Design-bid-build is a traditional project delivery method where the owner hires an architect to complete the design first, then solicits competitive bids from contractors based on those finished plans.
Owners favor it for price competition and independent design oversight.
What Does the Design-Bid-Build Process Involve?
- Architect completes full design and construction documents
- Owner solicits competitive bids from multiple contractors
- Contractor selected based on price and qualifications
- Construction begins only after bidding concludes
Why Is Design-Bid-Build Important?
A municipal building project typically uses design-bid-build so multiple contractors can bid against fully completed drawings, keeping the process transparent and competitive. The downside is a longer overall timeline compared to design-build, since design must fully wrap up before construction bidding starts.
Design-Bid-Build vs. Design-Build
Design-build combines design and construction under one contract for speed and simplicity, while design-bid-build keeps an architect independent from the contractor for stronger price competition and oversight. Owners typically choose based on whether speed or competitive bidding matters more to them.