Executing Design-Build Projects Flashcards

Under the DBIA standard of care, the design-builder's design professional is MOST similar in duty to:

Answer: A licensed design professional practicing in accordance with applicable professional standards

Design professionals on a design-build team retain their professional duty of care and must practice in compliance with licensing laws and professional standards regardless of who employs them.

What is the primary purpose of a 'Conditions of Satisfaction' (COS) meeting in design-build project execution?

Answer: To align the project team on the owner's expectations, priorities, and success criteria

Conditions of Satisfaction meetings surface and align the team around the owner's key expectations and success criteria early in the project.

In design-build, 'guaranteed maximum price' (GMP) contracts differ from lump-sum contracts primarily in that GMP contracts:

Answer: Establish a cost ceiling while allowing the owner to share in savings if actual costs are lower

GMP contracts cap the owner's cost exposure while typically providing a savings-sharing mechanism if the project completes under the GMP.

Which project delivery method characteristic makes design-build MOST advantageous for an owner who needs a single point of responsibility?

Answer: The design-builder holds the design and construction contracts, creating unified accountability

Design-build consolidates design and construction responsibility under a single entity, eliminating the gap between designer and contractor that exists in traditional delivery.

During design-build execution, who is typically responsible for coordinating trade contractor submittals with the design team?

Answer: The design-builder's project manager or designated coordinator

The design-builder's project manager or coordinator manages the submittal flow between trade contractors and the design team to maintain schedule and design integrity.

An RFI (Request for Information) on a design-build project is MOST often generated to:

Answer: Seek clarification on design intent or resolve conflicts discovered in the field or documents

RFIs are used to obtain clarification on design intent, resolve document conflicts, or address field conditions that require design team guidance.

Which technique BEST reduces design-to-construction coordination errors on complex design-build projects?

Answer: Using Building Information Modeling (BIM) with clash detection across disciplines

BIM with clash detection identifies spatial conflicts between systems (structural, mechanical, electrical, etc.) during design, preventing costly field conflicts.