Thomas Ng, S; Skitmore, R M and Smith, N J (1999) Decision-makers' perceptions in the formulation of pre-qualification criteria. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 6(2), pp. 155-165. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Contractor prequalification involves the establishment of a standard for measuring and assessing the capabilities of potential tenderers. The required standard is based on a set of prequalification criteria (PQC) that is intended to reflect the objectives of the client and the requirements of the project. However, many pre-qualifiers compile a set of PQC according to their own idiosyncratic perceptions of the importance of individual PQC. As a result, sets of PQC, and hence prequalification standards, vary between prequalifiers. This paper reports on an investigation of the nature of the divergencies of the perceived importance of individual PQC by different groups of prequalifiers via a large-scale empirical survey conducted in the UK. The results support the conclusion that there are significant systematic differences between groups of prequalifiers, with the individual PQC that contribute most to the differences being the method of procurement, size of project, standard of quality, financial stability, project complexity, claim and contractual dispute and length of time in business.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | contractor pre-qualification; decision criteria; discriminant analysis |
| Index terms: | stability, contractor pre-qualification, survey, project complexity, dispute, discriminant analysis, pre-qualification, decision criteria, investigation |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, dispute resolution, structural engineering, tendering, organizational theory, decision analysis, statistical analysis |
| Topics: | Project Management, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Procurement, Risk Management, Legal Issues |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here