The International Association of Dredging Contractors (IADC) has released a new article: Early Contractor Involvement; Improving Complex Maritime Infrastructure Projects.
This paper was presented at the PIANC World Congress San Francisco, USA 2014.
With the advent of the jumbo dredging fleet and advanced technologies, the ability to execute ever larger and more complex maritime infrastructure projects has increased exponentially. However, the means to manage and cost estimate these projects has not kept pace.
The preparation for these large infrastructure projects often consumes an extraordinary amount of time, money and human resources and is not particularly cost effective. The importance of input from the contractors who are executing the work is too often underestimated.
In addition, the legal structure governing tenders and procurement is mired in the past of seeking the lowest price, preventing collusion and protecting competition, but not allowing for the competitive edge which may result in added value.
Whilst these are commendable goals, they are only part of the picture. International and national legislation often create legal barriers which prevent contractors from supporting the ultimate goal: doing the best job for a fair price, that is, finding the most efficient solutions, not the least expensive, to these complex challenges.
This concept of Early Contractor Involvement encourages the adaptation of the legal framework to the realities of today’s complex infrastructure projects. It outlines a pathway to a changing system of procurement which enforces competition as well as takes advantage of the knowledge, expertise and advanced research of the contractors.
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Source: IADC