Half of U.S. states now allow design-build on public projects

Missouri recently became the 25th U.S. state to adopt legislation providing for the use of design-build on public projects.

Missouri House Bill 2376 authorized any municipality or school district to procure projects through a single contract with a design-build contractor. The new law expands the ability for government entities in the state beyond large cities and counties to use design-build. The adoption of this law marks a milestone in the two-decade movement to enact design-build legislation nationwide.

According to the Design-Build Institute of America, a study by the Construction Industry Institute and Penn State University found that design-build is the most economical and efficient project delivery system. The study concluded that design-build costs around 6.1% less than traditional design-bid-build, with a delivery speed around 33.5% faster.