DBIA Project Delivery Method Selection 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A state DOT is selecting a delivery method for a highway interchange reconstruction that must minimize lane closures and has a very tight schedule. Which method is most likely selected?
- Design-bid-build with a low-bid award
- Design-build with incentive/disincentive clauses (Correct answer)
- Multiple prime contracting
- CM at-risk with cost-plus fee
Correct answer: Design-build with incentive/disincentive clauses
Design-build with incentive/disincentive clauses aligns the design-builder's financial interest with early completion while enabling schedule compression through overlapping phases.
Question 2: Which DBIA-recognized delivery variant involves the owner negotiating with a single design-build team without competitive proposals?
- Qualifications-based selection design-build
- Sole-source or negotiated design-build (Correct answer)
- Progressive design-build
- Bridging
Correct answer: Sole-source or negotiated design-build
Sole-source or negotiated design-build occurs when an owner selects a design-builder directly and negotiates terms, typically when unique expertise or urgency justifies bypassing competition.
Question 3: How does integrated project delivery (IPD) differ most fundamentally from design-build?
- IPD uses a multi-party contract that shares risk and reward among owner, designer, and contractor (Correct answer)
- IPD transfers all risk to the contractor just like design-build
- IPD prohibits the use of BIM technology
- IPD requires public competitive bidding for all subcontracts
Correct answer: IPD uses a multi-party contract that shares risk and reward among owner, designer, and contractor
IPD uses a single multi-party agreement that binds owner, designer, and constructor together in shared risk and reward, unlike design-build's two-party owner-to-design-builder contract.
Question 4: When evaluating delivery methods, which factor most directly affects the decision to use a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) structure?
- Owner's desire to share cost savings with the contractor while capping their exposure (Correct answer)
- Requirement that all subcontracts be competitively bid
- Owner's need for a fixed design team with no construction involvement
- Federal mandate for all public projects above $10 million
Correct answer: Owner's desire to share cost savings with the contractor while capping their exposure
A GMP caps the owner's cost exposure and often includes a shared-savings clause, balancing owner budget certainty with contractor motivation to manage costs.
Question 5: Which statement accurately describes the effect of early contractor involvement (ECI) on project delivery method selection?
- ECI is only possible under design-bid-build because the contractor bids early
- ECI integrates constructor expertise during design, which is a hallmark of CM at-risk and design-build methods (Correct answer)
- ECI always requires a public-private partnership structure
- ECI eliminates the need for design documents before procurement
Correct answer: ECI integrates constructor expertise during design, which is a hallmark of CM at-risk and design-build methods
CM at-risk and design-build both bring the constructor into the project during design, allowing constructability input, cost modeling, and schedule planning early.
Question 6: A hospital owner needs a complex clinical addition with highly specialized mechanical and electrical systems. The owner has strong internal project management staff. Which consideration most influences delivery method selection?
- The complexity and owner expertise both point toward design-bid-build
- Complexity always requires design-build to manage technical risk
- CM at-risk allows early contractor input on complex systems while owner retains design control (Correct answer)
- Public-private partnership is mandatory for hospital projects
Correct answer: CM at-risk allows early contractor input on complex systems while owner retains design control
CM at-risk provides early constructor expertise on complex building systems while preserving the owner's direct relationship with the designer for maximum design control.
Question 7: In DBIA terminology, what does the acronym 'AOR' stand for, and what is that party's role in design-build?
- Architect of Record — the licensed design professional on the design-build team responsible for stamping construction documents (Correct answer)
- Agent of Risk — the party that absorbs cost overruns
- Authority of Review — the government agency that approves design submittals
- Administrator of Record — the owner's contract administrator
Correct answer: Architect of Record — the licensed design professional on the design-build team responsible for stamping construction documents
The Architect of Record is the licensed professional within the design-build entity who seals drawings and bears professional liability for the project's design.
DBIA Project Delivery Method Selection 4
A state DOT is selecting a delivery method for a highway interchange reconstruction that must minimize lane closures and has a very tight schedule.
Which method is most likely selected?