School facilities: constructability reviews.

Existing law, the Field Act, requires the Department of General Services under the police power of the state to supervise the design and construction of a school building or the reconstruction or alteration of, or addition to, a school building, if not exempted under specified law, to ensure that plans and specifications comply with adopted rules and regulations and building standards published in regulations, and to ensure that the work of construction is performed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications for the protection of life and property. This bill would require the department to distribute information on the use of constructability reviews of plans and specifications used for the construction of school facilities and the potential for cost savings that may be realized by the use of a constructability review. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature that the department incorporate this information into existing venues and schedules of communication that the department has established with school districts as a result of its role in the review and approval of school construction plans. The bill would define "constructability review" as a cost control technique by which the project plans and specifications are reviewed to identify potential claim or problem areas and deficiencies in the plans and specifications that may occur as a result of errors, ambiguities, omissions, discrepancies, and conflicts in the plans and specifications. One or more professionals, including, but not limited to, mechanical, electrical, structural, or construction professionals would be authorized to conduct a constructability review.