ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the objectives of administering design, consultant, and construction contracts from the owner's perspective and explains why contract administration is so important to the owner. It then discusses a range of techniques for contract administration. The intent is to increase the owner's effectiveness at contract administration. These techniques are intended to support that objective, not to become ends in themselves. A productive relationship with a designer, consultant, or contractor should not be over managed. Conversely, an owner faced with a difficult designer, consultant, or contractor should use all of the applicable techniques to proactively protect its interests. The deliverables of design agreements, consultant agreements, and construction contracts relate to: performance of technical requirements; project administration; how services will be performed; the business relationship; and issue and dispute resolution. The owner needs effective contract administration to protect its objectives related to scope, cost, and schedule.
