DBIA Certification Test 2026/2027 –
Study Guide & Practice Questions
Project Delivery System - correct 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 - correct answer-how team members are selected (QBS,
best value, low price, sole source)
contracting approach - correct answer-how team members are paid (fp, gmp,
cost reimbursement, target price, unit price)
Design-Bid-Build (DBB) - correct 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 - correct 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 - correct 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) - correct 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 - correct 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) - correct 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) - correct 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 - correct 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 - correct 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 - correct 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 - correct answer-describe the end result
bridging documents - correct answer-prescribes how to achieve the end result
design bid build paradigm - correct 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
design details responsibility - correct answer-the owner should define its
performance requirements and award the contract on the basis of preliminary
design; this makes the design-builder responsible for completing the design in
Study Guide & Practice Questions
Project Delivery System - correct 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 - correct answer-how team members are selected (QBS,
best value, low price, sole source)
contracting approach - correct answer-how team members are paid (fp, gmp,
cost reimbursement, target price, unit price)
Design-Bid-Build (DBB) - correct 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 - correct 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 - correct 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) - correct 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 - correct 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) - correct 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) - correct 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 - correct 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 - correct 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 - correct 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 - correct answer-describe the end result
bridging documents - correct answer-prescribes how to achieve the end result
design bid build paradigm - correct 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
design details responsibility - correct answer-the owner should define its
performance requirements and award the contract on the basis of preliminary
design; this makes the design-builder responsible for completing the design in
