Design-Bid-Build (DBB) is used most often for projects where public funding requires an open-competition process. In DBB, the design team prepares a set of construction contract documents, called the bid package, which is released for qualified general contractors to review and submit a bid price.
Usually a contractor is selected on the basis of some combination of lowest price and other selection criteria – understanding that the GC who submits the lowest price may not deliver the best project.
During construction, the project manager and design team review the construction progress periodically to make sure the GC is complying with the contract documents. A critical drawback of this project delivery method, especially for arts projects which tend towards complexity and idiosyncrasy, is that the GC is not involved during design to advise on constructability and cost issues. This can sometimes lead to cost surprises and an adversarial relationship between the designer and the contractors, which can be difficult to overcome if major changes are required.
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