Design-Build Institute of America

What Design-Build Institute of America does

The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), founded in 1993 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a 501(c)(6) non-profit membership organization that serves as the nation's only body exclusively dedicated to design-build project delivery. It operates a national network of 14 regional chapters serving architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) practitioners, public and private project Owners, students, academics, young professionals (NextGen), industry partners, and underutilized business enterprises. DBIA's core function is to standardize, teach, and advocate for design-build best practices through its trademarked Design-Build Done Right® framework and Designated Design-Build Professional® certification, with supplemental programming for Progressive Design-Build and Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) methodologies including BIM and digital collaboration.

DBIA's product portfolio spans four major conferences annually (Design-Build Conference & Expo, Federal Design-Build Symposium, and Water/Wastewater and Transportation/Aviation specialty events), a multi-tier certification program culminating in the College of Fellows, the Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy, a national student competition, and supporting resources including the Projects Database, Industry Match directory, CareerSpot job board, and the Design-Build Bookstore. The organization publishes proprietary primers, position statements, and contract templates, and distributes content through the Design-Build Delivers Podcast and a digital learning platform.

Revenue is generated through five streams: annual membership dues, conference and event registration fees, education and certification program fees (including company-based training and online learning subscriptions), bookstore sales of contracts and publications, and industry partner sponsorships. DBIA is member-driven, governed by a National Board of Directors (chaired in 2025 by NYC DDC Commissioner Thomas J. Foley), and led by Executive Director/CEO Lisa Washington, CAE. The organization operates without disclosed revenue, funding rounds, or external ownership, and pursues active state and federal legislative advocacy to expand design-build authority nationwide.

Name

Design-Build Institute of America

Legal name

Design-Build Institute of America

Website

https://dbia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Design-Build Institute of America is a 501(c)(6) non-profit membership organization, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., that exclusively promotes design-build project delivery through certification, education, advocacy, and national conferences serving AEC practitioners, project Owners, students, and academics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Industry Association / Professional Membership Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Design-Build / EPC General Contracting (IMAFAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction Management & Delivery (EPCM/CMAR/Design-Build Oversight) (EUANALAE), Project, Quality & Operations (PMP PDUs, Six Sigma, Quality CE) (EDAAALAM), Architecture, Construction & Building Codes Reference (Design, BIM, Safety Codes) (EDAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Design-build construction
• Professional certification programs
• Construction industry association
• Integrated project delivery
• AEC industry membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for professionals including Owners, practitioners, students, academics, and industry partners. Members receive access to education, certification programs, resources, and networking opportunities.
2. Conference & Event Fees: Registration fees for major conferences including Design-Build Conference & Expo, Federal Design-Build Symposium, Water/Wastewater Conference, and Transportation/Aviation Conference. Also includes sponsorship opportunities.
3. Education & Certification: Revenue from certification workshops, education courses, Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy, webinars, and conference recordings. Includes company-based training programs and subscription services for online learning.
4. Bookstore Sales: Sales of contracts, primers, position statements, and other design-build resources through the DBIA Bookstore (store.dbia.org), including best practices documents and guidance publications.
5. Industry Partner Sponsorship: Sponsorship and partnership revenue from industry partners who support DBIA programs, conferences, and initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

DBIA is a non-profit membership organization that serves the design-build construction industry by providing professional certification, continuing education, industry conferences, technical resources, and advocacy. Its core offerings include the Designated Design-Build Professional credential, the annual Design-Build Conference & Expo, instructor-led training courses, and publications/standards such as the DBIA Manual of Practice. These offerings target architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) firms, owners, and practitioners seeking to implement integrated project delivery.

