ABSTRACT
The scope of this chapter has necessarily been framed within the aims and objectives of this publication and shaped by the required complementarity with other chapters. It begins with an assessment of the need for developing and clearly conveying multiple selection criteria for choosing project participants. While the selection of design and construct contractors and consultants will be briefly compared, the focus will be on the selection of construction contractors, given the more serious concerns in this area. It then reviews a sample of suggested multiple selection criteria in the context of the identified needs for more comprehensive, rigorous and transparent tender selection processes. An example is given of a hypothetical project for a simple demonstration. This is followed by a discussion of research findings on the evaluation of specific criteria such as construction time performance and the potential claims and disputes that could in turn affect cost performance. This focus on critical cost and time criteria leads to the importance of assessing the past and potential management of project team relationships during both the design and the construction processes.
