DBIA Project Delivery Method Selection 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the DBIA best-practices framework, what is the primary purpose of issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) before a Request for Proposals (RFP) on a design-build project?
- To lock in a price before proposals are evaluated
- To shortlist the most capable teams before investing in detailed proposal preparation (Correct answer)
- To satisfy federal environmental review requirements
- To determine the owner's budget for the project
Correct answer: To shortlist the most capable teams before investing in detailed proposal preparation
A two-step RFQ/RFP process narrows competition to qualified teams, reducing the cost and burden of proposal development for both owners and proposers.
Question 2: Which delivery method creates the most direct owner involvement in subcontractor selection and procurement?
- Design-build
- Design-bid-build with multiple prime contracts (Correct answer)
- CM at-risk with a guaranteed maximum price
- Progressive design-build
Correct answer: Design-bid-build with multiple prime contracts
Multiple prime contracting gives the owner direct contracts with each trade, maximizing oversight of subcontractor selection and procurement.
Question 3: A private developer wants to transfer maximum project risk to a single contractor and receive a fixed price before breaking ground. Which delivery method best meets this need?
- Design-bid-build with unit prices
- Fixed-price design-build (lump sum) (Correct answer)
- CM at-risk with an open-book GMP
- Multiple prime contracting
Correct answer: Fixed-price design-build (lump sum)
A fixed-price design-build contract transfers both design and construction risk to the design-builder and gives the owner price certainty before construction starts.
Question 4: How does the bridging method differ from traditional design-build project delivery?
- Bridging uses two separate contracts: one for bridging design and one for construction only
- An owner's criteria architect develops partial design documents before the design-builder takes over (Correct answer)
- Bridging eliminates the need for a general contractor
- Bridging is only used on highway and bridge infrastructure projects
Correct answer: An owner's criteria architect develops partial design documents before the design-builder takes over
In bridging, the owner retains a criteria architect to develop design to a defined level, then the design-builder completes design and builds to those documents.
Question 5: Which statement best describes the role of the 'criteria professional' on a design-build project?
- The criteria professional is the lead designer on the design-build team
- The criteria professional is an owner's representative who defines performance requirements and reviews design-builder submittals (Correct answer)
- The criteria professional manages construction quality control on-site
- The criteria professional provides surety bonding for the design-builder
Correct answer: The criteria professional is an owner's representative who defines performance requirements and reviews design-builder submittals
A criteria professional works for the owner to translate the owner's needs into performance criteria and to evaluate whether the design-builder's design meets those criteria.
Question 6: Which project characteristic is most likely to make design-bid-build more appropriate than design-build?
- Aggressive schedule requirements
- High degree of design innovation needed
- Owner has extensive in-house design expertise and desires significant design involvement (Correct answer)
- Owner wishes to transfer design liability to a single entity
Correct answer: Owner has extensive in-house design expertise and desires significant design involvement
Owners with strong design expertise who want to direct design details benefit from retaining a separate designer under design-bid-build.
Question 7: Under DBIA guidelines, what is the recommended maximum number of teams typically invited to submit full design-build proposals on a competitive project?
- Two teams
- Three to five teams (Correct answer)
- Ten or more teams
- No limit is recommended
Correct answer: Three to five teams
DBIA recommends limiting competition to three to five shortlisted teams to keep proposal costs reasonable while maintaining meaningful competition.
DBIA Project Delivery Method Selection 3
In the DBIA best-practices framework, what is the primary purpose of issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) before a Request for Proposals (RFP) on a design-build project?