Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-10-007
Date: October 2009
Printable Version (.pdf, 0.3 mb)

A Compilation of Design-Build Practices for Transportation Projects

Now available online is Current Design-Build Practices for Transportation Projects, a compilation of practices nationwide released by the Transportation Design-Build Users Group. The users group includes representatives from the Design-Build Institute of America's Owner Council; Transportation Construction Management Working Group, which is a joint venture of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and industry; and others who have an interest in sharing experiences with the design-build project delivery method.

Using the design-build project delivery process, a project owner executes a single contract for both architectural/engineering services and construction. The design-builder may be a single firm, a consortium or joint venture, or other organization. Design-build can promote innovation, streamline coordination between the design and construction teams, reduce project costs, and result in time savings. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, for example, used the design-build method to fast track the $40 million emergency repair of the bridge over Lake Pontchartrain between New Orleans and Slidell after the bridge was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The compilation of current design-build practices was originally prepared in 2002 for the New York State Department of Transportation by Parsons Brinckerhoff. The new version is the fourth update of the report. Among the topics covered in the report are the procurement process, contract issues, project management, payment, schedule, risk allocation, warranties and maintenance, environmental permitting process, legal issues, and major lessons learned.

Approximately 40 States have statutory authority to use the design-build project delivery method, and about 15 States are active users of the method.

The compilation report is available online at www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/contracts/pubs/dbpractice. Additional input is encouraged from other State transportation departments and public transportation agencies that have experience with the design-build process. For more information or to submit contributions, send an email to Jerry Yakowenko at FHWA, gerald.yakowenko@fhwa.dot.gov (phone: 202-366-1562). To learn more about design-build project delivery, visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/construction/cqit/desbuild.cfm.

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