DBIA Test Questions 2025–
2026 | Converted with Correct
Detailed Answers
Project Delivery System - ANSWER-How team members are organized, establishes
when parties engage, determines roles of parties, and determines sequence of
design, procurement, and construction (db, cmar, dbb)
Procurement Method - ANSWER-how team members are selected (QBS, best
value, low price, sole source)
contracting approach - ANSWER-how team members are paid (fp, gmp, cost
reimbursement, target price, unit price)
Design-Bid-Build (DBB) - ANSWER-linear, sequential process, A/E selected on
qualifications, GC selected on low price, design is fully completed without input
from GC, A/E acting in owner's interests, with a historically strong bond, process is
well-established and understood
construction manager at risk - ANSWER-similar org structure to DBB, construction
manager selected by QBS or best value, contractor provides precon services,
negotiated gmp contracting approach, open book estimating process, potential to
fast track project, construction cost determined before design completed,
potential issues over what is reasonably inferable from gmp design documents
,Design-Build - ANSWER-The owner contracts with one entity (a person or firm) to
provide both design and construction services, designer and contractor have a
direct contractual relationship, selected by QBS or best value, wide spectrum of
contracting approaches and organizational structures, single point responsibility,
owner does not manage designer, owner exposure to claims is significantly
reduced
engineer procure construct (epc) - ANSWER-similar to design build, in industrial
and power generation sectors, systems and performance testing are central to
scope, contractor will typically perform engineering with its in-house staff, owner
has need for single point responsibility, contracts include plant and process
performance guarantees, contract items include performance and schedule
liquidated damages and limitations of liability
Multiple Prime Contracting - ANSWER-owner contracts with multiple trade
contractors, attributes are typically similar to dbb, owner's ability to schedule and
coordinate the work
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) - ANSWER-multi-party agreement - all parties
equal, QBS procurement and target pricing contract approach, private sector use
(limited at this time), key: owner's ability to accept risk
public-private partnership (p3) - ANSWER-Instead of government building and
maintaining major infrastructure (such as highway, water treatment plant), build
and maintenance is outsourced to a private company. Opposed by public sector
unions. this is not considered a delivery system but its underlying approaches are
delivery systems and typically use DB. multiple procurement and contracting
approaches
, shift left - ANSWER-intense efforts to establish scope early in the process; drives
early team formation to include key trade subcontractors; can enable big decisions
to be made early, affect project outcomes at lowest cost, establish a need for co-
location and collaboration, and compress time during concurrent design and
construction
traditional design build - ANSWER-typically two-phase best value procurement
with lump sum contract; owner defines project requirements and scope of
prescriptive work; use of performance-based technical requirements with limited
prescriptive specifications
progressive design build - ANSWER-design and price are progressively developed
after the design-builder is under contract; final project cost and schedule
commitment is not established as part of the selection process; two phases:
preliminary services and final design and construction services
criteria documents - ANSWER-describe the end result
bridging documents - ANSWER-prescribes how to achieve the end result
design bid build paradigm - ANSWER-prior to bidding, owner undertakes a process
to design the project and all of its details to 100% complete plans and specs. the
owner is therefore responsible for success or failure of details of the design, and
warrants the sufficiency of design to the contractor. the owner is therefore liable
to the contractor for any gaps between plans and specifications and owner's
requirements for project performance
2026 | Converted with Correct
Detailed Answers
Project Delivery System - ANSWER-How team members are organized, establishes
when parties engage, determines roles of parties, and determines sequence of
design, procurement, and construction (db, cmar, dbb)
Procurement Method - ANSWER-how team members are selected (QBS, best
value, low price, sole source)
contracting approach - ANSWER-how team members are paid (fp, gmp, cost
reimbursement, target price, unit price)
Design-Bid-Build (DBB) - ANSWER-linear, sequential process, A/E selected on
qualifications, GC selected on low price, design is fully completed without input
from GC, A/E acting in owner's interests, with a historically strong bond, process is
well-established and understood
construction manager at risk - ANSWER-similar org structure to DBB, construction
manager selected by QBS or best value, contractor provides precon services,
negotiated gmp contracting approach, open book estimating process, potential to
fast track project, construction cost determined before design completed,
potential issues over what is reasonably inferable from gmp design documents
,Design-Build - ANSWER-The owner contracts with one entity (a person or firm) to
provide both design and construction services, designer and contractor have a
direct contractual relationship, selected by QBS or best value, wide spectrum of
contracting approaches and organizational structures, single point responsibility,
owner does not manage designer, owner exposure to claims is significantly
reduced
engineer procure construct (epc) - ANSWER-similar to design build, in industrial
and power generation sectors, systems and performance testing are central to
scope, contractor will typically perform engineering with its in-house staff, owner
has need for single point responsibility, contracts include plant and process
performance guarantees, contract items include performance and schedule
liquidated damages and limitations of liability
Multiple Prime Contracting - ANSWER-owner contracts with multiple trade
contractors, attributes are typically similar to dbb, owner's ability to schedule and
coordinate the work
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) - ANSWER-multi-party agreement - all parties
equal, QBS procurement and target pricing contract approach, private sector use
(limited at this time), key: owner's ability to accept risk
public-private partnership (p3) - ANSWER-Instead of government building and
maintaining major infrastructure (such as highway, water treatment plant), build
and maintenance is outsourced to a private company. Opposed by public sector
unions. this is not considered a delivery system but its underlying approaches are
delivery systems and typically use DB. multiple procurement and contracting
approaches
, shift left - ANSWER-intense efforts to establish scope early in the process; drives
early team formation to include key trade subcontractors; can enable big decisions
to be made early, affect project outcomes at lowest cost, establish a need for co-
location and collaboration, and compress time during concurrent design and
construction
traditional design build - ANSWER-typically two-phase best value procurement
with lump sum contract; owner defines project requirements and scope of
prescriptive work; use of performance-based technical requirements with limited
prescriptive specifications
progressive design build - ANSWER-design and price are progressively developed
after the design-builder is under contract; final project cost and schedule
commitment is not established as part of the selection process; two phases:
preliminary services and final design and construction services
criteria documents - ANSWER-describe the end result
bridging documents - ANSWER-prescribes how to achieve the end result
design bid build paradigm - ANSWER-prior to bidding, owner undertakes a process
to design the project and all of its details to 100% complete plans and specs. the
owner is therefore responsible for success or failure of details of the design, and
warrants the sufficiency of design to the contractor. the owner is therefore liable
to the contractor for any gaps between plans and specifications and owner's
requirements for project performance
