TEXAS WATER DESIGN-BUILD COALITION
EXPANDING ACCESS. EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES.
DESIGN-BUILD DELIVERY
Expanding Access. Empowering Communities.
Every Texas community deserves access to the tools it needs to build critical water infrastructure efficiently, responsibly and on time. Texas law currently limits use of design-build for certain civil works projects to governmental entities with populations GREATER than 100,000 within their geographic boundary or service area. The Texas Legislature has an opportunity to expand that choice to communities of every size.
This is about choice.
Expanding access to design-build gives local leaders another project delivery option. Communities can evaluate the delivery method that best fits their project, budget, schedule and goals.
This effort does not mandate design-build but rather It expands the choices available to local leaders.
THE ISSUE
Why Should Population Determine a Community's Project Delivery Options?
TODAY
100,000+
Population
Eligible governmental entities can use design-build for qualifying civil works projects under Chapter 2269, but this still leaves more than 1,100 TX communities without access to Design-Build.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Communities of every size
Give more Texas communities access to design-build as a project delivery option.
Texas Government Code §2269.352 currently sets the population threshold at more than 100,000.
Smaller Communities Face Significant Infrastructure Needs
Cities, rural providers and utility districts are balancing aging infrastructure, regulatory requirements, limited staff, funding pressures and growing water needs. Fewer delivery options means fewer ways to match a project to the resources a community actually has.
$710 Rural vs. $330 Urban
Texas' estimated annual rural water infrastructure need is $710 per capita, compared with $330 per capita in urban communities.
Source: Value of Water Campaign, Tapping Potential, Table A-2, 2025.
The communities facing greater per-capita infrastructure needs deserve more tools to deliver those projects.
THE STAKES
Water Infrastructure Powers the Texas Economy
Every dollar Texas invests in water and wastewater infrastructure moves through the state economy in output, wages and jobs. Design-Build helps to invest these dollars faster, accelerating its impact.
$2.07M
in national economic output generated for every $1 million invested in Texas water infrastructure.
$1.13M
in GDP generated per $1 million invested.
$563,162
in labor income generated per $1 million invested.
9.5
jobs supported per $1 million invested.
Source: Value of Water Campaign, Tapping Potential, Table A-3, National Multiplier Effects of Investing in Each State, 2025. Texas figures.
IMPORTANT CONTEXT
These figures measure the economic impact of water infrastructure investment, rather than design- build itself. Water investment creates the economic benefit. Design-build is one tool communities can use to deliver that investment efficiently.
WHY DESIGN-BUILD
What Can Design-Build Offer an Owner?
Faster Delivery
DBIA's 2025 Data Sourcebook reports 102% faster overall delivery speed compared with traditional design- bid-build.
Earlier Cost Certainty
WCDA notes that design-build can increase cost transparency and provide cost certainty earlier in the project.
Per statute, an Independent Engineer works to advise the Owner
Texas law requires the Owner to select an engineer independent of the design-build firm to represent it for the life of the project, along with independent inspection, materials testing and verification testing services.
Faster Construction
The same research reports 36% faster construction speed compared with design-bid-build.
Balanced Risk
WCDA describes early risk discussions, assignment of risk to the party best able to manage it and active risk management before construction.
Less Cost Growth
Design-build projects in the cited research experienced 3.8% less cost growth than comparable design-bid- build projects.
Single-Point Accountability
The design-build structure gives the Owner one contract and one point
of responsibility while encouraging collaboration among the full project team.
LOCAL OPPORTUNITY
Design-Build Is Built by Teams
A design-build team is an assembly of firms, trades and workers— not a single company doing all the work.
ENGINEERS
CONTRACTORS
SPECIALTY TRADES
SUBCONSULTANTS
SUPPLIERS
LOCAL WORKFORCE
64%
of Owners surveyed said design-build encourages greater participation from Underutilized Business Enterprise organizations.
52%
of specialty trade contractors surveyed said the same.
Source: DBIA, Design-Build Myths and Facts; DBIA 2025 Design-Build Data Sourcebook.
MYTH: Design-build shuts smaller or local firms out.
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FACT
Source: DBIA, Design-Build Myths and Facts.
DBIA states that design-build can be used on projects of all sizes, encouraging small firms to compete. It also notes that local companies with sufficient resources may have competitive advantages over firms that must mobilize labor from outside the area.
Expanding access to design-build can expand opportunities for engineers, specialty contractors, trade partners, suppliers and other businesses that make up a design-build team.
FOR POLICYMAKERS
Five Things to Know
1
This Is About Local Choice
Expanded authority gives communities another project delivery option.
2
Texas Law Currently Uses a Population Threshold
Government Code §2269.352 applies the civil-works design-build subchapter to governmental entities with populations greater than 100,000 within their geographic boundary or service area.
3
Design-Build Uses Competitive Selection
Qualifications, experience, technical approach and other project- specific factors can form part of competitive selection.
5
Research Shows Strong Performance
The DBIA Data Sourcebook reports 102% faster delivery, 36% faster construction and 3.8% less cost growth compared with design-bid-build.
4
Texas Law Currently Uses a Population Threshold
64% of Owners in the cited survey identified design-build as the delivery method that most encourages UBE participation.
What Happened in 2025?
SB 1301 proposed removing the population language from §2269.352. The bill's last recorded action during the 89th Legislature was referral to Senate Business & Commerce on February 28, 2025.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Get the Facts on Design-Build
Does the Owner lose control?
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DBIA says Owners remain engaged throughout the project and that active Owner participation is part of successful design-build delivery.
Does design-build reduce competition?
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DBIA describes design-build as a competitive process focused on qualifications, past performance and technical approach, with robust competition encouraged through best practices.
Can smaller and local firms participate?
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Yes. DBIA specifically addresses this issue and reports survey evidence showing strong perceptions of UBE participation opportunities.
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Does design-build automatically save money?
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Performance research cited by DBIA found lower average cost growth, faster construction and faster overall delivery for the projects studied. Project results vary based on scope, team, procurement and execution.
Does a community have to use design-build?
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No. The coalition is advocating for access and choice. The goal is to give communities another delivery option to evaluate based on the needs of each project.
This page provides general educational information and is not legal advice.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS
Help Give Your Community More Choices
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1. Learn
Explore design-build and evaluate how it could fit your community's future water or wastewater projects.
2. Share Your Story
Identify a local project where schedule, staffing, cost pressure or infrastructure urgency affects your community.
3. Contact Your Legislators
Ask your Texas senator and representative to support expanded access to design-build.
BUILD SMARTER, TOGETHER
Join the Coalition for Project Delivery Choice in Texas
We believe Texas communities of every size deserve access to proven project delivery tools. Join DBIA Southwest Region, WCDA, municipal Owners and supporting organizations working to expand access to design-build for Texas water and wastewater infrastructure.
COALITION SUPPORTERS
THE ISSUE
AUDIENCES
LEARN
FOUNDING COALITION PARTNERS
Statistics on this site are drawn from DBIA, WCDA and Value of Water Campaign research.
This site provides general educational information about project delivery and Texas law and is not legal advice.