Contractors have to construct the projects efficiently in accordance with the contract provisions when they accept a contract. All construction projects involve risk and there is no possibility to eliminate all the risks associated with a specific project. Management of risk requires identification and analysis of risk factors. After this risk assessment step, proper response strategies have to be developed so that an optimum risk-reward structure is ensured. Contracts are the grounds where risk allocation schemes between parties are settled and risk-reward mechanisms are defined. Since contractors are usually unable to influence the contract conditions and clauses, they should understand which risks they are retaining under contract conditions. Thus, succesful management of risk requires understanding of contract clauses and identification of secondary risk factors created due to poorly defined contract clauses. The aim of this thesis is to investigate standard conditions of contract, namely FIDIC and GSPW, which are the most widely utilised contracts by the Turkish contractors, from the risk management point of view. For this purpose an interview form is prepared and interviews are conducted using this structured form. Implications of the contract clauses for the risk management strategy of contractors are discussed based on interview findings. The basic philosophy of FIDIC and GSPW are investigated so that necessary suggestions for the contractors can be made considering the risk allocation schemes defined in these documents.

O gerenciamento de aquisições vem se tornando um dos aspectos mais importantes do gerenciamento de projetos, acompanhando a tendência das organizações de se dedicarem mais à sua vocação competitiva e passarem a adquirir de fontes externas os recursos, materiais, equipamentos, sistemas, soluções e serviços necessários à realização de seus projetos. Esta tendência tem feito com que, num número cada vez maior de projetos, a organização empreendedora realize grande parte e, às vezes todo o projeto, através de organizações externas. Neste contexto, a equipe do projeto gerencia, na verdade, um portfolio de fornecimentos aos quais tem que aplicar metodologias, técnicas e ferramentas de todas as demais áreas de conhecimento do gerenciamento de projetos. Não obstante sua crescente importância, o gerenciamento de aquisições em projetos é um tema relativamente pouco coberto pela bibliografia de gerenciamento de projetos e sua terminologia é pouco consensual. Este trabalho destaca a crescente importância do gerenciamento de aquisições em projetos, sintetizando os processos, técnicas e ferramentas reconhecidas atualmente como as melhores práticas nesta área de conhecimento. Foi desenvolvido um modelo de maturidade específico para gerenciamento de aquisições em projetos, com o objetivo de aferir o alinhamento entre o que é praticado nas empresas e as melhores práticas apresentadas nas principais referências bibliográficas. Através do estudo de casos de três empresas com forte atuação em projetos, foi possível aferir o alinhamento de suas práticas com um padrão previamente estabelecido, aplicando e validando o modelo desenvolvido. A pesquisa permitiu, também, avaliar o reconhecimento da importância do gerenciamento de aquisições nas empresas pesquisadas, bem como o grau de consenso na terminologia utilizada em seus processos de aquisições. / Procurement management has became one of the most important aspects in project management, accompanying the trend to focus organizations in their core business, and therefore contracting resources, materials, equipments, systems, solutions and services from external sources, to have their projects accomplished. This trend results that in a crescent number of projects, the performing organization gets a considerable part of the project, and sometimes the whole project, done by external sources. In this context, the project team manages, in fact, a portfolio of sourcing projects, to which it is necessary to apply methodology, tools and techniques from all others knowledge areas of project management. Nevertheless its increasing importance, project procurement management is a subject poor covered by project management references and its terminology is not consensual. This work emphasizes the growing importance of project procurement management and synthesizes the processes, tools and techniques actually recognized as best practices in this knowledge area. A maturity model specifically to project procurement management has been developed to evaluate the alignment level of what is being done in real world companies with the best practices presented by the most representative references. Through case studies of three companies that perform projects consistently, it was possible to evaluate the alignment of their practices with a standard previously set, applying and validating the model. The research also has allowed gauging the recognition of the procurement management importance within the researched companies, as well as the grade of consensus on the terminology used in their acquisition processes.

