There was a time when an owner that wished to build a project could choose from a short list of project delivery methods. There was the traditional design-bid-build. Then construction management arose as an alternative. New firms appeared offering their services as owners agents to manage the project for a fee, while general contractors began to expand their services, moving into the front-end to manage the project on an at-risk basis. Firms then began to take on the whole project, from design through construction on a design-build basis. Each method had its advantages and drawbacks.
But clients have become even more demanding in recent years. Like diners dissatisfied with limited menu choices, they began to ask why construction firms couldnt help with needs analysis, planning, siting, permitting, financing, commissioning and the like. Firms suddenly were faced with a choice: Stick to the old menu and potentially lose customers, or expand the array of services available to accommodate ever increasing demands.