A study of construction contract modification: causes and impacts

• Main Author: Gatchalian, Donald H.
• Other Authors: Civil Engineering
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/24328

CIVINS === Approved for public release ; distribution is unlimited === This paper discusses contract modification in public and private construction contracts. Previous studies on the same subject were limited to one type of organization, i.e., public contracts. This paper will cover both types of contracts and identify their differences. The problems of contract modification or change order are addressed in Chapter I. Contract modification terms in private contracts lack consistency in use while federal terminologies are easier to extract since one standard document, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), is used. Chapter II and Chapter III identify these differences. Chapter II discusses contract modification in private industry. The major discussion, however, is in the use of standard documents by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Chapter III is contract modification in federal contracts. Chapter IV and V look at the different causes and impacts of contract modification. Chapter VI is a report on an independent study conducted at four Naval installations on contract modification. Chapter VII contains recommendations and conclusions of this study.