PROJECT APPROVAL PROCESS

The approval process for capital projects at UC Berkeley involves review and approval at each phase of project development. Campus committees charged with space and land use, design, finance, and regulatory compliance all review projects.

The approval process includes environmental review, as mandated by the California Environmental Quality Act, which requires the campus to assess the potential environ-mental impacts of capital projects and document its findings, and may require public hearings and review.

The Office of Physical and Environmental Planning (PEP), a unit of Facilities Services, manages the campus approval process, consulting with campus committees, other campus departments and the UC Office of the President.

PHASES

The approval process is complex and involves multiple reviews and approvals. The phases correspond to the typical sequence of work in professional design practice:

Phase 1 - Concept Review

Phase 2 - Feasibility Analysis

Phase 3 - Program Development

Phase 4 - Schematic Design

Phase 5 - Design Development

Phase 6 - Working Drawings

Phase 7 - Bid and Award

Phase 8 - Construction

Milestones

At each phase, a project is reviewed by multiple campus entities. During some phases, the Office of the President, the City of Berkeley, State agencies, and other organizations may also participate in the review.

The ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW page summarizes the intent and requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act, and how it applies to projects at UC Berkeley.

View the Environmental Review Page

The MILESTONES chart provides a summary of what occurs at each phase, and what must happen before the project can move on to the next phase. It covers:

- Items Required for Review

- Campus Reviewers

- Environmental Review Actions

- Budget and Funding Actions

- Items Required to Go Forward

view the milestones chart

overview

The OVERVIEW, below, briefly describes the purpose and sequence of events for each phase. The OVERVIEW also has links to a more detailed, step-by-step outline of each phase, as well as to definitions of various key terms.

Phase 1

Concept Review

Concept Review is the formal introduction of a project idea to the campus leadership. The concept is presented to the Executive Campus Planning Committee (ECPC), which recommends action to the Chancellor.

No funds are required from the project sponsor for Concept Review.

The PEP staff report to the ECPC describes the objectives, key issues, and proposed funding for the concept, and includes an assessment of whether or not the concept aligns with the strategic goals, policies, guidelines and initiatives in the 2020 Long Range Development Plan (2020 LRDP).

Concept Review is NOT project approval: approval by the Chancellor only means the concept may be taken forward to the next phase, Feasibility Analysis.

Projects with budgets under $5 million may be delegated to the Vice Chancellors’ Administrative Council (VCAC) following Concept Review approval.

view detailed sequence of events in phase 1

Phase 2

Feasibility Analysis

During Feasibility Analysis, the focus is on identifying options and defining the project. Options may include renovation, expansion, new construction and, if relevant, non capital solutions such as physical reorganization. Options may also include alternate models for project delivery such as public-private partnerships.

Funds are required from the sponsor to cover the cost of campus staff and consultants.

The scope of Feasibility Analysis varies, and can include program and design concepts as well as technical investigations such as site and building condition surveys, code and life safety evaluations, historic and environmental studies, and budget estimates.

Based on the findings of the Feasibility Analysis, the sponsor and PEP identify a preferred option for campus review. PEP manages this review, in which the preferred option is presented to committees including the Design Review Committee (DRC), Space Assignment and Capital Improvements Committee (SACI), the Committee on Academic Planning and Resource Allocation (CAPRA), and then ECPC.

ECPC then recommends to the Chancellor whether the project may be taken forward into the next phase, and may also recommend conditions, such as project features to consider, revise, or eliminate.

View detailed sequence of events in phase 2

Phase 3

Program Development

Phase 4

Schematic Design

Programming and Schematic Design are the start of the formal design process. Facilities Services appoints a project manager and conducts the selection of the project architect. The EVC-Provost designates a Program Committee which includes sponsors, stakeholders and other campus representatives (including students).

Under the direction of the project manager, the project architect works with the Program Committee to develop a program and design concept. Based on this concept, PEP begins environmental review, and surge space requirements begin to be defined.

In Schematic Design, the architect prepares scaled drawings of the design concept, begins to select materials, and begins to plan the project infrastructure. Although conceptual budgets may be prepared in earlier phases, the cost estimate prepared at the conclusion of Schematic Design is the basis of the first formal project budget based on architectural interpretation of the project program.

DRC and ECPC typically review the project for the last time at Schematic Design, assuming no further changes of significance to scope, budget and design. Technical reviewers including the Fire Marshal, the Seismic Review Committee (SRC), and the Committee for Removal of Architectural Barriers (CRAB) continue to monitor the project as design details are developed.

View detailed sequence of events in phase 3

Phase 5

DESIGN Development

Phase 6

working drawings

In Design Development, the Architect prepares more detailed drawings for the design developed in the schematic phase, incorporating more detailed technical analyses of the program and the infrastructural systems. The Working Drawings phase, also known as "construction documents", entails the documentation of design intent (scope, quality, and detail) for the purposes of public bidding for construction.

Committee reviews in these phases are typically required only when there is a change to the project. 100% of the funds required to complete the project must be in place before the construction contract is advertised for public bidding.

Phase 7

Bid and Award

Once the contract is awarded, future budget augmentations must be reviewed by VCAC and approved by the Chancellor.

