Contracts used on DB projects should be _____, _____, and _____ and should promote the _____ aspects inherent in the DB process.

• A. fair, balanced, clear; collaborative
• B. balanced, fair, clear; collaborative
• C. fair, clear, balanced; collaborative
• D. fair, balanced, clear; collaborative

Answer: (D)

In design-build contracts, terms should be fair, balanced, and clear to enable true collaboration across the delivery team. Fairness helps ensure reasonable risk allocation and treatment of all parties, balance prevents domination by any one party, and clarity removes ambiguity about roles, responsibilities, and expectations. When these qualities are present, the contract supports the collaborative nature of the DB process—early involvement, shared goals, and open communication.

That’s why the best choice lists those adjectives in that order: fair, balanced, and clear, and then emphasizes collaborative. The other options mix up the order of adjectives, which can shift emphasis away from the intended balance of risk and clarity that underpins collaboration in DB projects.