abstract: The demand for new highway infrastructure, the need to repair aging infrastructure, and the drive to optimize public expenditures on infrastructure have led transportation agencies toward alternative contracting methods (ACMs) such as design-build (DB) and construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC). U.S. transportation agencies have substantial experience with traditional design-bid-build delivery. To promote ACMs, the Federal Highway Administration and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCRHP) have published ACM guidance documents. However, the published material and research tend to focus on pre-award activities. The need for guidance on ACM post-award activities is confirmed in NCHRP’s request for a guidebook focusing on ACM contract administration (NCHRP 2016). This dissertation fills the crucial knowledge gap in contract administration functions and tools for DB and CM/GC highway project delivery. First, this research identifies and models contract administration functions in DBB, CM/GC, and DB using integrated definition modeling (IDEF0). Second, this research identifies and analyzes DB and CM/GC tools for contract administration by conducting 30 ACM project case studies involving over 90 ACM practitioners. Recommendations on appropriate use regarding project phase, complexity, and size were gathered from 16 ACM practitioners. Third, the alternative technical concepts tool was studied. Data from 30 DB projects was analyzed to explore the timing of DB procurement and DB initial award performance in relation to the project influence curve. Types of innovations derived from ATCs are discussed. Considerable industry input at multiple stages grounds this research in professional practice. Results indicate that the involvement of the contractor during the design phase for both DB and CM/GC delivery creates unique contract administration functions that need unique tools. Thirty-six DB and CM/GC tools for contract administration are identified with recommendations for effective implementation. While strong initial award performance is achievable in DB projects, initial award performance in this sample of projects is only loosely tied to the level of percent base design at procurement. Cost savings typically come from multiple ATCs, and innovations tend to be incremental rather than systemic, disruptive, or radical. Opportunity for innovation on DB highway projects is influenced by project characteristics and engaging the DB entity after pre-project planning. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 2019

Thesis (LL.M.)--George Washington University, 2006. / Title from title screen (viewed Dec. 29, 2006). "ADA454285"--URL. Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in paper format.

The general conditions of contract play a very important role in the dynamics of the construction phase. The general conditions of contract outline the roles, rights, and obligations of the contracting parties during the construction phase of a project. The American Institute of Architects General Conditions of Contract for Construction (AIA A201) is considered the most widely used standard form of contracts in the U.S. construction industry. Standard contracts, like AIA A201, are being periodically revised and are becoming more cumbersome over time. The purpose and expectations of the revisions of the contract are not always clearly defined in literature or in practice. Changes to the general conditions have been made, which do not advance the performance goals for a successful project, but rather react to negative experiences. Oftentimes, there are conflicts between the parties' interpretation of the general conditions and between the required administrative practices obligatory by the general conditions during the construction phase, thus impacting the contractual relationships between owners, architect/design professionals, and general contractors. The increasing complexity and size of projects, the multiple-contract interfaces, and the changing times have transformed construction practices and contractual relationships. No longer simply following the lead of the AIA, owners seem to be questioning the value of the design professional, and the tone and path of the AIA A201. The three-phase methodology of this dissertation research set out to advance the understanding of change in the AIA A201 and the impact change has had on the value-added benefit of the design professional during the construction phase and contract administration on a project. The results of this research revealed the following primary conclusions: changes to various provisions pertaining to the key provisions have resulted in the Architect assuming less responsibility during the construction phase of a project; changes to the AIA A201 provision concerning the key provisions have not increased the value of the Architect's performance of contract administration services during the construction phase of a project; with regard to the key provisions, Owners or Owners' representatives perceive the value of the Architect's contract administration services during construction have decreased in recent years. In Phase I, this research identified the key contract provisions, which influence the function of the design professional performed in contract administration during construction. This investigation identified that change exists in key provisions over time and that change may have an influence on the function performed by the design professional during construction and contract administration. Subsequently, in Phase II, this research investigated the effect that change has had on the function performed by the design professional. The respective substantive changes to each provision that may have had a material effect on the function of the design professional were identified and these key provisions were thus studied further. Then, whether or not changes made to key provisions of AIA A201 have had a material effect on the function performed by the architect/design professional during the construction phase and contract administration was examined in Phase III. Ultimately, the research led to an enhanced knowledge of the owner-perceived value-added benefit by the design professional during the construction phase of a project. The practical use of the AIA A201 and its future editions has an influence on improved performance and better working relationships, which ultimately leads to improved constructed projects. The conclusions to this research study have demonstrated that changes made to key provisions of AIA A201 from 1951 to 1997 have diminished the role of the architect. Changes to key provisions have had a material effect on the construction phase, contract administration, and the function performed by the architect/design professional during the construction phase of a project. Before one can make effective changes to improve contractual and working relationships, the change must be identified for the purpose of supporting the industry's efforts to reduce adversarial relations, balance risk, and control schedule and cost, impact the contractual relationships and the value-added benefit of the contractual parties. This dissertation research successfully provided an understanding of the process used and the impact of change in the general conditions of contracts. As such, the knowledge gained from this research illuminated the necessary considerations of change and its impacts on the future development of contracts and their revisions in efforts to create better documents, not to just create bigger documents. / Ph. D.

Thesis (Master of Military Studies)-Marine Corps Command and Staff College, 2008. / Title from title page of PDF document (viewed on: Jan 8, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Master of Business Administration) -- Naval Postgraduate School, 2005. / Title from title screen (viewed Aug. 26, 2008). "December 2005." The original document contains color images. "ADA443358"--URL. Includes bibliographical references (p. 85-91). Also issued in paper format.