01
Preconstruction clarity
Early planning, prefabrication, value engineering, and constructability reviews reduce field conflict and schedule risk.
Design Build Solutions
A division of Roberts Environmental Control Corp. · 50+ years of Roberts experience
Turnkey facility delivery for complex building projects.
Roberts DBS helps owners plan, price, and deliver facility work with one accountable team for design-build, construction management, energy audits, life-safety improvements, and modernization.
Mechanical
Sustainability
Performance
Life-Safety
Long-Term Partner
50+
Years of Roberts Experience
48 hrs
Typical Initial Proposal Window
90K+
Eligible Public Agencies
Energy
Audits, Scope Planning, and ROI Guidance
Design-build · construction management · energy audits · life-safety improvements · BuyFair cooperative contracting
Professional Delivery
Planning, estimating, execution, and handoff under one standard.
Estimating, project management, engineering, service, controls, energy, and life-safety expertise stay connected from the start.
02
Facility modernization
Occupied-building improvements across HVAC, controls, life safety, infrastructure, and energy performance.
03
Leadership-ready team
Project teams that communicate clearly with owners, engineers, facilities staff, and field leaders.
What We Can Help With
More than mechanical. Practical facility problem solving.
We support full projects and focused upgrades where energy, life safety, schedule, and compliance intersect.
Design-Build & Construction Management
One accountable team for planning, budget, procurement, trade coordination, field execution, and closeout.
Energy Audits
Facility assessments, system performance review, energy-saving opportunities, and practical modernization planning.
Life-Safety Improvements
Fire and smoke damper programs, code-driven upgrades, critical environment support, and safety-sensitive facility work.
Mechanical, Controls & Service
HVAC, piping, sheet metal, automation, commissioning, maintenance coordination, and service handoff.
Why Owners Change Delivery Models
Traditional procurement can make complex facility work harder than it needs to be.
Design-bid-build was designed for transparency. On urgent or technically complex facility work, it can also create delays, fragmented responsibility, and budget surprises before the owner has a clear path forward.
$86,000
Average staff cost to award a single HVAC contract through traditional RFP
NCPP RFP Tracking Project
138+ hrs
Staff hours consumed by a complex procurement — before a single pipe is installed
NPPGov Research
6–8 months
Average timeline from planning through contract award using traditional RFP
Euna Solutions
41%
Of U.S. schools have HVAC systems that fail to meet ASHRAE ventilation standards
GAO 2020 Report
The Real Consequences
Lowest-bid contractors cut corners.
Extremely low bids indicate contractors that lack experience or financial stability — increasing risk of project failure, change orders, and subpar materials.
Finger-pointing when problems arise.
Architect blames contractor. Contractor blames engineer. Owner gets stuck in the middle with a half-finished project and a stack of change orders.
Critical infrastructure waits while paperwork piles up.
14 million school days are lost annually to asthma-related complications linked to poor indoor air quality. Your students, patients, and employees can't wait 8 months for an RFP.
Budget surprises at bid opening — and after.
Design is completed before cost is known. Change orders are the norm, not the exception. Final cost regularly exceeds the original estimate by 10–20%.
There is a better way. A cooperative path can preserve procurement documentation while reducing delay.
See the Solution
Delivery Options
Two paths to a project that is planned, priced, and delivered with accountability.
Whether you already have a design partner or need a turnkey facility solution, Roberts DBS can coordinate the right team, the right procurement path, and the right field plan for the work.
Path 1
Architect-Led Turnkey Design-Build
You bring the architect. We own the critical systems.
Your project has an architect. Roberts DBS steps in as the turnkey design-build partner, taking full ownership of the highest-risk mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems — the ones where things go wrong on traditional projects.
- Complete MEP engineering with BIM/CAD clash detection
- Seamless architect collaboration from design through commissioning
- Self-performed critical installations by Roberts union craftsmen
- One point of accountability for all mechanical systems
- Cost and design evolve together — no bid-day surprises
- Ability to provide all or portions of HVAC design and build through the BuyFair cooperative contract
1 Your Architect
→
2 We Engineer MEP
→
3 We Build & Install
→
4 Commission & Deliver
Most Popular
Path 2
Fast-Track Turnkey Design-Build Program
One integrated team from planning through turnover.
Roberts DBS manages architecture, engineering, trade coordination, procurement support, construction, commissioning, and handoff through one integrated process.
- When needed — full architecture design development and project design
- All-trade coordination and construction management
- BuyFair cooperative contract support
- Guaranteed maximum price with open-book transparency
- Fast-track schedule — design and construction overlap
- Single contract, single team, clearer accountability
1 We Design
→
2 We Engineer
→
3 We Build
→
4 We Deliver
The Data
Design-build can reduce cost growth, schedule drag, and procurement friction.
