In IPD, the owner often has multiple agreements with independent design and construction firms. Which statement best describes this arrangement?

• A. The owner often has multiple agreements with independent design and construction firms.
• B. The owner contracts with a single CM only
• C. The owner has no role in selecting design criteria
• D. The owner uses a single contract with the design-builder

Answer: (A)

In Integrated Project Delivery, success comes from a strong, collaborative team where owners, designers, and builders share goals, risks, and rewards. To enable that level of coordination, the owner typically engages more than one independent firm—signing separate agreements with design professionals and with construction firms. These distinct contracts are brought together under the IPD framework so decisions are made jointly, early, and with aligned incentives, rather than passing work between siloed entities. This multi-agreement approach supports concurrent design and construction, faster problem-solving, and a unified project team.

The other options don’t fit this collaborative structure. Relying on a single construction manager contract, removing the owner's role in setting design criteria, or using only one contract with a design-builder each undermine the shared-goal, multi-party arrangement that IPD is built to promote.