Which delivery method uses a single contract between the owner and a design-build entity?

• A. Design-Build
• B. Design-Bid-Build
• C. IPD
• D. Construction Manager

Answer: (D)

The key idea is one contract handling both design and construction. In the design-build approach, the owner signs a single contract with a design-build entity (a team that provides both design and construction services). This creates one point of accountability for the project and often facilitates faster delivery and streamlined communication because the design and construction teams work under one umbrella.

This is why design-build is the best fit for a single-contract arrangement with a design-build entity. In contrast:

• Design-Bid-Build relies on separate contracts: one with the design professional and another with the constructor, so there isn’t a single contract that covers both design and construction.

• Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) involves a multi-party agreement among owner, designers, and builders with shared risk and reward, not a single contract with a single design-build entity.

• The Construction Manager delivery method typically involves the owner contracting with a construction manager (and possibly the CM coordinating with designers and trade contractors), but not a single contract that binds owner to a single design-build entity for both design and construction.

So the method with one contract between the owner and a design-build entity is design-build.