Special Notice Alternate Design and Delivery Methodologies (ADDM) Candidate Projects

This USACE playbook provides a comprehensive guide for Project Delivery Teams (PDTs) executing Progressive Design-Build (PDB) construction projects using Other Transaction Authority (OTA) under 10 U.S.C. § 2808a. Operating outside the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), this non-FAR framework shifts the procurement focus from rigid compliance to commercial agility, collaborative risk-sharing, and "open-book" pricing to deliver Department of War projects with greater speed and innovation. The acquisition process begins with a pre-agreement phase consisting of active market research, a formal Plan of Action, and a qualifications-based selection. Through a two-step evaluation of Statements of Qualifications and interactive pitch presentations, the government selects the single most highly qualified design-builder to negotiate and award Agreement Phase 1 (Design & Pre-Construction Services). Phase 1 utilizes iterative BCOES reviews and continuous cost modeling to progressively develop the design (from concept to approximately 65% maturity) and establish a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for construction. If negotiations succeed, the project transitions to Agreement Phase 2 (Final Design & Construction) via an OT modification, allowing for fast-tracking, early works, and commercial trade-packaged scheduling. If negotiations fail, a contractual off-ramp allows the government to retain the design and procure construction separately. To ensure success, the playbook establishes a commercial-style administrative framework. It defines key leadership roles—the Administrative Agreements Officer (AAO) and the Agreements Officer Representative (AOR)—and introduces partnering tools like the Issue Resolution Ladder to resolve field-level disputes quickly and preserve trust.

This document is the Design-Build to Budget (DBtB) Playbook, which serves as a standardized guide for Project Delivery Teams (PDTs) to execute construction projects using the DBtB methodology. DBtB is a specialized two-phase design-build process that establishes a firm-fixed-price budget upfront as a key design constraint, challenging integrated design-build teams to optimize and innovate within that limit. The playbook is structured into three units: 1. **Acquisition Planning:** Focuses on setting a realistic Current Construction Limitation (CCL), conducting early industry engagement to validate the budget, and utilizing statutory authorities like Accelerated Design-Build (ADB) under 10 U.S.C. § 3241(f) to advance design before construction appropriations are finalized. It also outlines the regulatory use of pre-award stipends to encourage competitive, high-quality proposals. 2. **Solicitation and Award ("Think Slow"):** Details the transition from a Phase 1 qualification-based down-select (FAR Part 36.3) to a Collaborative Refinement Stage. This stage utilizes confidential, one-on-one proprietary meetings to refine project requirements and address risks before issuing the final Phase 2 RFP (FAR Part 15). The final contract is awarded based on a best-value tradeoff, evaluating proposed "betterments" and technical merit within the fixed budget. 3. **Post-Award Execution ("Act Fast"):** Emphasizes partnering and fast-tracking strategies. The primary objective of the DBtB playbook is to maximize project value, improve cost certainty, foster industry innovation, and accelerate project delivery by shifting critical decision-making and collaborative efforts to the earliest phases of the project lifecycle.