(a)

1. (1) The level of preliminary design and engineering provided by the Arkansas Department of Transportation for a D-B project can vary from project to project, but a twenty percent (20%) to thirty percent (30%) level of design completed prior to the release of the RFP is not uncommon.
2. (2) A similar level of completion would enable the key decisions regarding the project scope, project limits, project schedule, project budget, along with impacts and mitigations, as well as other project requirements and commitments, to remain directly under the control of the department.
3. (3) Care should be taken, however, to avoid advancing the project development process too far which could result in unnecessary restrictions on the proposers and limiting design alternatives and innovation which are a benefit to the department in the application of the D-B delivery method.

(b)

1. (1) The department’s preliminary design is placed in the RFP as part of the RID.
2. (2) The design elements of the preliminary design that must be included by a design-builder are typically defined in the technical provisions as the basic configuration acceptable for the project.
3. (3) The basic configuration represents the must have elements that a design-builder would not be able to change without agreement from the department.

4. (4) Examples of basic configuration elements could include the:

   1. (A) Number of lanes;
   2. (B) Locations of interchanges and types of interchanges; and
   3. (C) Project termini.
5. (5) The basic configuration allows the department to prescribe essential elements of the preliminary design while providing design flexibility to the design-builder.