Wichita Water Partners

Project overview

Challenge:

Help our customer with material selection/supply and value engineering (VE) on a complete process piping package for the project during a time of supply chain issues and escalating material costs.

Solution:

Introduce the Ferguson team of associates and vendor partners with decades of experience, along with our BIM modeling capabilities.

Customer:

Wichita Water Partners:

Joint venture of Burns & McDonnell and Alberici

Location:

Wichita, KS

Products:

Complete process piping scope consisting of:

• 12" - 84" fabricated steel pipe

• 4" - 54" ductile iron piping

• Valve package

• Support package

• Chemical piping

Product advantages:

Fabricated carbon steel: Ferguson partnered with Mid America Pipe to reduce material and installation costs by utilizing fabricated carbon steel materials.

VE-driven product mix: Ferguson drove material selection based on qualifications for the service and best value in the current supply chain environment.

Pipe support design and engineering: Ferguson partnered with a pipe support engineering and fabrication company to design and supply the process pipe supports for the project.

Mueller valve package: Ferguson partnered with Mueller (Pratt/Hydro Gate) to supply a complete valve package for the project.

Project background

Ferguson was asked to present a proposal in late 2019/early 2020 to partner with Wichita Water Partners (WWP) for the supply of the new Northwest Water Treatment Facility in Wichita, KS. Based upon our presentation and offering, we were selected to partner with the joint venture of Burns & McDonnell and Alberici to aid in the material selection process and supply of the project.

Project scope

The Ferguson scope of supply for the project includes all process and chemical piping, valves and supports for the project. Ferguson will supply $40,000,000 in materials to Wichita Water Partners and another estimated $10,000,000 to sub-contractors working on the project. Ferguson is supplying everything from 1/2" chemical piping to 84" fabricated carbon steel piping and valves. Ferguson has also been contracted to supply BIM modeling for all Ferguson supplied materials 4" diameter and larger for the project.

Method

Ferguson collaborated with the WWP engineering and project management team for the project in the early stages of design by helping with materials selection based upon best value. After the initial design of each phase of the project was complete, Ferguson acted as a procurement specialist for the joint venture and secured pricing for them.

Based upon the best value selections, Ferguson secured materials with the selected vendors. Once material selections were made and product type/manufacturer identified, Ferguson coordinated with WWP’s BIM department to place our materials in the project BIM model.

Ferguson is also providing a seasoned associate who is fully dedicated to the project and is on-site multiple days a week to assist WWP with any needs that arise with our material supply.

The solution: Ferguson Waterworks

Ferguson Waterworks was chosen as a partner for this project due to our ability to be a solutions provider, to provide services that our competitors are light-years away from being able to offer. Ferguson can provide input from industry-leading associates with decades of experience in building and supplying water and wastewater projects. Ferguson can also work with our customers to provide BIM modeling and drafting resources that put us in an elite position in the industry.

The Ferguson team works with the customers’ best interests in mind. Our goal is to make them feel like we are a part of their family, and we work to produce a successful project for them.

To learn more about Ferguson Waterworks capabilities or to discuss how the Ferguson team can help your next project, visit ferguson.com/waterworks.