Contractor quality performance (CQP) evaluation model in pavement projects

This research proposes a radical change in industry practice that will improve the quality of the construction process and the levels of customer satisfaction derived from it by evaluating the quality performance of the contractor. An alternative theory of what constitutes quality, client satisfaction, performance, and their interrelationships in the context of the construction industry is developed. It should be noted here that the term construction client includes both the owner (highway agency) and the end-user of the construction (the general public). A comprehensive view of construction quality that deals with both the service (as received by the owner) and product (as received by the end-user) aspects of the construction project as well as the corporate quality culture is proposed. Such dissection of the construction activity facilitates the development of strategies to define, operationalize, measure and improve construction quality. A framework for the assessment of a contractor's quality performance is established. This involves gathering a list of Contractor Quality Performance (CQP) indicators that are derived from various quality practices of the contractor at the corporate and project level. The CQP indicators are operationalized within the theoretical framework of the CQP evaluation model. Finally, the research introduces a contractor quality performance (CQP) evaluation model that can be used in a contractor prequalification and/or selection system or as a part of a quality audit system specifically for construction companies. The contemplated model identifies the best performing contractors in terms of quality in all aspects of their business, and as such presents a departure from current practices in contractor evaluations.