The Design-Build model is becoming increasingly popular for some clients. This method puts the contractor at the forefront of the project from early on. The engineer/architect teams are hired by the contractor, who is hired by the owner. This allows the contractor to influence design decisions, such as construction strategy and cost-savings measures. It also allows the contractor and design engineers/architects to collaborate earlier on in the design, resulting in efficiencies gained through simpler long-lead packages and optimized schedules.