Project Overview
The client is a major utility serving 1.5 million gas and electric customers.
Recent capital expenditures and investment outlays for an increase in substations had begun to overwhelm their team of civil and electrical engineers. Furthermore, the client has lost a significant degree of in-house expertise due to generational changes in their team makeup and the labor force more generally. This expertise gap paired with a need for a second- and third-party design review process was the basis of the client’s evolving partnership with PFES.
Over the years, PFES has developed a strong consultative relationship with this organization, collaborating on several projects including the development of a standard Quality Assurance (QA) design checklist for capital projects.
Our Process
The QA design checklist functions as a guideline that PFES QA engineers use to review client design deliverables. This process ensures that designs under review strictly follow international, NERC, IEEE standards as well as the client’s Standards & Practices.
PFES QA engineers review client deliverables at various phases of design completion: 30%, 60%, 90%, Issued for Construction (IFC), and As-Built.
1.) Once the Conceptual Design (30%) is reviewed, PFES consultants ensure there is no discrepancy between the physical and Protection & Controls (P&C) designs in terms of equipment orientation and phasing. The engineering firm then incorporates PFES’ feedback to proceed to the 60% design, contacting PFES for any needed clarifications via email or Teams meeting (arranged by the Project Manager) where notes are created based on questions and clarifications.
2.) Upon receiving the Detailed Design (60%), the team ensures that PFES’ (and the client’s, if applicable) 30% comments were incorporated into this design package. PFES also checks that the major equipment shown in the design is in line with the major equipment vendor designs. The P&C 60% Package consists of all schematic drawings, but no wiring diagram.
3.) The engineering firm is then approved to proceed to the 90% design, consisting of all schematic & wiring diagrams and incorporating PFES’ comments (and the client’s, if applicable) from the 60% design. Again, for any clarification the engineering firm may need, the PFES Project Manager arranges a team meeting to work through questions and comments.
4.) Upon incorporating PFES comments on the 90% design, the engineering firm then issues the IFC package which is reviewed for comment incorporation. During construction / testing commissioning, any site changes are marked in red on the IFC package. The engineering firm then uses the red markups to develop the As-Built package.
5.) PFES reviews the final drafted As-Built Package with reference to the red line site marked IFC copy of the design. This final As-Built package is sent on for closeout processing. Any Lessons Learned by the team are documented and discussed with the client’s Engineering supervision (if any) for discussion.
All PFES Design QA activities and logic is built into the project team's schedule and overall template. Larger designs may have input to have a larger duration needed and is provided to Project Managers.
Critical Success Factors
All PFES Design QA activities and logic is built into the project team's schedule and overall template. Maintaining flexibility within this overall framework, larger designs may receive additional input, requiring a longer duration and review process, and a strategy formulated with relevant project managers.
In addition to the creation of the checklist itself, PFES has brought an elevated level of expertise to the client’s design and engineering projects. This consultative approach has filled critical knowledge gaps in the client’s workforce and has enabled the acceleration all QA activities. This tailored checklist and rigorous review process ensures the client’s capital investments remain on schedule.
Our team consists of industry heavyweights that bring substantial expertise to the table for our clients. We partner with you to reduce risk and uncertainty in your capital projects, delivering initiatives on time with significant cost savings while meeting industry and safety standards. Contact us today to find out how we can help.
