Owners

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Become a Member in 3 Easy Steps

1. Create a DBIA Customer account or sign in at the top right-hand corner of the web page

2. Under your profile, select the appropriate Individual or Industry Partner membership category

3. Complete the form

Questions?

View the Owners Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Contact the DBIA Membership department at membership@dbia.org or (202) 682-0110.

Whether you’re a public, private or large agency, design-build delivers innovative and resilient projects allowing you to meet or exceed cost, schedule and quality goals. DBIA’s Owner members lead our industry by utilizing design-build to deliver our nation’s most innovative and resilient projects across all sectors.

Owners decide what gets built, when it gets built and how it gets built. They are the organizations (or employees) that control the design and construction processes. Examples are real estate developers, private facility Owners, academic institutions and government agencies. (This does NOT include firms and/or people that provide design and construction services such as contractors, A/E firms, architects, etc.)

Individual Owner Membership dues are $99 annually.

Industry Partner Owner Membership dues are $500 annually.

Ready to Join

Owner-specific benefits include:

Owner Tools
  • Building Owner’s Assessment Tool (BOAT): This free online tool, released by the Charles Pankow Foundation in partnership with the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments and other organizations, helps building Owners and project teams understand the challenges and alignments between their decision-making profile and different types of project delivery methods. Learn more.
  • Owner Hotline: Have a design-build question? As an Owner member, you can contact the Owner Hotline, ownerhotline@dbia.org, and a DBIA expert will provide answers to your questions. (This hotline does not provide legal advice.)
  • Owner Education: DBIA has coursework, conference recordings and workshops designed specifically for Owners available in our Learning Center. We also provide customized company-based training based on the needs of your organization. Learn more.
  • Project Database: DBIA’s Project Database showcases a range of real-world projects – large and small, across market sectors – throughout the country, including many award winners that exemplify Design-Build Done Right®. Projects in the database demonstrate the collaboration, innovation and efficiency at the heart of design-build. Learn more.
  • Industry Match: DBIA’s Industry Match is the nation’s only online tool helping Owners and industry find qualified design-builders. DBIA encourages you to use this valuable resource to assist in identifying firms when distributing your design-build RFPs. Firms included in Industry Match are those who have committed to Design-Build Done Right® through their active membership in DBIA. The directory provides an overview of a firm’s design-build experience and can be searched by firm type, location, market sector and Underutilized Business Enterprise (UBE) status (if applicable). Learn more.
  • Design-Build Team Solicitation Announcements: Advertise project solicitations through our weekly Insight e-newsletter, distributed to DBIA members. Email communications@dbia.org with your project details. 

Owner Resources
  • Owner Education: DBIA’s Learning Center offers many courses, webinars and workshops tailored to Owner interests. Whether you’re a new or experienced Owner, DBIA’s education provides the knowledge and expertise needed for Owners to successfully deliver design-build projects. Learn more.
  • Owners’ In-Person Forums: Owners can learn a lot from each other. That’s why DBIA hosts the largest design-build Owners’ Only networking and education forums in the nation at each of our four conferences. The conversations are lively and open, with Owners going home with new ideas and strategies to succeed.
  • The Hub Discussion Group for Owners: An extension of in-person Owners’ Forums that take place at DBIA conferences, the Owners Hub is an online collaboration and networking site created specifically for Owner members. This private community allows Owners to connect with each other, network, ask questions, share information or engage in discussions throughout the year. Learn more.
  • Primers: Our goal is to help Owners succeed when using design-build. DBIA offers industry-leading Primers that build upon Design-Build Done Right® best practices, providing information and guidance to maximize project and team success. Visit our online Bookstore to download these resources.
  • DBIA Contracts: DBIA provides the nation’s most comprehensive catalog of design-build standard form contract documents through our online Bookstore. Our documents are developed by industry experts across the spectrum of the entire design-build team to ensure all aspects of design, build and deliver are fully and fairly represented.
  • Owner Scholarships: DBIA’s design-build conferences are among the most effective ways to network, learn first-hand from Owner peers and receive Design-Build Done Right® education. Owners can apply to defray attending costs by requesting registration assistance through our owner scholarship program. A limited number of scholarships are available. Learn more.
Additional Benefits
  • Discounts on DBIA Design-Build Certification Workshops to become a DBIA® or Assoc. DBIA® designated professional.
  • Discounts on all DBIA educational programs and conferences 
  • Membership in your local DBIA Region
  • Networking opportunities with DBIA members, from industry leaders to Owners
  • Opportunities to volunteer for one of our national committees shaping our industry’s future
  • Access to DBIA Membership Directory
  • Discounts on DBIA contract documents, forms and books through the online Bookstore
  • Subscription to industry news and insights in our weekly Insight newsletter
  • Complimentary access to all chapters of the Design-Build Manual of Practice