Design Build Bridging

We received a question regarding Design Build Bridging. The question was (1) who administers the contract during the construction stage. And (2) is the owner the person that reviews the shop drawings and issues the certificate for payment.

For both questions, it depends whether or not this is an Architect-Led Design-Build or Contractor-Led Design-Build project delivery. This will influence whether or not the Architect is responsible for administering the contract during the construction stage, reviewing shop drawings,and signing off on certificates for payment. In a Contractor-Led Design-Build, the owner may wish to have the design architect they used during the bridging process to oversee parts of this process. For additional information, please reference “The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice”, relevant pages are listed below:

The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice
Architect-Led Design-Build p558
Contractor-Led Design-Build p541
Bridged Design Build p515-516