Construction Contract Administration Research Articles

Performance barriers and competence development of graduate architects in construction contract administration (CCA): the mediating role of CCA skills

PurposeEducation focused on the creation of a knowledge base but not on how to bring such knowledge into practice had caused graduate architects to encounter reality shock and fail to perform during building contract administration. Although the effect of performance barriers on competence development is empirically supported, less is known about the mechanisms that explain this effect. Overcoming barriers for graduate architects is crucial while supporting building contract administrators and acquiring professional qualifications. To address this issue, we propose the mediating role of CCA skills as a possible explanation of the relationship between performance barriers and competence development of graduate architects.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted among graduate architects in Klang Valley. In total, one hundred and twenty-seven usable questionnaires were returned and analyzed using descriptive analysis and regression analysis.FindingsMediation results indicate that performance barriers have a significant positive influence on competence development through CCA skills in claims and legal matters management, project management, communication and relationship management, quality assessment and management, and design management.Originality/valueThe present study contributes to the construction contract administration literature by integrating performance barriers and the CCA skills model. This advances our understanding of performance barriers and CCA skills engendering competence development of graduate architects.

Factors influencing the effectiveness of graduate architects as construction contract administrators (CCA)

PurposeVarious studies have been conducted to explore the factors that are important to be considered for the effectiveness of construction contract administration (CCA) but lack in the context of graduate architects. The purpose of this study is to identify factors influencing the effectiveness of graduate architects in CCA and possible methods to enhance their work efficiency through developing the relevant skills in a changing construction environment.Design/methodology/approachThis paper identified the factors that influence the effectiveness of graduate architects in CCA through the quantitative methods. General skill elements that are perceived as essential for the effectiveness of CCA had been investigated through a survey of graduate architects in the construction industry. One hundred and twenty-seven completed questionnaires returned were analyzed and tested using descriptive analysis and relative important index (RII).FindingsThe result from the study showed that the factors influencing the effectiveness of graduate architects as CCA are building construction skills, design management skills, project management skills, soft skills and dispute resolution skills.Originality/valueThe contribution of this study can be utilized for developing models/tools in the future that would improve the work performance of graduate architects in CCA. Educators may utilize this study to improve their syllabus to cater to the market's demand and facilitate students' entry into the labor market.

The Impact of Contracts Administration on the Performance of Road Construction Projects in Uganda: A Literature Gap

Uganda's road construction industry has experienced growth over time because of increased budget allocations. Although the industry has dramatically improved, projects are still experiencing challenges, including but not limited to cost overruns, time overruns, incompetent staff, poor designs, site-related challenges, inadequate resources, low innovation and shoddy work. These are the factors affecting the performance of road projects in Uganda. Therefore, as a way to address the mentioned issues and improve the road construction industry, this paper, through the literature review, looked at the concept of construction contract administration and its context on project implementation. A scoping review of the most relevant work in the field of road construction with emphasis on contract administration and the performance of road construction projects in Uganda presented a salient gap in the area of contract administration. The purpose of this study is to review the literature on the impact of contracts administration on road construction projects which is forming the basis of ongoing research to develop a contract administration strategy that will be used on road construction projects with the aim of improving the performance of road construction projects in Uganda.
 
 Received: 29 July 2022 / Accepted: 1 October 2022 / Published: 5 November 2022

A Systematic evaluation of blockchain-enabled contract administration in construction projects

Inefficient and ineffective Construction Contract Administration (CCA) is at the root of many of the sector challenges. Emerging digital technologies such as blockchain are revealing some capabilities with the potential for improving CCA. This paper addresses the research question of whether and how can blockchain contribute to improving CCA and what are the specific challenges to its adoption in CCA. The study adopts a systematic review of studies in this domain and their subsequent analysis against a CCA framework. Most applications were found to be centered on two CCA functions; the financial management, and the document and record management. CCA functions that embed complex contractual logics such as claims and disputes resolution management have received scant attention. To advance blockchain application in CCA, a structured roadmap of its key challenges relating to technology, process, policy and society is proposed for future research. The outcome of this paper provides scholars, practitioners and policymakers, interested in construction contracts, with the evidence about the current level of blockchain contribution to CCA and a structured set of recommendations for future research.