Product overview

DBIA offers a comprehensive portfolio of products and services centered on advancing design-build project delivery in the United States. The core offerings include professional certification programs (Designated Design-Build Professional certification and College of Fellows), professional education (Certification Workshops, Education Courses, and the Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy with six modules), major conferences (Design-Build Conference & Expo, Federal Design-Build Symposium, and sector-specific Water/Wastewater and Transportation/Aviation conferences), awards programs (Project/Team Awards, Leadership Awards including Brunelleschi Lifetime Achievement Award), and the National Design-Build Student Competition. Supporting resources include the Projects Database, Industry Match tool, CareerSpot job board, the Design-Build Delivers Podcast, The Hub discussion community, and the Bookstore offering contracts and primers. DBIA also provides extensive best practices documentation under the Design-Build Done Right framework and a VDC (Virtual Design & Construction) program focused on digital collaboration and BIM.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Design-Build Done Right: DBIA's trademarked best practices framework for design-build project delivery.
• Design-Build Delivers
• Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy
• Design-Build Conference & Expo

Products and services

• Organizational Membership
• DBIA Professional Certification (DBIA / Assoc. DBIA)
• Design-Build Conference & Expo
• DBIA Training Courses and Workshops
• DBIA Manual of Practice and Publications
• Owner Advisor Services and Consulting

Quantifiable outcome

• Design-build delivers projects 102% faster than traditional design-bid-build (DBB)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FMI CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2026DBIA has engaged FMI Corporation to study the role and competencies of Owner Advisors in the design-build process, including Progressive Design-Build. The research aims to define effective role standards, improve project outcomes, and inform a potential specialization credential. Findings are expected by late summer 2026.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• FMI Corporation: Management consulting and research firm specializing in the built environment and the source of the Design-Build Utilization Study cited by DBIA. Comparable as a research partner and ecosystem participant whose data underpins DBIA's market-size claims and policy advocacy.
• Procore Technologies: Leading construction management SaaS platform used by general contractors and Owners. Comparable as an adjacent technology enabler for design-build delivery, providing the operational layer beneath the methodology DBIA promotes.
• Autodesk Construction Solutions: Provider of BIM, VDC, and construction management software (Autodesk Construction Cloud). Comparable as a technology ecosystem player supporting VDC and digital collaboration in design-build — DBIA's VDC program interfaces closely with Autodesk's tools and content partnerships.
• Engineering News-Record (ENR): Industry-leading AEC media brand owned by BNP Media that covers design-build trends, lists, and Top 20 Under 40 awards. Comparable to DBIA as an ecosystem participant shaping industry visibility and recognition (DBIA members regularly appear on ENR lists).

Broad incumbents

• Associated General Contractors of America (AGC): National trade association for general contractors with significantly larger membership, education, and certification programs that overlap with DBIA's practitioner audience. Comparable because both serve AEC professionals with education, advocacy, and conferences, though AGC is broader in scope.
• American Institute of Architects (AIA): Largest national membership association for architectural professionals offering continuing education, certification (e.g., CSI/AIA credentials), and advocacy. Comparable because its members are primary design-build practitioners and AIA offers overlapping continuing-education and credentials.
• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): National professional society for civil engineers providing continuing education, specialty certifications, and industry standards. Comparable because engineering professionals in DBIA's ecosystem also engage with ASCE for credentials and standards work.
• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB): Largest national trade association representing the residential construction industry with education, certification (CGR, CAPS), and advocacy programs. Comparable because NAHB provides overlapping construction methodology education, though focused on residential rather than commercial/institutional design-build.

Direct peers

• Construction Management Association of America (CMAA): National association dedicated to construction management as a professional discipline, offering the CCM credential and Owner's Advisor-related services. Highly comparable to DBIA because CMAA competes for the same Owner-side audience, particularly for Progressive Design-Build and CMR-adjacent practitioners.
• Lean Construction Institute (LCI): Non-profit organization promoting lean delivery methods in AEC, with active community, education, and certification programs. Comparable to DBIA as a specialized, methodology-focused AEC non-profit with conferences, training, and community-building as core offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DBIANational
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZJxqC_VPKiH6yhqMrdd8Sg
• Facebookfacebook.com/DesignBuildUSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/design-build-institute-of-america-dbia
• Instagraminstagram.com/designbuildusa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Design-Build Institute of America