Contract Administration Techniques for Quality Enhancement

FHWA-PL-95-019

There is a widespread impression in the United States that roads and highway structures in Europe are generally superior to comparable facilities in the United States. The subjective criteria commonly cited in reaching this consensus have been the ride quality and durability of the pavements and the environmental compatibility, beauty, and durability of auxiliary facilities such as major bridges, retaining walls, and noise barriers.

In an effort to determine if Europeans are more successful than Americans in achieving consistently high quality levels, study tours were conducted to investigate design and construction practices for roadway pavements, structures, and geotechnical slope-stabilizing practices in selected European countries. The results from these and other studies suggested that special contract administration techniques and practices used in Europe, as well as design and construction practices and funding levels, may help explain the consistently high-quality achievements enjoyed in those countries.

Accordingly, this joint industry and government project, the Contract Administration Techniques for Quality Enhancement Study Tour (CATQEST), was organized to examine contract administration practices in Germany, France, Austria, and Spain. The primary objective of CATQEST was to look at the relationship between contract administration practices that are not common in the United States and the high quality in the highways in these countries and to determine if such practices were potentially adaptable for use in the United States.

To conduct the study, a team of U.S. Federal, State, and private industry representatives was organized. The team met in the four countries with primary transportation officials, individual contractors, contractor and engineering associations, local and regional roads administration personnel, independent consulting engineers, and independent testing-laboratory officials. Inspection trips were conducted to active construction projects in each country.

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