Phase 8

Construction




	The approval process for capital projects at UC Berkeley involves review and approval at each phase of project development. Campus committees charged with space and land use, design, finance, and regulatory compliance all review projects. The approval process includes environmental review, as mandated by the California Environmental Quality Act, which requires the campus to assess the potential environ-mental impacts of capital projects and document its findings, and may require public hearings and review. The Office of Physical and Environmental Planning (PEP), a unit of Facilities Services, manages the campus approval process, consulting with campus committees, other campus departments and the UC Office of the President. PHASES The approval process is complex and involves multiple reviews and approvals. The phases correspond to the typical sequence of work in professional design practice:

	Phase 1 - Concept Review Phase 2 - Feasibility Analysis Phase 3 - Program Development Phase 4 - Schematic Design Phase 5 - Design Development Phase 6 - Working Drawings Phase 7 - Bid and Award Phase 8 - Construction

	Milestones At each phase, a project is reviewed by multiple campus entities. During some phases, the Office of the President, the City of Berkeley, State agencies, and other organizations may also participate in the review. The ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW page summarizes the intent and requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act, and how it applies to projects at UC Berkeley. View the Environmental Review Page The MILESTONES chart provides a summary of what occurs at each phase, and what must happen before the project can move on to the next phase. It covers:


	- Items Required for Review - Campus Reviewers - Environmental Review Actions - Budget and Funding Actions - Items Required to Go Forward view the milestones chart

	overview The OVERVIEW, below, briefly describes the purpose and sequence of events for each phase. The OVERVIEW also has links to a more detailed, step-by-step outline of each phase, as well as to definitions of various key terms. Phase 1 Concept Review Concept Review is the formal introduction of a project idea to the campus leadership. The concept is presented to the Executive Campus Planning Committee (ECPC), which recommends action to the Chancellor. No funds are required from the project sponsor for Concept Review. The PEP staff report to the ECPC describes the objectives, key issues, and proposed funding for the concept, and includes an assessment of whether or not the concept aligns with the strategic goals, policies, guidelines and initiatives in the 2020 Long Range Development Plan (2020 LRDP). Concept Review is NOT project approval: approval by the Chancellor only means the concept may be taken forward to the next phase, Feasibility Analysis. Projects with budgets under $5 million may be delegated to the Vice Chancellors’ Administrative Council (VCAC) following Concept Review approval. view detailed sequence of events in phase 1

	Phase 2 Feasibility Analysis

	During Feasibility Analysis, the focus is on identifying options and defining the project. Options may include renovation, expansion, new construction and, if relevant, non capital solutions such as physical reorganization. Options may also include alternate models for project delivery such as public-private partnerships. Funds are required from the sponsor to cover the cost of campus staff and consultants. The scope of Feasibility Analysis varies, and can include program and design concepts as well as technical investigations such as site and building condition surveys, code and life safety evaluations, historic and environmental studies, and budget estimates. Based on the findings of the Feasibility Analysis, the sponsor and PEP identify a preferred option for campus review. PEP manages this review, in which the preferred option is presented to committees including the Design Review Committee (DRC), Space Assignment and Capital Improvements Committee (SACI), the Committee on Academic Planning and Resource Allocation (CAPRA), and then ECPC. ECPC then recommends to the Chancellor whether the project may be taken forward into the next phase, and may also recommend conditions, such as project features to consider, revise, or eliminate. View detailed sequence of events in phase 2

	Phase 3 Program Development Phase 4 Schematic Design

	Programming and Schematic Design are the start of the formal design process. Facilities Services appoints a project manager and conducts the selection of the project architect. The EVC-Provost designates a Program Committee which includes sponsors, stakeholders and other campus representatives (including students). Under the direction of the project manager, the project architect works with the Program Committee to develop a program and design concept. Based on this concept, PEP begins environmental review, and surge space requirements begin to be defined. In Schematic Design, the architect prepares scaled drawings of the design concept, begins to select materials, and begins to plan the project infrastructure. Although conceptual budgets may be prepared in earlier phases, the cost estimate prepared at the conclusion of Schematic Design is the basis of the first formal project budget based on architectural interpretation of the project program. DRC and ECPC typically review the project for the last time at Schematic Design, assuming no further changes of significance to scope, budget and design. Technical reviewers including the Fire Marshal, the Seismic Review Committee (SRC), and the Committee for Removal of Architectural Barriers (CRAB) continue to monitor the project as design details are developed. View detailed sequence of events in phase 3

	Phase 5 DESIGN Development Phase 6 working drawings

	In Design Development, the Architect prepares more detailed drawings for the design developed in the schematic phase, incorporating more detailed technical analyses of the program and the infrastructural systems. The Working Drawings phase, also known as "construction documents", entails the documentation of design intent (scope, quality, and detail) for the purposes of public bidding for construction. Committee reviews in these phases are typically required only when there is a change to the project. 100% of the funds required to complete the project must be in place before the construction contract is advertised for public bidding. Phase 7 Bid and Award Once the contract is awarded, future budget augmentations must be reviewed by VCAC and approved by the Chancellor. Phase 8 Construction