What are some of the key benefits of the DBB project deliver

What are some of the key benefits of the D-B-B project delivery system? be sure to address the reasons for the longevity of the design-bid-build PDS.

Solution

Design–bid–build (and abbreviated D–B–B ), also known as Design–tender (or design/tender) traditional method or hardbid, is a project delivery method in which the agency or owner contracts with separate entities for the design and construction of a project.

There are three main sequential phases to the design–bid–build delivery method.

The Owner engages an Architect to work with the Owner to identify the Owner\'s needs and then to produce a conceptual or schematic design. This early design is then developed, and the Architect will usually bring in other professionals including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, structural, civil engineers and a landscape architect to complete drawings and specifications which are called the Contract Documents.

At that point the Owner, with the assistance of his professional advisors, has the completed Contract Documents with which competitive bids may be received from general contractors or a price may be negotiated with a general contractor who might be selected at that point or earlier.

During the construction phase the Architect Consulting Engineer typically works with the Owner’s Program Manager (internal or external) to observe the work in progress, review shop drawings, approve progress and final payments, process any change orders and generally act as an advisor to the Program Manager and the Owner. This set of services is in accordance with a standard form of Agreement between Owner and Architect as published by the American Institute of Architects as well as similar forms of agreement used by many public and private sector owner organizations.

This contracting system offers the advantage of being widely applicable, well understood, and well-established/clearly defined roles for the parties involved.

Although various alternatives to this traditional method have come into greater use in recent years, some for as long as 40 to 50 years or more (in the case of Design-Build), the traditional Design-Bid-Build method is still preferred by many owners. Many owner organizations, particularly in the public sector, continue to be oriented primarily to this method. The traditional method has a number of fundamentally sound aspects. It is a logical and orderly method that is well understood throughout the United States and many other parts of the world. It easily meets all procurement procedure requirements, being free of conflicts of interest. .

While the most common approach to bidding a project in building construction is for General Contractors to submit a sealed lump sum bid, many variations in Contractor procurement exist in the traditional system.

Other methods include unit-price contracting, which is generally limited to projects that can be easily divided into small work units and quantified prior to construction. This is commonly found in heavy construction projects. At the other end of the spectrum is cost-plus contracting, generally used in circumstances where there is such high risk or variability in the work that preparing a responsible bid is impossible.

Many Owners make some effort to pre-qualify Contractors, either through invitation, or through an objective set of criteria considering construction experience and financial capability. Doing so helps assure the Owner that the Contractor is capable of providing a high-quality product. Once the field of bidders is established, an Owner bidding a lump sum project may choose to require sealed bids, wherein the lowest responsible bidder will earn the right to perform the work. Through a careful negotiation or contractor evaluation, the Owner can maintain the maximum amount of control over the resulting construction portion of the project.