The practical application of delivery methods to project portfolios

The rebirth of design-build, design-build-operate, and build-operate-transfer as viable alternatives for the delivery of major capital projects is symptomatic of dynamic changes in the relationship between producers and clients throughout the construction industry. In the private sector, these delivery methods offer clients the chance to shift emphasis towards core functions and away from real estate development and operations. In the public sector, where capital budgets are constrained, delivery alternatives offer clients the chance to combine construction skills and technology to meet infrastructure needs in innovative ways. However, for those clients with numerous facilities and a steady flow of projects over long periods of time, a critical problem is emerging: how to effectively match each project in the portfolio to a preferred delivery method. This paper presents a tool called CHOICES©™, which permits convenient comparisons of alternative delivery scenarios for a portfolio of capital projects and services. CHOICES©™ is designed to help formulate a portfolio infrastructure strategy, test that strategy, and adjust it to meet strategic goals within capital constraints.