Engineering and Construction

In the design-bid-build method, the general contractor is selected through competition. The owner obtains multiple bids for the project from which the general contractor, who provides the “best value for money,” is selected. Within this overall approach, several  versions are available to suit the requirements of the project and the particular needs of  the owner. Collectively, these delivery versions are referred to as the   design bid-build  (DBB) method because in this version, the design, bid, and construction phases of a  project are sequential, and one phase does not begin until the previous phase has been  completed,  Figure 1.7 . Following are three commonly used versions of the DBB method  of delivery:

  •    DBB method—competitive sealed bidding (open bidding)
  •    DBB method—competitive sealed proposal
  •    DBB  method— invitational  bidding   (closed  bidding)  

FIGURE 1.7  Sequence of operations in the design-bid-build (DBB) method of project delivery. Note that the owner’s approval is required before proceeding from one phase or stage to the next.