Masters Theses

Abstract

"It has become apparent in recent years that the United States Government's construction contract supervision and administration procedures are causing an increase in contractor claims and disputes and that the system itself is becoming prohibitively expensive. To deal with some of these problems, the Department of Defense is attempting to implement a new approach to construction inspection--Contractor Quality control. Under the Contractor Quality Control System the majority of the standard contract inspection and testing responsibilities are placed on the contractor, and the Government relinquishes its traditional step-by-step inspection and testing procedures and withdraws to a position of contract surveillance. The Government's supervision and administration system has evolved through the years to the point where the Government practices preventive inspection rather than merely corrective inspection. The concept of preventive inspection has led the Government to the position of specifying construction methods and procedures in order to prevent failure of the contractor to meet contract standards. While the practice of preventive inspection has resulted in acceptable construction, it has had the undesirable effect of jeopardizing the independent contractor relationship between the Government and the contractor. Under the Contractor Quality Control System the contractor is allowed to fail, but he also has an increase in flexibility and job control and an opportunity for a larger profit margin. Contractor Quality Control offers the Government the chance to retain the independent contractor relationship, to cover a larger dollar volume of work with the same or fewer personnel, to expect fewer claims and, hopefully, to expect that the new system will discourage less competent contractors from bidding. This thesis examines inspection during the current transition from the traditional Government methods, as practiced by the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy, to the new system of Contractor Quality control. The thesis points out possible danger points, cites successes and failures to date, and suggests future improvements for a more effective system"--Abstract, pages ii-iii.

Advisor(s)

Gerig, Frank A.

Committee Member(s)

Carmichael, Ronald L., 1921-2006
Green, Bruce

Department(s)

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Civil Engineering

Publisher

University of Missouri--Rolla

Publication Date

1971

Pagination

viii, 95 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (page 78).

Rights

© 1971 John Scott Treadwell, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Subject Headings

ContractorsEngineering inspection -- Methodology

Thesis Number

T 2570

Print OCLC #

6034274

Electronic OCLC #

872278016

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