Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Standard Bidding Document for Design-Build Contracts in Road and Bridge Projects in Iraq
Main Article Content
Abstract
The implementation of Design-Build contracts within Iraq's Standard Bidding Document (SBD) framework is essential for the enhancement of road and bridge infrastructure. This study assesses the effectiveness of the SBD for Design-Build contracts in reducing cost overruns and schedule delays using a mixed-methods approach that includes a questionnaire survey of 65 professionals, case study analysis of five completed projects, and expert interviews. Survey data revealed agreement on the SBD's efficacy in improving procurement transparency and cost control; however, its ability to address design modifications gained less approval. Case studies validated these findings, indicating that projects with major design changes encountered significant schedule growth, although cost parameters remained consistent in all instances. Interviews identified unforeseen infrastructure conflicts and iterative design adjustments as critical delay factors, highlighting gaps in the SBD's adaptability provisions. The study concludes that while the SBD provides robust financial governance, its rigid structure impedes responsive design management. Future revisions to Iraq's SBD framework must prioritize the integration of dynamic adaptability frameworks, improve risk allocation, and incorporate design-review methods to systematically mitigate emergent complexities and optimize infrastructure delivery outcomes. The findings provide practical insights for infrastructure policy in Iraq, particularly for the Ministry of Planning, responsible for organizing and updating the SBDs, as well as for implementing agencies such as the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Public Municipalities, Roads and Bridges Directorate, and Mayoralty of Baghdad. These findings support reviewing key provisions to ensure effective management of design changes, reduce delays, and enhance project implementation efficiency.
Downloads
Article Details
Section
How to Cite
References
Abbas, N.N., and Burhan, A.M., 2022. Investigating the causes of poor cost control in Iraqi construction projects. Engineering, Technology and Applied Science Research, 12(1), pp. 8075–8079. https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.4661.
Abdulhussain, M.B., and Burhan, A.M., 2025. Improving residential complex project performance using information and communication technology supported by the DEXi Method. Engineering, Technology and Applied Science Research, 15(1), pp. 19941–19946. https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.9161.
Abeysinghe, N., and Ruwan, J., 2022. Factors influencing the timely completion of construction projects in Sri Lanka. [online] pp. 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278318.
Ahmed, S. and El-Sayegh, S., 2021. Critical review of the evolution of project delivery methods in the construction industry. Buildings, 11(1), pp. 1–25. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings11010011.
Al-enezi, S.S.S., and Sabah, R., 2023. Comparing time and cost performance of DBB and DB public construction projects in Kuwait. Journal of Engineering Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jer.2023.11.016.
Almuhannadi, M.A., and Ghareeb, A.S., 2024. Enhancing design – bid – build project delivery: A comprehensive review and framework for contractor selection and project optimisation in the construction industry. pp. 63–80. https://doi.org/10.2478/otmcj-2024-0005.
Burhan, A.M., and Mahdi, H.A., 2024. The feasibility study report as an effective tool to evaluate investment projects: a solid waste treatment project as a case study. Engineering, Technology and Applied Science Research, 14(1), pp. 12817–12821. https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.6676.
Chen, Q., Jin, Z., Xia, B., Wu, P., and Skitmore, M., 2016. Time and cost performance of design–build projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 142(2). https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0001056.
Ding, X., Sheng, Z., Du, J., and Li, Q., 2014. Computational experiment study on selection mechanism of project delivery method based on complex factors. Mathematical Problems in Engineering, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/701652.
El-Ahwal, M., El-Attar, S.S. and Abdel-hafez, W.A., 2016. Factors leading to cost overrun occurrence in construction projects. Port Said Engineering Research Journal, 20(1), pp. 71–77. https://doi.org/10.21608/pserj.2016.33641.
Fathi, M., Shrestha, P.P., and Shakya, B., 2020. Change orders and schedule performance of design-build infrastructure projects: comparison between highway and water and wastewater projects. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction, 12(1), pp. 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)la.1943-4170.0000353.
Gupta, S., and Kumar, A., 2022. Evolution of infrastructure as an asset class: a systematic literature review and thematic analysis. Journal of Asset Management, 23(3), pp. 173–200. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41260-022-00255-3.
Hamza, S.A., Rasheed, S., and Hussein, A., 2022. Procurement challenges analysis of Iraqi construction projects. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Materials, 31(1), pp. 112–117. https://doi.org/10.1515/jmbm-2022-0012.
