Dive Brief:

• New York City administration officials are working to garner trade union support for a bill that would allow the design-build project delivery method to be used on infrastructure projects throughout the state and could perhaps save the city $2 billion over the next 10 years, Crain's New York reported.
• The state currently permits design-build on two projects — the overhaul of New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and the upcoming Pennsylvania Station renovation.
• New York currently mandates that most state agencies produce a complete set of plans and specifications for a project, then put it out to bid.

Dive Insight:

The design-build method is known for its cost-reduction and timesaving benefits on intricate projects, largely because designers and builders collaborate before the design phase begins in order to streamline the building process and eliminate conflicts. 

Bill Quatman, chairman of the Design-Build Institute of America told Construction Dive last month that the design-build method also offers the owner a single point of accountability, which eliminates "finger-pointing" if problems arise on the job.

However, not everyone is a fan of the delivery method. In January, the Journal of Engineering and Construction Management reported 50% of the design-build projects they studied came in over budget. The DBIA denied those assertions and said the study did not consider extra costs from owner changes.