APPENDIX B
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT DELIVERY METHODS
Design-Build (DB) Design-Bid-Build
(DBB)
Progressive
Design-Build (PDB)
Construction
Manager at Risk
(CMAR)
Description
Owner provides a
contract to a single
firm that handles
both the design and
construction
aspects
“Traditional project
delivery” involving a
design team and a
general contractor
working directly for
the owner under
separate contracts
“Stepped” or
“integrated”
approach in which
everyone involved is
on a single contract
that is
predetermined
before design begins
Construction
Manager (CM)
acts a
representative
during both the
design and
construction
phases and
financially at risk
Selection
Criteria
Best value/price,
stipulated sum
Local bidders for
lowest cost option
Qualifications based
with fixed budget
Off-ramp options
with cost certainty
Owner Role
Limited control over
design/quality once
contract awarded,
need detailed
procedures to “prequalify” entities
Maintain control
over design process
and development of
plans and
specifications for
competitive bids
Highly involved and
collaborative during
design phase and
lock-in a single
source of contractual
responsibility
Early input from
builder for value
engineering, as
design (architect)
and construction
are separate
contracts
Cost
Considerations
Locks in pricing at
earliest stage and
often prior to fully
defined scope
Competitive bidding
process focused on
lowest responsible
contractor/bidder
Price commitment
after design-build
firm works with
owner on scope,
schedule, budget
and terms
Guaranteed
Maximum Price
(GMP) agreed to
by the CM
Advantages Streamlined
approach for fastest
delivery
Sequential phases,
most opportunity for
local bidders and
(sub-)contractors
Greater design
control and defined
scope when locking
in pricing
Reduces risk for
owner with ability
to reject
nonconforming
contractor work
Disadvantages Requires scoping
documents to obtain
best pricing
Takes longer to
execute with less
collaboration
Smaller bidding pool
and more legally
complex agreements
Shifts risk during
pre-construction
with contingencies