Which contract type involves a single entity providing both design and construction?

Which contract type involves a single entity providing both design and construction?

• A. Design-build
• B. Construction manager-at-risk
• C. Task-order
• D. Single-source

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is design-build, where one entity handles both the design and construction of a project under a single contract. This arrangement creates a single point of accountability and tends to streamline communication, allowing faster decision-making and often shorter schedules since design and construction teams work together from the start. In contrast, other approaches separate design and construction or use different governance structures: a construction manager-at-risk involves a manager who oversees the build and collaborates with designers but doesn’t assign all design and construction to one firm; task-order contracts deliver work in discrete tasks under a master agreement and don’t inherently merge design and construction under one entity; and single-source is about choosing a supplier and doesn’t inherently combine design and construction responsibilities.

The key idea here is design-build, where one entity handles both the design and construction of a project under a single contract. This arrangement creates a single point of accountability and tends to streamline communication, allowing faster decision-making and often shorter schedules since design and construction teams work together from the start. In contrast, other approaches separate design and construction or use different governance structures: a construction manager-at-risk involves a manager who oversees the build and collaborates with designers but doesn’t assign all design and construction to one firm; task-order contracts deliver work in discrete tasks under a master agreement and don’t inherently merge design and construction under one entity; and single-source is about choosing a supplier and doesn’t inherently combine design and construction responsibilities.