The Design-Build Institute of America has tracked thousands of projects. The evidence is overwhelming.
Metric
Traditional DBB
Roberts Design-Build
Cost Growth
Industry average
3.8% less cost growth
Cost Per Square Foot
Baseline
6.1% lower overall cost
Construction Speed
Sequential schedule
36% faster construction
Design-Through-Completion
12–24 months typical
102% faster delivery
Procurement Time
6–8 months RFP cycle
Days with cooperative contract
Procurement Cost
$86,000+ per solicitation
$0 — already competitively bid
Change Orders
Standard / expected
Significantly fewer claims
Owner Satisfaction
Varies
75%+ rate “excellent”
Sources: DBIA Data Sourcebook, FHWA Design-Build Effectiveness Study, FMI/DBIA 2023 Mid-Cycle Survey, NCPP RFP Tracking Project
What This Means for a $5M HVAC Project
$305,000
saved in construction costs (6.1% lower)
+
$86,000
saved in procurement staff time
+
6–12 months
faster project completion
=
$391,000+ saved
with faster, better results
BuyFair National Cooperative Group
A shorter path to approved facility work.
Roberts DBS is an awarded vendor through BuyFair National Cooperative Group, giving eligible agencies a documented cooperative procurement option.
Traditional RFP Process
Market Research
↓
Develop Specifications
↓
Publish & Advertise
↓
Evaluate Responses
↓
Negotiate Terms
↓
Award Contract
↓
Begin Work
4–8 Months · $86,000+ Staff Cost
VS
Cooperative Contract Process
Select Roberts DBS via BuyFair
↓
Issue Purchase Order
↓
Begin Work
Days · Lower Procurement Burden
How It Works
BuyFair is a national governmental purchasing cooperative led by Region 15 Education Service Center. Contracts follow a competitive process:
- Solicitation — Competitive solicitation issued by lead public agency
- National Advertisement — Published nationally for vendor participation
- Piggybacking Language — Intergovernmental language supports multi-agency use
- Sealed Responses — Recorded and opened under the solicitation process
- Evaluation — Judged on quality, performance, and price
- Award — Lead agency issues award — available to all member agencies
Documentation available. Your procurement team can review the competitive solicitation file. Membership is free — no fees, obligations, or minimums.
Why Agencies Choose Cooperative Contracting
80% Time Savings
What takes 6–8 months via traditional RFP can be accomplished in days. Your procurement team issues a PO instead of running a solicitation.
Significant Cost Reduction
Aggregated purchasing power drives competitive pricing. Plus you eliminate the $86,000+ administrative cost of running your own solicitation.
Full Compliance
Every BuyFair contract is competitively solicited per procurement law. Complete documentation available for audit. Authorized in all 50 states.
Pre-Vetted Quality
Vendors are thoroughly evaluated on quality, performance, and capability — not just lowest price. You get contractors who can actually deliver.
Reduced Risk
Contracts have undergone rigorous legal review. No bid protests. No procurement stoppages. Pre-negotiated terms protect your agency.
Emergency Ready
When critical systems fail, cooperative contracts let you engage a qualified contractor immediately — no emergency procurement waiver needed.
Who Can Use Cooperative Contracts?
BuyFair contracts are available to over 90,000 public agencies nationwide:
K–12 School Districts
Colleges & Universities
Hospitals & Healthcare
City & County Government
State & Federal Agencies
Non-Profit Organizations
Tribal Entities
Houses of Worship
Interested in a faster procurement path?
Membership is free. No obligations. No minimums. Start with a conversation.
The Process
From first call through commissioning.
A clear process keeps scope, budget, schedule, procurement, and handoff moving together.
1
Discovery
We define facility needs, budget parameters, timeline, constraints, and the right delivery path. Timeline: 1–2 weeks.
2
Conceptual Design
Engineers develop preliminary design, equipment direction, scope, budget, and schedule before final proposal. Timeline: 2–4 weeks.
3
Procurement and Engineering
After approval, engineering, BIM coordination, permitting, and early equipment procurement move in parallel. Timeline: 4–8 weeks.
4
Construction
Roberts craftsmen and managed trade partners execute the work with dedicated project management and regular owner updates. Timeline: project-dependent.
5
Commissioning & Handover
Systems are tested, documented, commissioned, and handed over with staff training and service support. Timeline: 1–2 weeks.
