The expansion of Ohio State University (OSU) Medical Center in Columbus is not only one of the largest health-care projects ever undertaken in the state, but also changing the way public projects are being built there. The $1.1-billion, multi-year development is among the first to be delivered via construction management (CM) at risk.
Until recently, state law required public entities to employ multiple prime contracting to manage their projects. In 2009, the state introduced legislation allowing for alternative methods and practices, including CM at risk, design-build, design-assist, open-book guaranteed maximum price, and subcontractor prequalification.