The steel contractor for Sutter Medical Center, Castro Valley, was not invited to join the 11-party relational contract as a partner. But Herrick Corp. did sign on for preconstruction services and a negotiated contract, in support of the $320-million hospital's integrated form of agreement.

And like the partners, Herrick opened its books. “We also established a target price,” which included profit and changed as the scope increased, says Robert Hazleton, vice president of the Stockton, Calif.-based Herrick.