Full-Scope Capabilities
Complete Construction Management, Design-Build, Energy & Life-Safety Support
Roberts DBS supports facility owners with construction management, design-build, energy audits, life-safety improvements, mechanical systems, controls, and service handoff.
What We Self-Perform
Self-Performed
HVAC Systems
Complete heating, cooling, and ventilation. Rooftop units to central plants, installed by our own union craftsmen.
Self-Performed
Piping & Process Systems
Hydronic, steam, process piping, and specialty systems with certified welders.
Self-Performed
Sheet Metal & Fabrication
In-house fabrication shop producing custom ductwork and assemblies — no subcontractor markup.
Self-Performed
Controls & Building Automation
DDC controls, BACnet integration, SCADA systems, and building automation.
Full Project Delivery
Construction Management
Project oversight from pre-construction through closeout, including budget, schedule, quality, and owner coordination.
MEP Engineering & Design
Full mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering with BIM/Revit clash detection. Cost and design evolve together.
All-Trade Coordination
Electrical, plumbing, fire protection, structural, roofing, interiors, and sitework — all managed under one contract.
Pre-Construction & Value Engineering
Early budgets and practical alternatives before design decisions harden.
Energy Audits & Performance Planning
Facility assessments, utility-impact review, equipment modernization planning, and practical energy-saving recommendations.
Life-Safety Improvements
Fire and smoke damper inspections, code-sensitive corrections, critical system coordination, and facility safety upgrades.
Project Types
Schools, hospitals, municipalities, government, commercial, industrial, and houses of worship.
24/7 Emergency Response
Emergency response for critical systems, with cooperative contracting available for eligible urgent work.
One coordinated team. Roberts DBS can manage complete scopes, not only the mechanical systems Roberts self-performs.
Common Questions
Common questions.
Answers to frequent questions about cooperative contracting and design-build.
“Does this bypass competitive bidding requirements?”
No. BuyFair contracts are competitively solicited through Region 15 Education Service Center. Documentation is available for agency review.
“Is this compliant in our state?”
Cooperative purchasing is widely authorized, but each agency should confirm its own state and local requirements. We can provide supporting documentation.
“Will we get competitive pricing?”
BuyFair evaluates quality, performance, and price. Owners also reduce the staff time tied to running a separate solicitation.
“What if our project is complex or unique?”
The cooperative contract provides the procurement framework. Scope, design, engineering, and phasing are tailored to the facility.
“We've always done RFPs. Why change?”
For urgent facility work, a cooperative path can reduce procurement time while preserving documented competitive selection.
“How is design-build different from what we've done before?”
Design-build connects design, pricing, constructability, and construction earlier so decisions can be made with better cost and schedule information.
About Roberts DBS
Built on precision. Delivered with accountability.
Roberts Design Build Solutions is a division of Roberts Environmental Control Corp., backed by 50+ years of facility experience across Illinois and the Midwest.
DBS connects planning, pricing, procurement, construction, commissioning, energy performance, and life-safety work under one project team.
Engineers, project managers, BIM specialists, and union craftsmen work from the same practical plan so owners get clear scope, schedule, and handoff.
Self-Performance
Roberts' union craftsmen install critical systems, keeping field knowledge close to planning and accountability.
Open-Book Transparency
Budgets, assumptions, alternates, and scope decisions stay visible from the earliest practical point.
Single-Source Accountability
Owners get a coordinated team responsible for planning, budget, schedule, construction, commissioning, and handoff.
Cooperative Compliance
BuyFair cooperative contracting can provide a documented procurement path for eligible public and nonprofit owners.
Careers at Roberts DBS
Build serious facility work with people who understand the field.
Roberts DBS is growing the design-build side of a contractor with 50+ years of facility experience. The work spans planning, estimating, project delivery, energy audits, life safety, mechanical systems, controls, and owner relationships.
Current growth roles include VP of Operations, Operations Manager, Business Development, Engineering PE, and Project Management.
VP of Operations
Operations Manager
Business Development
Engineering PE
Project Management
01
Owner-Facing Responsibility
Planning, budgeting, procurement, construction, commissioning, and service handoff stay connected.
02
Broader Facility Scope
Energy, life safety, mechanical systems, controls, modernization, and managed trades are coordinated together.
03
Room to Shape a Growing Division
DBS is built for people who can win trust, solve hard problems, and help set the standard as the group expands.
Start Today
Start with a project review.
Tell us what you are planning, what is urgent, and what constraints matter. We will help define the next practical step.
Proposal in 48 hours
Not 8 months
Free facility assessment
No obligation
State-specific compliance docs
For your legal team