Sustainability Inclusion in Construction Contracts Index

Despite the interest that environmental prudence has garnered worldwide, the construction industry remains behind in incorporating sustainable concepts in construction contracts and contract administration. Some research promotes the adoption of sustainability clauses into construction contracts, and some of the standard contract forms include sections on sustainability. However, there is no research to date that analyzes the current state of adopting sustainable practices and techniques in contractual terms. There are also no specific measures tailored to the different types of construction projects, and owner/developers have no tools to assess sustainability components of their construction contracts. Therefore, this research investigated the degree of incorporation of sustainability clauses in construction contracts in the United Arab Emirates. Sustainable practices were collected from the literature and validated via interviews with 5 construction organizations and surveys of 11 more to develop the Sustainability Inclusion in Construction Contracts Index (SICCI) in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). The SICCI was designed and validated to measure the inclusion of sustainable practices in contractual terms typically used by the construction industry. The resulting index was applied as a case study to a residential construction project in the United Arab Emirates. The project team found the index very usable and the project scored a 70% inclusion rate in contractual terms. Inclusion assessment is the first step in true adoption of sustainable development concepts in construction projects. This paper recommends further adoption of this tool in construction organizations to promote sustainable practices.

Competencies Expected from an Information Manager Working in BIM Based Projects

ABSTRACT An Information Manager (IM) has an exclusive and unique role to play in a project. Yet, the competencies expected of an IM have not been adequately defined. The other professionals in the construction industry define this role in their own way ignoring the industry needs. Thus, this study aimed to define the competencies expected of an IM. To achieve this, the tasks expected of an IM were first determined through a desk study using BIM guidelines. Secondly, an informal public opinion study was carried out using online data sources. The collected data were then analyzed using NVIVO software to outline the competencies required of an IM for each task. Finally, an expert interview survey was carried out to validate the outcomes of the study. The findings revealed that an IM must be a construction professional well-versed in construction technology and contract administration and that the IM must be competent in using Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows/software. The study contributes to knowledge by identifying the gap that currently exists between industry needs and the performance of professionals working as IMs, which would be invaluable when designing a curriculum for a course on information management within a BIM environment.

Critical assessment of construction contract administration using fuzzy structural equation modeling

PurposeThis paper covers the development of a multidimensional contract administration performance model (CAPM) for construction projects. The proposed CAPM is intended to be used by the industry stakeholders to measure the construction contract administration (CCA) performance and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the CCA system for running or completed projects.Design/methodology/approachThe research design follows a sequential mixed methodology of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. In the first phase, contract administration indicators were collected from relevant literature. In the second phase, an online questionnaire was prepared, and data were collected and analyzed using the crisp value of fuzzy membership function, and structural equation modeling (SEM). The fuzzy set was chosen for this study due to the presence of uncertainty and fuzziness associated with the importance of several key indicators affecting the CCA performance. Finally, SEM was used to test and analyze interrelationships among constructs of CCA performance.FindingsThe data collected from 336 construction professionals worldwide through an online survey was utilized to develop the fuzzy structural equation model. The goodness-of-fit and reliability tests validated the model. The study concluded a significant correlation between CCA performance, CCA operational indicators, and the process groups.Originality/valueThe contribution of this paper to the existing knowledge is the development of a fuzzy structural equation model that serves as a measurement tool for the contract administration performance. This is the first quantitative structural equation model to capture contract administration performance. The model consists of 93 Construction Contract Administration(CCA) performance indicators categorized into 11 project management process groups namely: project governance and start-up; team management; communication and relationship management; quality and acceptance management; performance monitoring and reporting management; document and record management; financial management; changes and control management; claims and dispute resolution management; contract risk management and contract closeout management.

