Senate bill provides guidelines for federal design-build projects

A bill intended to encourage the federal government to use two-phase design/build project delivery was introduced in the U.S. Senate. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced the Senate version of H.R. 2750, the Design-Build Efficiency and Jobs Act, S. 2652. This follows U.S. House of Representatives action on the matter in the spring.

Design Build Institute of America supports the bill along with a coalition of A/E/C associations, including AIA and AGC. The legislation would:

1. Require federal agency contracting officers to justify to superiors when more than five finalists are short-listed 
2. Restrict single-phase design-build to projects of $750,000 or less
3. Require that agencies report on these activities.

The House passed a version of the bill as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that passed in May. The Senate is expected to vote on the matter this fall.                             

(http://www.dbia.org/advocacy/federal/Documents/s2652_july2014.pdf)