DBIA’s New Teaming Agreement Reflects a Smarter, More Sophisticated Design-Build Industry

Design-build teams don’t come together by accident. Whether it’s a contractor, designer or specialty consultant, each member plays a critical role, and aligning early in the project pursuit phase can make or break success. That’s why teaming agreements are so important.

To reflect more than a decade of industry growth and change, DBIA has released an updated version of its DBIA 580: Standard Form of Teaming Agreement Between Design-Builder and Team Member contract. This modernized tool — jointly developed by DBIA’s Contracts Committee and Design Professionals Advisory Committee — offers a flexible, practical framework for establishing early team alignment and replaces the original 2012 document.

“Projects have become more complicated and sophisticated, and the industry has evolved along with the teaming arrangement,” said Holly Streeter-Schaefer, JD, with Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co., Inc. and Immediate Past Chair of DBIA’s Contracts Committee. “We’ve gained a better understanding of what teams need to consider and address during the pursuit phase. This update captures that.”

What Is a Teaming Agreement and Why It Matters

A teaming agreement is a foundational contract between two or more independent firms that intend to pursue a design-build project together. It outlines the team’s purpose, each member’s role, expectations during proposal development and the terms under which the team will either move forward or dissolve.

This clarity is especially valuable in design-build, where firms from across disciplines must operate as a unified front long before a project officially begins.

“In most pursuits, the design-builder isn’t going it alone. They’re relying on team members who bring specialized skills and experience to help win the job,” Streeter-Schaefer said. “This agreement helps those collaborators align before the real work begins.”

Why Now?

The original DBIA Teaming Agreement was published in 2012. Since then, the design-build market has expanded dramatically, bringing new challenges, greater complexity and heightened expectations for collaboration and integration.

“After more than 10 years, it was time,” said Streeter-Schaefer. “The process is more detailed now, and the form needed to reflect what we’ve learned through experience. It’s a best-practices framework for teams to evaluate and use.”

The new document responds to this evolution, offering clearer guidance and a more refined structure to support today’s teaming relationships.

What’s Changed

The 2025 update reflects how much the industry has matured. The document features a modernized structure, refined legal language and updated best practices for collaboration during the pursuit phase. While still adaptable to a wide range of projects and team structures, it’s designed to offer stronger foundational support for teams navigating increasingly complex pursuits.

“It aligns with the forms I’ve used for years,” Streeter-Schaefer noted. “But it also sharpens the focus and strengthens the foundation for what we know successful teaming relationships need.”

Supporting Designers in the Pursuit Phase

Design professionals are often central to a team’s pursuit efforts but may not be in the lead role. That makes it especially important that their contributions, obligations and expectations are clearly defined from the outset.

“The obligations and responsibilities of the designer in relation to the design-builder need to be explicit,” Streeter-Schaefer said. “A good teaming agreement provides that clarity, which helps support a better relationship — and, ultimately, a better project.”

The updated 580 Teaming Agreement is currently available online in the DBIA Bookstore.