The Missouri legislature passed a comprehensive bill that would introduce Progressive Design-Build (PDB) as a procurement option across the state. Led by DBIA’s Mid-America Region, House Bill 2474 marks another step in Missouri’s continued expansion of design-build authority. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Mike Kehoe on July 13 and will take effect on August 28, 2026.
The bill allows all Missouri political subdivisions to use PDB through a two-stage selection process and reduce the current $7 million threshold for design-build contracts to $2.5 million. These provisions will remain in effect until August 28, 2036.
“House Bill 2474 is a big win for Missouri and for the design-build best practices DBIA has promoted for years,” said Brett Harding, DBIA Mid-America’s Owners Council Co-Chair and Burns & McDonnell section manager. “This bill gives public Owners across the state access to a proven tool that helps teams work together early, manage risk and deliver successful projects.”
More Than a Decade of Advocacy
DBIA’s Mid-America Region helped draft the bill’s language, worked with lobbyists and coordinated member testimony in support of the bill.
“For many counties and municipalities, this authority opens the door to tools they couldn’t previously use,” Harding added. “We’re looking forward to seeing the positive impact this will have across the state.”
These developments follow Senate Bill 10, which Missouri passed during the 2025 legislative session. That law permanently extends political subdivisions’ authority to use design-build, first authorized in 2015, by repealing the existing sunset clause.
“This is the culmination of over a decade’s worth of work on the part of DBIA and DBIA Mid-America Region, and we couldn’t be more proud of their efforts,” Richard Thomas, DBIA’s Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs, said.
Building on Missouri’s Design-Build Success
House Bill 2474 provides an opportunity for Missouri agencies to build on the success of recent PDB projects, including Kansas City International Airport (KCI) New Single Terminal and Garage. The $1.5 billion project was the largest infrastructure project in Kansas City history, delivered 60 days early and saving $45 million.
The terminal became the first airport terminal in the Midwest and only the second in the country to earn LEED Gold. It also earned national recognition from DBIA in 2025 as Project of the Year as well as the Progressive Design-Build Best in Process and Trailblazer in Inclusive Growth awards.
Missouri also has a strong record of successful design-build projects recognized by DBIA’s Mid-America Region. In addition to KCI’s national DBIA honors in 2025, the project was named DBIA Mid-America’s 2024 Project of the Year. Other recent Missouri-based projects to earn regional Project of the Year honors include the MacArthur Bridge – West Approach Modifications (2023) and John Jay “Buck” O’Neil Memorial Bridge (2025).
“PDB gives our state and local governments more flexibility to tackle projects in a way that reflects the realities of today’s market. With labor shortages, cost pressures and increasingly complex projects, bringing Owners, designers and builders together early is a huge advantage,” Matt Gosa, DBIA Mid-America’s St. Louis Chapter Chair and Senior Manager of Design Integration at McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., said. “We’re excited about what this means for the future, and DBIA looks forward to helping teams make the most of this opportunity.”
With the passage of House Bill 2474, Missouri Owners will have broader authority to use design-build and PDB on future projects, creating new opportunities for success over the next decade.