Construction Contract Administration Performance Assessment Tool by Using a Fuzzy Structural Equation Model

The contract administration process is inevitably complex, and improper performance of the associated tasks and procedures may lead to disputes between the contracting parties whilst further driving against the sustainability bottom lines. Therefore, this paper proposes an assessment tool to improve the implementation of construction contract administration (CCA) through a multi-dimensional construction contract administration performance model (CAPM), construction contract administration performance index (CCAPI), and a mobile software to assess the CCA performance at the project level by integrating the crisp value of the fuzzy set theory within a second-order confirmatory factor analysis of the structural equation modeling technique. A hybrid mobile application (CAPM) is developed using the Ionic framework which can run either in full model mode or short model mode with 93 and 33 key construction administration factors, respectively. Assessment of sustainability practices in the area of contract administration is a part of the holistic model and CAPM defines 13 major key indicators relevant to social and environmental sustainability while economic sustainability is scattered over the rest of the CAPM indicators. The CAPM is practically implemented in 13 international construction projects and the results reveal that the proposed tool is reasonably captured in the different performance levels of CCA, and we conclude a low level of implementing in risk management. As part of the holistic model, assessment of sustainability practices in the area of contract administration is separately discussed and the study reveals the need to improve the environmental and social sustainability practices in contract administration.

Operational Framework for Managing Construction-Contract Administration Practitioners’ Perspective through Modified Delphi Method

AbstractEffective construction contract administration (CCA) is a core competency for the management of construction projects. The consequences of poor contract administration can be catastrophic, ...

Contract Management and Disputes in the Construction Industry

The construction industry is an important business area where multidisciplinary efforts are performed under a complex structure. It provides the majority of national income for a country’s economy. Because of its complex structure, planning, organization and definition of the parties should be conducted properly. Contracts are legal documents that bind parties and define their rights, authorizations and responsibilities. They regulate the relationship between the parties from the design until the completion of the project. In order for projects to meet the target schedule, budget and quality, contracts should be comprehensive to provide clarification to various aspects. For avoiding misinterpretations and contradictions, they need to be written in an open, clear and comprehensible language. Deficiencies and lack of detail cause disagreements between the parties. For the success of a project, site performance is as important as the contract. Contract administration, through timely interference with deficiencies and errors, avoids divergences from project targets such as schedule and budget. This study, through literature review, focuses on the concept of the construction contract, project and contract administration, the importance of construction contracts and the disputes between the parties. It aims to provide information to persons, companies and institutions interested in the subject. Keywords: Construction contracts, Contract management, Project management, Dispute DOI: 10.7176/JSTR/5-11-09

Administration of Construction Contract Interim Payments Based on Earned-Value Reduction Techniques

AbstractProgress payment valuations and certifications represent a core construction contract administration function. If not attended to by the concerned contract administrators in accordance with...

ADMINISTERING CONDITION PRECEDENT NOTICES IN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS

Notices represent a main area of concern for engineering and architecture professionals involved in construction contract administration, as the failure to satisfy their requirements can jeopardize the concerned party’s performance under the contract. This is specifically true of those notices that are stated or inferred to be condition precedent to the preservation or the establishment of the rights of either party. A screening of all instances stipulating the issuance of notices under the standard conditions for the construction contract issued by the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) revealed that 41 out of the 93 encountered instances require condition-precedent notices to be issued for preserving or establishing relevant rights. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the three classes that were found to encompass these notices. As such, it sheds light on the distribution of the responsibilities for issuing them between the contractor, on one hand, and the owner or the Engineer on his behalf, on the other hand. It further discusses possible compositions of their structures, highlighting the time bars as well as the prerequisite events that are likely to be involved. The merit of the work lies in mapping these notices, with the aim of helping contract administration practitioners properly deal with them such that the contractual risks associated with their requirements can be avoided.

Classification and Analysis of Notice Requirements for Construction Contract Administration

AbstractRequirements involving notices are widely spread throughout the conditions of every project’s construction contract. Project participants very often encounter a variety of events and occurr...

