July 31, 2026 What is Progressive Design-Build and When to Consider It for Your Transmission or Distribution Project
Utility Projects Can Reap Benefits by Bringing Construction Expertise into a Collaborative Design Process
With limited internal resources and more projects to construct than ever before, more electrical utilities are turning to alternative delivery methods for their transmission and distribution projects. These alternatives include design-build, engineer-procure-construct (EPC), construction manager at risk (CMAR), and progressive design-build contracts to get their transmission and distribution projects built.
Progressive design-build is a collaborative project delivery approach in which the owner, engineering partner, and construction partner work together from the earliest stages of project development.
Each method has its own advantages.
When it comes to progressive design-build, the advantages include more transparency in design and pricing, and extensive, early collaboration that can provide a utility with cost and schedule benefits and reduce their risk.
It enables the construction partner to work with the engineering partner, owner, and other stakeholders from the beginning to determine the best way to accomplish the project’s goals.
As construction partners, MYR Group companies’ goal on every project is to provide the customer with the most efficient project. Progressive design-build gives contractors like us a greater ability to contribute to cost and schedule efficiencies while reducing risk by bringing our construction expertise into a collaborative design process where we work in close partnership with the engineering firm and project owner.
This stands in contrast to many other project delivery methods which are typically engineered and designed before ever involving a construction partner. Many change orders, schedule delays and cost overruns originate from design and other stakeholder decisions made without construction input.
Progressive design-build addresses this at the source and ensures projects benefit from construction expertise in many elements of planning including routing, structure types and locations, access for equipment or personnel, work sequencing and more – all of which have cost and schedule impacts.
When a construction partner is engaged prior to these decisions being made, they can explain the impacts, look for efficiencies, and improve the overall design.
Construction partners can also help identify incorrect assumptions about cost, schedule, material procurement and constructability – spotting potential challenges and finding solutions before they result in construction delays. They can also provide the most accurate construction pricing at each design milestone to help keep budgets transparent and on track.
When it comes time to build, the construction team also knows the project inside out. From the design intent and site conditions, to procurement status and schedule logic, the construction team arrives equipped with the knowledge they need to succeed.
Key Questions to Help Evaluate the Potential of Progressive Design-Build for Your Project
While there are many advantages to involving your construction partner in your project design, it is particularly advantageous when the work is new or different from your typical projects, if the size or scale of the project is unusual, if you are experiencing constructability issues and redesigns during construction, or if you have run into cost overruns on other projects when using estimates from your typical cost models.
If your utility is considering which approach to take for your projects here are some key questions to help you evaluate whether progressive design-build could be the delivery model for you:
- Has your cost modeling been accurate?
- Are you maintaining initial budgets?
- Do you have enough people to work with your engineers?
If you answered “no” to any or all of these questions, you may want to consider progressive design-build.
- Is constructability an issue once the project is being built?
- Are you finding your projects require a lot of redesign work/do you receive a lot of change orders during construction because projects are not as described?
If you answered “yes” to either or both questions, you may want to consider progressive design-build.