Performance in the construction industry is wrought with challenges and owners often are victim
to cost and schedule overruns, particularly on high profile projects that are large, complex, and
risky. Alternative project delivery methods and techniques are continually being developed and
implemented by buyers of construction services to address these problems. The Best Value
Business Model (BVBM) has been rigorously tested and shown to improve project performance
via its three-phased approach to project delivery. BVBM increases performance throughout the
construction project lifecycle by utilizing value-based selection processes, pre-contract planning
methodologies, and performance measurement systems. The objective of this research is to
provide a detailed case study of BVBM application on a design-build project to deliver a highly
complex research facility with tight schedule and budget thresholds. The implementation process
is discussed in detail and project results are provided and analyzed to demonstrate the ability of
BVBM to improve project performance. Special attention is paid to the ability of BVBM to
optimize project cost and schedule performance through the application of a value-based selection
methodology, a pre-contract preplanning period, and a weekly risk management system.Keywords: construction, design build, planning, project delivery, risk management.