アーキテクト間の分業に関する基本的考察

This paper investigates the task distribution among “Design Architect” and “Architect of Record” by examining “Matrix of Responsibilities”. It is typically utilized in US projects, which clarifies tasks and responsibilities among architects in a descriptive manner. The authors obtained nine “Matrix of Responsibilities” from six US based design firms (Table 1). First, the transition of Prime Responsibilities from “Design Architect” to “Architect of Record” was investigated based on the Project Phases. Then, the role and responsibilities of “Design Architect” and “Architect of Record” was investigated in each Project Phases. Finally, the equally distributed responsibilities are focused to identify the specific intent of the architects. The list of the findings as follows; 1. The prime responsibility of “Design Architect” is transferred to the “Architect of Record” mainly in the CD phase (Table 2, Fig. 1). 2. Design Management in the Design Phase: “Architect of Record” is responsible of consultants’ coordination and approval from the public agencies, especially in the CD phase (Table 3). 3. Design Document Preparation in the Design Phase: “Design Architect” is mainly responsible for the production of drawings until the DD phase. The prime responsibility of the production of specification is handed over to the “Architect of Record” earlier phase than the drawings. Preparation of presentation documents is in charge mainly by “Design Architect” in the SD and the DD phase. Documentation for authority approval is prepared solely by “Architect of Record” (Table 3). 4. Bidding and Negotiation phase: Neither of architects takes prime responsibility in the management of Bidding and Negotiation. “Architect of Record” takes full responsibility in the production of documents for Bidding and Negotiation (Table 4). 5. Construction Contract Administration phase: “Architect of Record” covers most of the responsibilities in the Construction Contract Administration. “Design Architect” sometimes controls “Material and Color” and other specific design elements (Table 5). 6. Both “Design Architect” and “Architect of Record” are assigned equal responsibilities of Design Management related issues in the Design Phase (Table 6).

Integrating Research Findings into Sustainable Building Delivery Teaching

Construction management is a practice oriented field and its course content needs to include many elements from practice. Many new developments take place, new technologies emerge and the necessity of redefining working dynamics among project stakeholders necessitates construction educators to constantly evaluate and reorganize the scope of courses. This situation justifies the necessity of bringing research findings into classroom. The paper exemplifies how research findings are brought into a major construction course. Project Management course at the University of Texas at San Antonio covers broad range of topics such as fundamental concepts of management and roles in the construction industry, project delivery and contract methods, detailed analysis and administration of different phases of a construction project.The demand for sustainable projects is growing. Its delivery method requires lots of input from wide range of experts. So far, there is no set or accepted method for sustainable building project delivery. During the coverage of project delivery methods, the instructor brings the characteristics of a sustainable projects. The comparative analysis is made between conventional and sustainable projects. The phases of sustainable projects include many additional elements and early involvement of defined tasks from phases of conventional projects. A recent research study accomplished by the author highlights the differentiating aspects of conventional projects from sustainable projects. The findings obtained from a research that is conducted with the major national firms will be incorporated to future lectures. The research has explored the sustainable delivery practices of the major national construction firms. They will be used as a case study to complement the theoretical part of the lecture. The impact on students’ learning will be identified. Students appreciate and value the knowledge brought outside the textbook especially if the research is original and accomplished by the course instructor. The approach can be taken as an example for various topics which are recent to AEC industry.

Core skills requirement and competencies expected of quantity surveyors: perspectives from quantity surveyors, allied professionals and clients in Nigeria

AbstractDeployment of appropriate skills and competencies is crucial and germane to the development and continuous relevance of any profession. In the built environment, the science for selecting the required skills and competencies expected of quantity surveyors and understanding the inherent dependencies between them remains a research issue. The purpose of this study was to determine the skill requirements and competencies expected of quantity surveyors. A structured questionnaire was administered among quantity surveyors, architects, engineers, builders and clients in Nigeria. The respondents were asked to give rating, on a 5 point Likert scale, on usual skills and competencies required of quantity surveyors. A secondary objective of the study was to examine the important skills and competencies and categorized them into core skill, basic skill, core competence, optional competence and special competence. The results of the study indicate the important skills as computer literacy, building engineering, information technology, economics, measurement/quantification and knowledge of civil/heavy engineering works. The results also indicate the important competencies as cost planning and control, estimating, construction procurement system, contract documentation, contract administration and project management. It is emphasized that the findings of the research have considerable implications on the training and practice of quantity surveying in Nigeria.

