Performance-Based Contractor Prequalification as an Alternative to Performance Bonds

State transportation departments must rely on private industry construction contractors to build, rehabilitate, and replace their infrastructure assets. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is interested in ensuring that State transportation departments select contractors that can complete projects cost-effectively. One potential method to help select qualified contractors is to use a performance-based contractor prequalification process. FHWA commissioned this study to evaluate the wisdom of expanding the use of this process. This report presents the results of this study, which examined relevant literature, evaluated the benefits and costs of performance bonds and performance-based contractor prequalification, and recommended a model performance-based prequalification approach.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/14035/14035.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/14035/index.cfm
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/35944
• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Highway Administration

  Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, 6300 Georgetown Pike
  McLean, VA  United States  22101
• Authors:
  • Dye, Bill
  • Kraft, Elizabeth
  • Mills, Peter
  • Gransberg, Douglas
• Publication Date: 2014-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 4p
• Serial:
  • TechBrief
  • Publisher: Federal Highway Administration
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Contractors; Literature reviews; Performance based specifications; Prequalifications; State departments of transportation; Surety bonds
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01516556
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-HRT-14-035
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 28 2014 1:32PM