Making the Case for Teaching Construction Contract Changes and Claims as an Elective Course in Construction-Related Programs

George Okere; Raymond Paul Giroux

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Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Construction Engineering Division (CONST) Technical Session 3
Tagged Division: Construction Engineering Division (CONST)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 18
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--43529
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/43529
Download Count: 174

Paper Authors

biography

George Okere University of Cincinnati orcid.org/0000-0002-0727-9038

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George is an associate professor educator, and heavy highway chair (endowed position) in the Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Cincinnati (UC). George has over 23 years of construction industry work experience, and 11.5 years of which was with Kiewit, where he worked on various heavy civil projects. He received his PhD in Technology
Management from Indiana State University with specialization in Construction Management. His research focus is in the area of contract administration on heavy civil projects. His teaching areas include 1. introduction to the built environment and construction management, 2. construction materials and methods, 3. construction equipment, 4. building construction cost estimating, 5. heavy civil construction cost estimating, 6. project planning, scheduling, and control, 7. temporary structures, and 8. contract changes and claims management.

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biography

Raymond Paul Giroux Dist.M.ASCE, NAC Purdue University, West Lafayette

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Paul Giroux worked in the heavy civil construction industry for Kiewit for 45 years and played a key role in the construction of several mega-projects in North America. Paul is currently a professor of engineering practice at Lyles School of Civil Engineering at Purdue University.

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Abstract

The construction industry is a very risky industry due in part to various factors that negatively affect project outcomes. One of those factors relates to contract changes, claims, and disputes. Construction professionals know firsthand that projects don’t always go as planned. Mistakes, errors, omissions, differing site conditions, weather, and so many other factors can affect project performance. Considering the risk associated with poor management of contract changes, it might be beneficial to expose students in construction-related programs to various aspects of contract changes and how to effectively manage those changes, claims, and disputes. In addition, as the landscape of project delivery methods keeps getting broader it might be time to teach the students about contract changes and claims in general and specific to each delivery method. Considering poor contract management that has continuously plagued the construction industry, and the socioeconomic consequences of lack of knowledge and training in the area of contract changes and claims management, this paper calls for construction-related programs to consider adding contract changes and claims management as an elective course. Change is a part of construction irrespective of the project delivery method – change happens and should be properly planned for. Knowledge of contract changes and claims brings together various areas of construction practices. From construction law to construction materials and methods, cost estimating, value engineering, planning and scheduling, risk management, and leadership. This paper makes the case for teaching contract changes and claims management to students in construction-related programs and the paper also presents a model syllabus for the implementation of the course. For the students taking the class, this should help them build awareness about how the industry works regarding contract changes. In addition, the project owners, designers, general contractors, and specialty contractors who employ these students will have students that are prepared from day one to effectively help those organizations manage contract changes.

Citation
Format

Okere, G., & Giroux, R. P. (2023, June), Making the Case for Teaching Construction Contract Changes and Claims as an Elective Course in Construction-Related Programs Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--43529

TY - CPAPER
AB - The construction industry is a very risky industry due in part to various factors that negatively affect project outcomes. One of those factors relates to contract changes, claims, and disputes. Construction professionals know firsthand that projects don’t always go as planned. Mistakes, errors, omissions, differing site conditions, weather, and so many other factors can affect project performance. Considering the risk associated with poor management of contract changes, it might be beneficial to expose students in construction-related programs to various aspects of contract changes and how to effectively manage those changes, claims, and disputes. In addition, as the landscape of project delivery methods keeps getting broader it might be time to teach the students about contract changes and claims in general and specific to each delivery method. Considering poor contract management that has continuously plagued the construction industry, and the socioeconomic consequences of lack of knowledge and training in the area of contract changes and claims management, this paper calls for construction-related programs to consider adding contract changes and claims management as an elective course. Change is a part of construction irrespective of the project delivery method – change happens and should be properly planned for. Knowledge of contract changes and claims brings together various areas of construction practices. From construction law to construction materials and methods, cost estimating, value engineering, planning and scheduling, risk management, and leadership. This paper makes the case for teaching contract changes and claims management to students in construction-related programs and the paper also presents a model syllabus for the implementation of the course. For the students taking the class, this should help them build awareness about how the industry works regarding contract changes. In addition, the project owners, designers, general contractors, and specialty contractors who employ these students will have students that are prepared from day one to effectively help those organizations manage contract changes.
AU - George Okere
AU - Raymond Paul Giroux Dist.M.ASCE, NAC
CY - Baltimore , Maryland
DA - 2023/06/25
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Making the Case for Teaching Construction Contract Changes and Claims as an Elective Course in Construction-Related Programs
UR - https://peer.asee.org/43529
DO - 10.18260/1-2--43529
ER -