Evolution of Relational Contracting in Construction: Project Delivery Methods Beyond Partnering
Abstract
Improving formal and informal relationships between parties is a major aspiration of every construction project. The United States Army Corps of Engineers led the way in developing relational contracting methods in the 1980s with the introduction of partnering. While partnering remains the Corps' standard, relational contracting continues to evolve. Advanced relational methods were pioneered in the 1990s and 2000s in countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, quickly becoming standard practice in their public sectors. In the last three years, the commercial publication of two major standard form boilerplate contracts has made this new generation of relational contracts widely available in the United States. Introducing specific contractually-binding requirements for equitable relationships, risk sharing, and integrated project delivery, these contracts offer significant opportunities for a highly collaborative and successful construction project. This paper presents several key practices of modern relational contracts and how implementation of these practices can benefit project success by reducing cost growth, improving construction quality, and lowering the risk of litigation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA547062
Entities
People
- Peter P. Feng
- Travis R. Johnson
- William E. Sitzabee
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology