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Acronymsaka: design-buildaka: D-B

DB (Design-Build)

In Plain English

A project delivery method where one company handles both the design and the construction.

Definition

Design-Build is a project delivery method in which a single entity—the design-build contractor—holds contracts for both the design and construction of a project, providing a single point of responsibility to the owner. This contrasts with the traditional design-bid-build method where design and construction are contracted separately. Design-Build can accelerate schedule by overlapping design and construction phases and is increasingly popular for transportation, federal, and large commercial projects.

Example

The airport selects a design-build team to deliver a new terminal in 30 months, allowing construction of foundations to begin while interior design is still underway.

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