Hasan, A.A., and Burhan, A.M., 2025. The delay and failure of residential investment projects in Iraq: Review. Journal of Engineering, 31(2), pp. 48–71. https://doi.org/10.31026/j.eng.2025.02.04.
Hughes, W., Champion, R., and Murdoch, J., 2015. Construction Contracts Law and Management. Construction Contracts. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315695211.
İnal, H., Koğar, E.Y., Demİrdüzen, E., and Gelbal, S., 2017. Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha: A Meta-analysis study Cronbach Alfa Katsayısı: Bir Meta Analizi Çalışması. https://doi.org/10.16986/huje.2016017219.
Jackson, B.J., 2020. Construction Management JumpStart. third edited. Hobken, NJ, USA: WILEY.
Kamoche, K.R., and Wanyona, G., 2024. An evaluation of the effectiveness of contract procurement methods on the performance of construction projects. South Florida Journal of Development, 5(8), P. e4249. https://doi.org/10.46932/sfjdv5n8-014.
Khairullah, N.H., Hilal, M.A., and Burhan, A.M., 2023. Main delay factors of implementation EPC construction projects in Iraq. Journal of Engineering, 29(10), pp. 195–207. https://doi.org/10.31026/j.eng.2023.10.12.
Klee, L., 2015. International Construction Contract Law. First edit ed. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: WILEY.
Koch, J.E., Gransberg, D.D., and Molenaar, K.R., 2010. Project Administration for Design-Build Contracts: A Primer for Owners, Engineers, and Contractors. Reston, Virginia, USA: ASCE. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784410752.
Migliaccio, G.C., and Shrestha, P.P., 2023. Building a Body of Knowledge in Construction Project Delivery, Procurement and Contracting. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1142/11952.
Molenaar, K.R., and Yakowenko, G. eds., 2007. Alternative project delivery, procurement, and contracting methods for highways. Reston, Virginia: ASCE.
Parrangan, P., Rachman, R., and Tanijaya, J., 2021. Study delay of road and bridge construction project in Yalimo Regency , Papua Province, 8(8), pp. 650–658.
Ping, L., and Melan, M., 2012. The importance of road infrastructure as the backbone of transport system. (Siptik Iii), pp. 1377–1381. https://repo.uum.edu.my/id/eprint/8401.
Rauzana, A., and Dharma, W., 2022. Causes of delays in construction projects in the Province of Aceh, Indonesia. PLoS ONE, 17(1), pp. 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263337.
Riksheim, H., and Wondimu, P., 2020. Design-build contracts in norwegian road projects. pp. 745–756. https://doi.org/10.24928/2020/0070.
Salla, D.E., 2020. Comparing performance quality of Design-Bid-Build (DBB) and Design-Build (DB) project delivery methods in Nigeria. African Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2(1), pp. 517–523.
Sherif, M., Abotaleb, I., and Alqahtani, F.K., 2022. Application of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) in the Middle East: implementation and challenges. Buildings, 12(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12040467.
Tavakol, M., and Dennick, R., 2011. Making sense of Cronbach’s alpha. International Journal of Medical Education, 2, pp. 53–55. https://doi.org/10.5116/ijme.4dfb.8dfd.
Ting, S.N., 2013. Construction Procurement Framework Incorporating Form Enhancement Modules for the Selection of Standard Form of Contract in Malaysia. Curtin University.
Tran, D.Q., Diraviam, G., and Minchin, R.E., 2018. Performance of highway design-bid-build and design-build projects by work types. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 144(2), pp. 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001437.
Yamany, M.S., Abdelhameed, A., Elbeltagi, E., and Mohamed, H.A.E., 2024. Critical success factors of infrastructure construction projects. Innovative Infrastructure Solutions, 9(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-024-01394-9.
Zain-Alabdeen, W.R., and Rasheed, S.M., 2022. Comparison of time extension provisions between the Joint Contracts Tribunal and Iraqi Standard Bidding Document. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Materials, 31(1), pp. 580–586.
https://doi.org/10.1515/jmbm-2022-0063.
Zhong, Q.P., Tang, H., Chen, C., and Igor, M., 2023. A comprehensive appraisal of the factors impacting construction project delivery method selection: a systematic analysis. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, 22(2), pp. 802–820. https://doi.org/10.1080/13467581.2022.2060983.