ABSTRACT
In the selection of contracting firms, generalisations on the suitability of generic types of contractor to carry out certain types of work can be hazardous; therefore, the client’s procedures for contractor pre-qualification and final selection should always be the final arbiter of a contractor’s suitability. The approach to contractor selection should take into account the fact that contractors in the field of maintenance and small works are in a quite different situation from those engaged in larger contracts. If the contractor feels that he or she has lost out in a dispute over any one job, there will be many more in the future which will mitigate any perceived or actual loss. The key consideration in contractor selection is that, ideally, the contractors being considered should be seen to be identifying themselves with the goals and objectives the client sees as most important for the type of work on which they may be engaged.
