Negotiation
Construction Administration


Selecting Architect/Construction Co."
Project Delivery Methods!
Conventional
!  Architect + General Contractor
!  Finished drawings
!  “Hard” bid or negotiated price
Design-Build
!  One source of responsibility/fewer change orders
!  One-stop shopping
!  “Fast-tracking”
!  Fewer disputes
!  Better for simpler projects
Construction Management
!  Agent
!  At Risk


Selecting Architect/Construction Co."
Selection Process for Architects
Assemble a list of architects that can deliver the product you need
Develop and issue a Request for Interest & Qualifications
Develop a client-friendly contract
Develop a Request for Proposal (RFP)
Select three to six architects & designers to (visit &) interview
Check references from multiple roles
Select 1 to 3 to receive RFP (includes program, budget & contract)
Negotiate contract with selected firm


Contracts"
Client-friendly contract

Standard contracts
•  Created to protect provider
•  Many pitfalls: some obvious, some subtle

Client-friendly contract
•  Responsibility for program & budget
•  Services
•  Standards & expectations
•  Work product


Financial Modeling"
Purposes
View the big picture
Test options & strategies
Evaluate the impact of decisions
Reduce uncertainty & risk
Maintain control over operating & capital budgets

Areas of Interest
Operating budget
Capital budgets or new programs
Debt capacity and financing
Cash flow
Relationships among the above


Financial Modeling Components"
Typical Model Variables
Capital Costs
Acquisition costs Furnishing, Fixtures & Equipment Legal costs
Design costs Construction costs Contingency
Borrowing Inflation

Endowment Needs
General endowment Program-specific fund Maintenance fund

Campaign Costs and Revenues
Administrative costs of campaign Projected campaign revenues

Operating Costs and Revenues
Existing operating budget inflation Program cost increases
Staffing increases Marketing and development costs
Overhead cost increases Cost reductions from new efficiencies
New operating revenues


Financial Modeling "
Dynamic Financial Modeling
Simple financial models have limited power to explore the seemingly endless
variety of what ifs that arise when a board begins to strategize about the future.
!
A dynamic model can open up many possibilities:
!
•  Explore complex financial systems, build and test scenarios in real time
•  Consider more options more thoroughly
•  See the consequences of ideas as they are raised
•  Integrate diverse planning efforts
•  Reduce risk
•  Make better decisions
•  Clarify financial issues for non-financial people
(board members, major donors, parents, alumni, faculty)
•  Make more compelling solicitations for major gifts


Resources"
Critical Issues quarterly letter"
#13: Facility Planning !http://bit.ly/SyPci13"
# 6: Financial Modeling !http://bit.ly/SyPci06"
#11: Integrated Planning !http://bit.ly/SyPci11"
#10: Mind Your RFPs & Qs !http://bit.ly/SyPci10!

Articles on facility issues: !"
Selecting an Architect !http://bit.ly/SyPSelect"
Client-Favorable Contracts !http://bit.ly/SyPcontracts"
"To Build or Not to Build” http://bit.ly/SyPtobuild!

Blog (entries on facilities) ! !http://bit.ly/SyPblog!

Complimentary consultation !sbf@synthesispartnership.com"
(by e-mail or telephone appointment) Sam Frank, Principal, Synthesis Partnership!
"617 969 1881"

!Strategy, planning, and "
!organizational development for nonproﬁts.!


SYNTHESIS

PARTNERSHIP

Strategy, planning, and organizational development for nonproﬁts.
!

© 2013 Synthesis Partnership
Except for examples owned by others. January 23, 2013!
Wednesday Webinar: 683 Commonwealth Avenue SYNTHESIS
!617 969 1881"
All rights reserved Partnership. All rights reserved
© 2013 Synthesis Newton MA 02459 !www.synthesispartnership.com! P
PA R T N E R S H I

Find listings for our current season
of webinars and register at:

NonprofitWebinars.com

A Service
Of: Sponsored by:

Before You Hire an Architect

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Before You Hire an Architect

Similar to Before You Hire an Architect (20)

More from 4Good.org

More from 4Good.org (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Before You Hire an Architect