Comparison of U.S. Project Delivery Systems

TLDR

Construction management at risk, design/build, and design/bid/build are the three principal project delivery systems used in the United States today. This paper empirically compares cost, schedule, and quality performance of these three delivery systems using data from 351 U.S. building projects. The study collected, validated, and analyzed industry data from 351 projects, applying significance testing, multivariate linear regression with nearly 100 explanatory variables, and a nonresponse verification to compare performance across delivery systems and facility classes.

Abstract

Construction management at risk, design/build and design/bid/build are three principal project delivery systems used in the United States today. This paper empirically compares cost, schedule, and quality performance of these three project delivery systems, using project-specific data collected from 351 U.S. building projects. The study included collecting, checking, and validating industry data, significance testing of univariate comparisons and the statistical development of multivariate linear regression models for predicting average project performance. A nonresponse study verified statistically that collected data were appropriate for analysis and representative of the industry from which they were drawn. Significance testing and multivariate comparisons used nearly 100 explanatory and interacting variables to explain project cost, schedule, and quality performance. Specific comparisons between project delivery systems, performance metrics, and six facility classes are discussed. Results and the level of confidence that surrounds each finding are presented.