DBIA - Design-Build Institute of America Progressive Design-Build Process Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An owner selects the Progressive Design-Build (PDB) delivery method. A primary reason for this choice is the ability to defer the final price commitment. At what point in the PDB process is the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) or Lump Sum price typically established?
- During the initial RFQ/RFP submission phase.
- After the design-build team is selected and the design has progressed significantly. (Correct answer)
- Immediately upon contract award for Phase 1 services.
- Once the project reaches 100% construction completion.
Correct answer: After the design-build team is selected and the design has progressed significantly.
In Progressive Design-Build, the design-builder is selected primarily on qualifications. The team then collaborates with the owner during Phase 1 to develop the design. The final contract price (GMP or Lump Sum) is negotiated and committed to only after the design is sufficiently advanced (e.g., 60-90% complete), allowing for greater cost transparency and alignment with the owner's goals.
Question 2: A key feature of the Progressive Design-Build process is the contractual provision that allows the owner to end the agreement with the design-builder if they cannot mutually agree on the commercial terms for the construction phase. What is this provision commonly called?
- A termination for convenience clause.
- A scope validation checkpoint.
- An 'off-ramp' option. (Correct answer)
- A collaborative design review gate.
Correct answer: An 'off-ramp' option.
The 'off-ramp' is a distinct feature of PDB that gives the owner a safety net. If, after Phase 1 (design and pre-construction services), the owner and design-builder cannot agree on the GMP or other commercial terms for Phase 2 (construction), the owner can exercise this option, conclude the agreement, and potentially use the developed design to procure a constructor through other means.
Question 3: A public agency is using Progressive Design-Build for a complex wastewater treatment plant. They have selected a design-build team and are currently in Phase 1. Which of the following activities is the primary focus for the integrated owner and design-build team during this phase?
- Finalizing subcontractor agreements for all major trades.
- Mobilizing construction equipment and beginning site excavation.
- Submitting a firm, fixed price for the entire project.
- Collaboratively advancing the design, defining scope, and performing value engineering. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Collaboratively advancing the design, defining scope, and performing value engineering.
Phase 1 of Progressive Design-Build is dedicated to pre-construction services. The core activity is the collaborative effort between the owner and the design-builder to develop the project's design, validate the scope, identify risks, conduct value engineering, and progressively develop cost estimates. This sets the foundation for establishing the GMP for Phase 2.
Question 4: How does the selection process in Progressive Design-Build (PDB) primarily differ from a traditional fixed-price (lump sum) Design-Build procurement?
- PDB selection is based solely on the lowest responsive bid price.
- PDB selection is based primarily on the design-builder's qualifications, experience, and team culture. (Correct answer)
- In PDB, the owner provides a 100% complete design before selecting the builder.
- Traditional Design-Build selection ignores qualifications and focuses only on price.
Correct answer: PDB selection is based primarily on the design-builder's qualifications, experience, and team culture.
A fundamental characteristic of PDB is that the design-build team is selected primarily, and sometimes exclusively, on qualifications and approach, not on a final price. In contrast, traditional lump sum design-build procurements typically require proposers to submit a firm price along with their technical proposal, making price a significant, and often decisive, evaluation factor at the time of selection.
Question 5: An owner wants to maintain a high degree of involvement and control over design decisions for a new, highly specialized laboratory facility. The project has many unknowns that make it difficult to define the full scope upfront. Why would Progressive Design-Build be a more suitable approach than traditional Design-Build for this owner?
- It guarantees the lowest possible construction cost through hard-bid competition.
- It transfers all design and construction risk to the design-builder before design begins.
- It allows the owner to collaborate with the design-builder throughout design development to refine the scope and make key decisions. (Correct answer)
- It mandates that the owner manages separate contracts for the designer and the contractor.
Correct answer: It allows the owner to collaborate with the design-builder throughout design development to refine the scope and make key decisions.
Progressive Design-Build is ideal for complex projects where the owner desires significant input during the design process. The phased approach allows the owner and design-builder to work as a team to tackle unknowns, make informed decisions, and refine the design before committing to a final construction price, which directly addresses the owner's needs for control and flexibility.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the contractual structure of a Progressive Design-Build project?
- A multi-party integrated project delivery (IPD) agreement signed by all stakeholders.
- Separate contracts between the owner, architect, and contractor managed by a construction manager.
- A single contract between the owner and design-builder, often executed in two distinct phases or with two separate, consecutive agreements. (Correct answer)
- A series of lump-sum contracts awarded to the lowest bidder for each phase of construction.
Correct answer: A single contract between the owner and design-builder, often executed in two distinct phases or with two separate, consecutive agreements.
Like all design-build methods, PDB utilizes a single point of responsibility. The owner holds one contract with the design-build entity. This contract, however, is structured to accommodate the two-phase process. It can be a single agreement covering both phases (with an authorization to proceed to Phase 2) or two separate, sequential contracts for Phase 1 (pre-construction) and Phase 2 (final design and construction).
DBIA - Design-Build Institute of America Progressive Design-Build Process Questions and Answers
An owner selects the Progressive Design-Build (PDB) delivery method.
A primary reason for this choice is the ability to defer the final price commitment.
At what point in the PDB process is the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) or Lump Sum price typically established?