{"id":32935,"date":"2025-10-25T22:18:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-26T05:18:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/to-avoid-disputes-on-public-jobs-tell-it-like-it-is\/"},"modified":"2025-10-25T22:18:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-26T05:18:17","slug":"to-avoid-disputes-on-public-jobs-tell-it-like-it-is","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/to-avoid-disputes-on-public-jobs-tell-it-like-it-is\/","title":{"rendered":"To avoid disputes on public jobs, \u2018tell it like it is\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech\">\n    <button class=\"text-to-speech__button button\"><br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"text-to-speech__button__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/static\/img\/play.svg?500116090725\" alt=\"-\"><br \/>\n        Listen to the article<br \/>\n        <span class=\"text-to-speech__button__audio-length\">4 min<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls\">\n        <audio controls=\"\" class=\"js-text-to-speech\" preload=\"none\"><source src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dmgi9movl\/video\/upload\/q_1\/v1761315872\/news\/text_to_speech\/avoid-disputes-construction-infrastructure-megaprojects-communicate_vjngqp.wav\" type=\"audio\/mp3\"><\/source><\/audio><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls__text\">\n            This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\">feedback<\/a>.\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Talk early. Talk often. Talk honestly.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>That was the key insight from expert panelists discussing how to minimize disputes on major public construction projects during Construction Dive\u2019s Wednesday event, \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/events.industrydive.com\/events\/minimizing-disputes-on-public-contracts\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span>Threat assessment:<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/events.industrydive.com\/events\/minimizing-disputes-on-public-contracts\" target=\"_blank\">\u00a0<\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/events.industrydive.com\/events\/minimizing-disputes-on-public-contracts\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span>Minimizing disputes in public contracting<\/span><\/span><\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Panelists said the biggest value-add for these projects is to utilize a progressive design-build delivery method, which in particular relies on open communication through every stage of the process between stakeholders.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cI think the critical thing on all construction projects is really to have collaborative, open communication,\u201d said Lisa Love, mediator and arbitrator for alternative dispute resolution provider JAMS. \u201cI think the breakdown in communication really can have a snowball effect. And I think open communication and various other things that you can put in place will help facilitate the project.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Estimates place around $500 billion in the pipeline for U.S. megaprojects, Love said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Major civil jobs remain a hot market. Even with economic headwinds at the federal level, demand remains high in states and cities, said Mary Scott Nabers, president and CEO of research strategy firm Strategic Partnerships.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cA lot of DOTs right now are on total hold because of supply chain, because of inflation, because of tariffs,\u201d said Nabers. \u201cBut the amazing thing is that state and local government jurisdictions have not slowed down the construction projects at all.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Delivery methodology<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>With progressive design-build, \u201cyou can design and phase the project so that you\u2019re starting construction on the project much much earlier,\u201d said Chris Burke, vice president and regional manager of Granite Construction.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Meanwhile, other delivery methods often don\u2019t emphasize communication, Burke said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cIf we were starting from day one after the price is submitted, you could see that there&#8217;s no conversations on how we&#8217;re going to go build that project. And then inherently, it&#8217;s more challenging,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Nabers said she encourages clients to pursue new ideas that help foster collaboration, deliver projects faster and share the risk.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Steve Rule, vice president for Turner Construction, described the progress made in delivery methods since he started his 40-year career as \u201clight years\u201d ahead. With the advancements in progressive design-build \u201ceach step along the way increases that collaboration,\u201d Rule said, \u201cAnd I believe delivers a better product. And anecdotally, as far as I&#8217;m concerned, with much less disputes.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Straight talk<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>On massive projects, the most common disputes creating delays involve design issues, change in scope of work and late information sharing, according to Love. On average, she said, that can extend a major project by 16 months.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Clayton Gilliland, president of Oakland, California-based contractor Stacy Witbeck, emphasized what many already know: Time is money.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cWhen an issue becomes time related, that&#8217;s when the costs become staggering,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd so anything we can do to solve these issues and keep the project moving, that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re all about.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>And, as much as stakeholders may try, \u201cyou cannot contract your way around disputes,\u201d\u00a0 Love said. \u201cDisputes are inevitable.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>On the construction of new <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/turner-flatirondragados-phase-1-san-diego-airport-terminal\/760902\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Terminal 1 at San Diego International Airport<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Rule, the project director, said the building team ran into challenges. When designs indicated a higher cost than originally budgeted \u2014 in part due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic \u2014 Turner and JV partner FlatironDragados had to work with the airport to figure out how to proceed.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cWe were able to continue the project under some pretty tough circumstances,\u201d Rule said. \u201cAnd that all goes to the fact of that early involvement of the contractor and the design team.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In the absence of an impossibly perfect contract with all dispute resolution laid out, clear, honest communication \u2014 with everyone in the same space \u2014 is key, Gilliland said. Sometimes, that honesty may be tough, but it\u2019s vital to success, he added.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cI think as a culture, maybe we&#8217;re a little passive aggressive,\u201d Gilliland said. \u201cMaybe we sugarcoat things a little too much. If we could be more efficient. Tell it like it is.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><em>To watch the full event, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/events.industrydive.com\/events\/minimizing-disputes-on-public-contracts\" target=\"_blank\">click here<\/a><\/em><em>.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/avoid-disputes-construction-infrastructure-megaprojects-communicate\/803707\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">This article was originally posted at Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] Listen to the article 4 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. Talk &#8230; <a title=\"To avoid disputes on public jobs, \u2018tell it like it is\u2019\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/to-avoid-disputes-on-public-jobs-tell-it-like-it-is\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about To avoid disputes on public jobs, \u2018tell it like it is\u2019\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[457],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-construction-dive","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32935"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32935\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}