When someone says, "design-build" you have to stop them and ask, "Which Design-Build? Which selection type?"
Everyone talks about Design-Build as if it is the same "delivery approach" regardless of how you do it. Though there are probably infinite ways you could do Design-Build, it is my experience that you can generally categorize it based on the selection type you use when you go about the final selection of your Design-Builder.
The four selection types outlined in the presentation are:
1- Design-Build Low Bid
2- Design-Build Best Value Bid
3- Design-Build Best Value Fees
4- Design-Build Qualifications Based Selections (QBS)
The process, the best practices, the schedule, the ability to address changes, the amount of information necessary at time of selection, and perhaps most important, the typical contract type (fixed price vs. cost plus with a GMP) are just a few of the examples of things that almost always vary depending on the chosen selection type.
I have stood and listened to two owners who have done design-build have a whole discussion about "how" or "why" they use design-build, but never realize what I knew... that one does a low bid or best value bid with a fixed price and the other does a QBS with GMP!
As anyone with any experience with both will tell you, these are VERY different delivery approaches, but yet we call them both "design-build"!
Simply put, I am pleading with everyone who will listen...
When someone says, "Design-Build", STOP them and ask, "Which selection type are you referencing?"
I welcome your comments...