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DBIA Updates and Expands Teaming Agreement Guidance with New Design-Build Deeper Dive

Expanded guidance offers practical tools for smarter, more strategic teaming

The Design-Build Institute of America Teaming Agreements brochure on a table — The Design-Build Institute of America

The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) has released Design-Build Teaming Agreements: A Design-Build Done Right® Deeper Dive, an expanded resource that builds on DBIA’s existing teaming agreement guidance with updated recommendations, practical tools and real-world considerations for increasingly complex design-build pursuits.

The publication provides practical guidance for design-builders, designers, trade partners and Owners navigating modern design-build delivery environments. It outlines best practices for developing teaming agreements that support early alignment, transparency, risk management and long-term collaboration.

“Fair, well-structured teaming agreements are the foundation of successful design-build projects and a cornerstone of Design-Build Done Right®,” said Lee Slade, PE, DBIA, Chair of DBIA’s Teaming Agreement Subcommittee of the Design Professionals’ Advisory and Engagement Committee. “DBIA’s Deeper Dive turns best practices into action, helping builders, design professionals and trade contractors create stronger, more effective teaming agreements.”

As design-build projects become more complex, the resource emphasizes the need for teaming agreements that support smarter, more strategic collaboration beyond standard templates. The publication explains how early alignment, clearly defined expectations and proactive commercial discussions help create more cohesive, resilient project teams.

The Deeper Dive includes:

Guidance on 12 essential elements every teaming agreement should address
Interactive checklists and term sheet tools
Organizational structure examples and pursuit timelines
Risk management and insurance considerations
Suggested alignment and vetting questions for potential teaming partners

The resource also highlights the DBIA 580 Teaming Agreement contract as a preferred starting point for developing fair, effective teaming arrangements consistent with Design-Build Done Right® principles. Additional checklists and alignment tools help teams structure stronger, more effective teaming relationships.

The multi-year effort was led by DBIA’s Teaming Agreement Subcommittee of the Design Professionals’ Advisory and Engagement Committee and included input from several DBIA groups, including the Education and Contracts Committees.

Design-Build Teaming Agreements: A Design-Build Done Right® Deeper Dive and accompanying appendices are now available through the DBIA Bookstore.