An Introduction to Collaborative Contracting (Part 1)

In 1994, the Latham Report (Constructing the Team) investigated problems within the construction industry describing it as 'ineffective', 'adversarial', 'fragmented' and 'incapable of delivering for its customers', proposing that there should be greater partnering and teamwork. Establishing collaborative practices is essential on building and construction projects, as they involve bringing together diverse disciplines, many of whom will not have worked together before. They are also involve the co-ordination and integration of a great deal of complex design information, procedures and systems. In short failure to establish clear and efficient project-wide collaborative practices can be disastrous. The aim of this course is to explore how the defining characteristic of collaborative contracting can be applied in practice to deliver projects in a co-operative and collaborative manner, in a spirit of mutual trust and respect.

After completing the first of this two part series, you should be able to:-

1. Explain the benefits of using collaborative contracting, how Government policy is affecting it, how it can be encouraged through risk-sharing by the employer, how the use of framework agreements and of continuous improvement can support this and explain how integrated working and principles of collaborative contracting fit into construction contracts.