Transforming of Construction Contract Administration: Data Warehouse Modeling

Construction stakeholders always use standard form of contract to regulate their contractual obligations and expectations during contract administration process. They need to refer a vast of contract provisions in the process. It always leads misunderstanding and interpretation errors as most of construction practitioners are without a proper legal background. Hence the research aims to apply data warehouse technology to assist end-users for better and/or right decision making. A conceptual model of data warehouse for contract administration is developed and verified by twelve reputed experts in the construction industry. The results show that the data warehouse modeling is feasible and practical to the construction practitioners. It would render a more effective and proactive approach in contract administration towards dispute resolution or prevention.

Construction contract administration in Malaysia using DFD: a conceptual model

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual model which is aimed at assisting end‐users, i.e. construction practitioners who are without a proper legal background for effective administration of construction contracts, to enable them to make correct interpretations and decisions in dealing with vast amount of legal information.Design/methodology/approachThis study proposes the application of data warehouse technology in the contract administration process of the construction industry. Upon identification of a comprehensive list of problems associated with construction contracts based on the feedback from 12 reputed experts in the construction industry, a conceptual model is developed using data flow diagram.FindingsThe results show that data warehouse technology is feasible and practical to the construction practitioners in the contract administration process.Research limitations/implicationsThis research focuses only on the development of a conceptual model and thus the practicability aspect of the model is a major concern. As such, the resulting practical implications are limited and are constrained only to the construction industry in Malaysia, raising the question of generalizability of the proposed model, as well as across different industries and countries.Practical implicationsIt is posited that the proposed conceptual model, when implemented, would enable construction practitioners to administer construction contracts with better clarity and accuracy, so that interpretation errors and disputes can be mitigated. This will facilitate the development of harmonious working relationships.Originality/valueThe application of data warehouse technology in contract administration is rather new in the construction industry. The conceptual model thus offers a more effective and proactive approach in construction contract administration towards dispute resolution and/or prevention.

Planning-stage estimation of highway project duration on the basis of anticipated project cost, project type, and contract type

At the planning phase of project development, highway agencies seek to estimate the time duration of project implementation for purposes such as construction planning, contract administration, and workzone impact assessments. This paper investigates the estimation of highway project duration on the basis of variables known at the planning phase such as planned cost and project type, and contract type. Project types are pavement construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, traffic facility installation, and bridge construction. The contract types considered are fixed-duration and fixed-deadline contracts. Using a variety of model specifications, the paper presents mathematical relationships between highway project duration and the magnitude of the planned cost and project type, and contract type. The paper shows that all other factors remaining the same, the duration of fixed-date deadline contracts generally exceed that of fixed-duration contracts; and higher levels of planned cost translate non-linearly into greater project duration. The developed models can help project administrators provide improved estimates of project duration and thus could help reduce project time delays. Also, the models are useful in forecasting workzone durations, a key aspect of workzone user cost estimation.

Evaluation of Probing versus Coring for Determination of Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Thickness

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) has used contractor probing measurement of fresh portland cement concrete pavement to determine pavement thickness since 1998. Before that, the Wisconsin DOT used coring to measure thickness and determine payment for pavement. The probing method is nondestructive and has financial advantages for the Wisconsin DOT because it eliminates the costs of coring and reduces the expenses of contract administration. Probing also provides the contractor with immediate feedback on the depth of the pavement being constructed. A study was conducted to verify the reliability of probing measurement for determining pavement thickness and verifying contractors’ compliance with design requirements. To determine whether probing was still a viable method for use by the Wisconsin DOT in construction contract administration, core depths were compared with field-measured probe depths for 12 projects constructed between 2006 and 2008 across the state of Wisconsin. Sample means were compared, statistically calculated estimates of differences were examined, and a statistical analysis at the 95% confidence interval was carried out. According to these analyses, probing does provide an acceptable measure of pavement thickness. All contractor probe measurements and more than 80% of the Wisconsin DOT core samples showed that constructed pavement thickness exceeded the design thickness.