Building a data center is a unique construction process. The systems are complex, the value of the equipment being protected is significant, and as density increases, we are required to fit more infrastructures into limited spaces. Moreover, there are a diverse set of stakeholders involved; customer representatives from IT, facilities, security, safety, finance (and more) are engaged with a general contractor, numerous subcontractors, architects, engineers, consultants, and testing agencies.
It may sound trivial to establish a clear line of communication between the owner and the contractor. However, as it relates to the construction of the data center, we find that both establishing and following this line of communication is both a critical and often disregarded process. When overlooked, it leads to confusion and increased costs; it also potentially jeopardizes the relationships between all stakeholders involved.
A majority of construction projects, especially those that involve the bid process, utilize the AIA A201 contract as part of the specifications package, which defines the “General Conditions of the Contract for Construction.” The A201 contract includes a specific protocol by which the owner will “designate in writing a representative who shall have express authority to bind the Owner with respect to all matters requiring the Owner’s approval or authorization.” Whether this designated representative is an employee or a hired consultant, as the owner’s representative he or she is the person responsible for dictating all owner decisions.
This point is important because in larger organizations the stakeholders involved in the data center project likely have a specialization, like server, networking, storage, virtualization on the IT side and electrical, mechanical, fire suppression, and safety on the facilities side. In day-to-day operations, these stakeholders are accustomed to making real-time decisions based on their expertise. Thus, as the resident expert, it is natural for them to want to advise directly on construction-related issues.
Unfortunately, this presents a significant issue if these real-time decisions are made outside of the established lines of communications. We encourage owner’s to be actively engaged in the construction process, visit the site frequently, and make note of potential issues. Sometimes in an honest effort to expedite the process, the owner’s stakeholders while onsite will direct contractors to make small changes to the work. The contractor may even execute this work in good faith, but when the costs associated with this type of owner-initiated change are presented there is inevitably confusion and disagreement.
Strictly enforcing the contractual lines of communication may seem overtly controlling, but these protocols established for a reason. Most importantly, they are established to protect the owner. All project-related communication, including scheduling onsite meetings/reviews, requesting clarification on contract documents or pricing, and (especially) initiating a change request should come in writing from the designated owner’s representative only. Following this procedure is the best way of minimizing confusion on a data center construction site and ensures that a clear audit trail of communication exists for all construction-related correspondence. Although this may seem to add unnecessarily to the communication process, it is a critical step toward a successful data center construction project.
