FIDIC user's guide : a practical guide to the 1999 Red book

In recent years, the increase in the size and complexity of projects and the increasing demand from Clients and Employers that projects should finish on time and within budget have increased the pressures for improved management techniques on construction sites.

An important feature of improved project management is a reduction in the time and cost of claims negotiation and dispute resolution.

One of the consequences of the movement towards improving efficiency and reducing costs has been the increasing use of the Conditions of Contract as a manual of good project management procedures.

The FIDIC family of Conditions of Contract have been revised to meet this demand.

The FIDIC Conditions of Contract for Construction (known as the 'New Red Book') was launched in September 1999 and is the most commonly used Conditions of Contract for international civil engineering construction.

FIDIC Users' Guide: A Practical Guide to the 1999 Red Book focuses on the practical administration of the contract recognising the growing tendency for projects to be administered by local employers, consultants and contractors, rather than by international organisations. This new book is a practical and essential guide for all those who use the FIDIC Conditions of Contract, based on the author's practical experience of construction projects, conducting training courses and the resolution of disputes.

It is intended to assist the people who are preparing Contract documents as well as those who are administering the project on the Site or dealing with claims and disputes.

This important book includes a detailed review of the Conditions of Contract for Construction and comparisons with the other FIDIC Contracts, which were published in 1999.

There is also a comparison with previous FIDIC Contracts and a comparison of clause numbers to assist those who are familiar with the traditional FIDIC Red Book.

Written by an independent Consultant, this guide tackles the problems involved in administering the new FIDIC contract.

It provides a clause-by-clause commentary on the new rules that include the revision of many of the important clauses and some new concepts.

FIDIC Users' Guide: A Practical Guide to the 1999 Red Book will be essential reading for engineers, surveyors and managers who administer international construction contracts.