DBIA EXAM 500 ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ 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
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ 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
