Progressive Design-Build: From New Authority to Project Award- The FY26 NDAA introduced new authorities intended to accelerate delivery of military construction, including Progressive Design-Build (PDB) and Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for construction. But what does it actually take to put them into practice?
This practical session will bring together government acquisition and program leaders with industry to walk through how a PDB project can move from acquisition strategy to solicitation, qualifications-based selection, collaborative design and cost development, negotiated construction pricing, and award. The panel will discuss available acquisition pathways—including traditional contracts and construction OTs—along with the authorities, delegations, training, and acquisition-team capabilities needed to execute them successfully.
The session will also tackle emerging “myths vs. realities” surrounding implementation: Does PDB mean completed designs must be discarded? Can existing IDIQs and other contract vehicles still be used? Does construction OTA require a “prototype”?