Project Delivery Methods Comparison
This cheat sheet compares the five major project delivery methods tested on the ARE 5.0 PjM exam. See the Project Delivery Methods topic guide and Contract Types topic guide for deeper study.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | DBB | DB | CMa | CMr | IPD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Design-Bid-Build | Design-Build | CM as Advisor | CM at Risk | Integrated Project Delivery |
| Designer contract | With owner | With DB entity | With owner | With owner | Multi-party agreement |
| Contractor contract | With owner | Within DB entity | With owner (multiple trade contracts) | With owner (holds trade contracts) | Multi-party agreement |
| Single point of responsibility | No | Yes (DB entity) | No | No | Shared |
| Design control by owner | High | Low | High | High | Shared |
| Cost certainty | Low (bid after design) | High (early GMP/lump sum) | Low–Moderate | Moderate (GMP) | High (target cost) |
| Schedule speed | Slowest (sequential) | Fastest (overlap) | Moderate | Fast (fast-track possible) | Fast |
| Owner risk | High | Low | High (holds trade contracts) | Low–Moderate | Shared |
| Competitive bidding | Yes (full) | Qualification-based | Yes (trade packages) | Negotiated or bid | Qualification-based |
| Early cost input | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Public/government; clear scope | Fast-track; owner trusts DB | Complex; owner wants control | Large/complex; early pricing | Complex; collaborative teams |
Design-Bid-Build (DBB)
- Most traditional method; sequential design then bid then build
- Owner holds separate contracts with architect and contractor
- Competitive bidding ensures lowest price
- No construction input during design
- Most adversarial relationship potential
- AIA contracts: A101/A201 (stipulated sum) or A102/A201 (cost-plus GMP)
Design-Build (DB)
- Single entity provides both design and construction
- Owner has one contract, one point of responsibility
- Design and construction overlap (fast-track)
- Owner has less design control
- Reduced owner risk for cost and schedule
- AIA contracts: A141 (owner-DB agreement)
CM as Advisor (CMa / CM-Agency)
- CM acts as owner’s agent (fiduciary duty)
- Owner holds all trade contracts directly
- CM advises on cost, schedule, constructability
- Owner has maximum control but also maximum risk
- AIA contracts: C132 (owner-CM agreement, advisor)
CM at Risk (CMr / CM-GMP)
- CM provides a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)
- CM holds trade contracts (like a GC with early involvement)
- Pre-construction services: estimating, scheduling, value engineering
- Owner risk limited to GMP; savings may be shared
- AIA contracts: A133/A201 (owner-CMr, GMP)
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)
- Multi-party contract: owner, architect, contractor (and sometimes key subs)
- Shared risk and reward tied to project outcomes
- Profit is pooled; saved costs or overruns shared proportionally
- Early involvement of all parties from concept
- Requires high trust and BIM integration
- Liability waivers between parties are common
- AIA contracts: C191 (multi-party IPD agreement)
Contract Types Summary
| Contract Type | Risk to Owner | Risk to Contractor | When Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stipulated sum (lump sum) | Low | High | Well-defined scope |
| Cost-plus-fee | High | Low | Undefined scope, fast-track |
| Cost-plus with GMP | Moderate | Moderate | CMr, negotiated work |
| Unit price | Variable | Low per unit | Site work, repetitive items |
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