Washington, D.C. – DBIA, the design and construction industry’s resource for leadership, objective expertise and best practices in integrated delivery of capital projects, released three position statements approved during the April 19, 2010, meeting of its Board of Directors. These statements are the first of several to be developed over the course of the next year in order to continually disseminate design-build best practices and teach effective integration of design and construction services.
“Best Value Selection,” “The Role of Qualifications in Selection of a Design-Builder” and “Integrated Project Delivery” were addressed first because these topics generate questions from practitioners as well as owners in a variety of industry sectors. DBIA’s position statements on these issues include the following key points:
Best Value Selection
DBIA strongly recommends that the basis for evaluating best value design-build proposals be both clearly articulated by the owner in the request for proposals (RFP) and used in making the award.
Specific evaluation criteria allow competing design-builders to provide proposals that maximize benefits and optimize solutions to the owner’s needs.
The Role of Qualifications in Selection of a Design-Builder
The predominant factor in the selection criteria should be based on the design-build team’s qualifications rather than the price charged.
Experience shows that the lowest initial contract price does not necessarily equate to the best value to the owner.
Integrated Project Delivery
Historically, “integrated project delivery” refers broadly to an approach in which key participants collaborate on the project from inception to completion.
DBIA actively promotes integrated project delivery principles.
“Integrated Project Delivery” or “IPD” has recently come to refer to a contractual model in which the owner, constructor, designer and potentially others enter into a single, multi-party contract.
Although both the design-build single entity model and this IPD multi-party model have features in common, including the goal of achieving effective integration, there can be substantial differences between these systems. DBIA believes that most owners will find design-build to be a more flexible and practical option.
DBIA Issues Statements on Design-Build Best Practices
The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) Institute recommends clear articulation of evaluation criteria and the use of qualifications as a predominant selection factor; clarifies the relationship between integrated delivery methods and the IPD contractual model.