Which two project delivery methods are typically contrasted in capital projects?

• A. CMAR and Public-Private Partnership
• B. Design-build and CMAR
• C. Design-bid-build and Design-build
• D. Traditional procurement

Answer: (C)

In capital projects, the way design and construction are organized and contracted is the main idea being tested. The two methods most often contrasted are design-bid-build and design-build.

Design-bid-build follows a sequential flow: the project is first designed in detail, then bids are sought from contractors to perform the construction, and finally construction begins under separate contracts. This separation means the owner has a clear line of design control and a more formal bidding process, but it can lead to longer timelines and more potential for cost increases or schedule delays once construction starts, due to design changes or bid-driven pricing.

Design-build, on the other hand, brings design and construction under one contract with a single team. This promotes collaboration, enables faster delivery and overlapping design with construction (often called fast-tracking), and can improve cost certainty because the design-build team manages both aspects together. The trade-off is that the owner typically gives up some control over the design details and may have less visibility into costs early in the process, since the same team handles both design and construction.

These two represent the fundamental difference in how risk, time, cost management, and accountability are allocated, which is why they’re the standard pair used when comparing capital-project delivery approaches.