OWNER-CONTRACTOR RELATIONSHIPS ON CONTAMINATED SITE REMEDIATION PROJECTS

Contaminated site remediation projects have characteristics that disti nguish them from conventional construction projects, including substan tial regulatory oversight and significant uncertainty about subsurface conditions and the effectiveness of the remedial technology chosen. T he unusual features of remediation projects suggests that nontradition al or innovative contracting mechanisms may be beneficial. Sixty compl eted remediation projects were studied to identify and document the ef fects of different project management structures and contracting strat egies on project outcomes. Survey results indicated that changes in sc ope, budget overruns, delays, disputes, and change orders are common o n remediation projects. Flexible project management strategies, such a s turnkey and partnering arrangements, and flexible contracting scheme s, such as cost plus fee, were found to be better suited to accommodat e such changes. Turnkey and design/construct project structures had th e best performance overall of the management structures reported. Mech anisms to promote partnering and team building contributed significant ly to project success as defined by budget and schedule.