International Federation of Consulting Engineers FIDIC News	July 2008 Online at FIDIC.org/news Print friendly PDF

Activities   Leading commentators and industry authorities to speak The FIDIC 2008 Quebec Conference features John Ralston Saul, Canada's award-winning essayist, Pierre-Marc Johnson, Former Premier of Quebec, and industry leaders. Events   Consulting Engineers Africa 2008 showcased the continent The 2008 FIDIC Group of Africa Member Associations Conference formed part of a unique series of events to promote Africa's consulting engineering capacity.   FIDIC International Training Programme expands Over 40 training events are planned for 2008, as part of FIDIC's comprehensive and structured International Training Programme.   Forthcoming meetings and events End-of-year contracts training events lead up to the FIDIC International Contracts Users Conference, London, 1-2 December 2008. Contracts   Indonesia promotes FIDIC-related activities With greater use of FIDIC contracts foreseen, a workshop in Jakarta launched training and a Bahasa version of the Harmonised Construction Contract.   Revision of ILO public contracts labour clauses convention recommended A survey of the implementation of the International Labour Organization's labour clauses convention recommended revision to reflect today's best practice. Representation   Trinidad and Tobago to review FIDIC membership, training and contracts A visit to Trinidad and Tobago's construction council confirmed a strong interest in enhancing and extending involvement with FIDIC.   FIDIC acts on Europe task force report With a survey task force report as background, FIDIC discussed industry representation in Europe during the EFCA 2008 conference. Business practice   Procurement policies to mitigate risks in innovation Managing risks associated with innovation friendly public procurement starts to capture the European Union's attention. Business development   Development banks to explore more systematically sustainable procurement The main multilateral development banks agreed as a result of a FIDIC-initiated workshop that harmonised policies for sustainable procurement are needed. Ethics   All parties need to commit to anticorruption measures A special workshop in Washington initiated by FIDIC confirmed the development banks' interest in integrity management. Image   World Justice Forum recognizes the consulting engineers' role FIDIC's participation in the launching of the World Justice Project gave recognition of the consulting engineering industry's contributions. Notices to Member Associations   MA Notices: July 2008

Claims Intensive Dubai 10-11 Oct08 ORDER NOW Claims Course Vienna 4-5 Nov08 ORDER NOW Contracts Workshop Amsterdam 11-12 Sep08 ORDER NOW DBO Seminar Quebec Seminar 11 Sep08 Course sponsor FIIDIC Conference Quebec 7-10 Sep08

Activities Leading commentators and industry authorities to speak [full item: 104Ac]   Canada's renowned John Ralston Saul (see website), who has been declared a "prophet" by news magazines, will set the course of the FIDIC 2008 Quebec Conference A Strong Industry, Serving Society (Quebec City; 7-10 September 2008) by challenging today's paradigms in analysing the role of consulting engineers in a globalised society. His stimulating "View from outside the industry" - the theme for the first day - will be taken up in the opening plenary session by Pierre-Marc Johnson (see photo), Former Premier of Quebec, in an authoritative presentation on what happens if quality is not maintained in delivering the vital infrastructure which is the backbone of today's global economy. The afternoon seminars then explore how the consulting engineering industry influences society by examining the industry's role and its response to environmental stewardship, sustainability, ethics, and integrity.   In the second day's plenary session, senior representatives of leading international clients will give different perspectives on how quality services are delivered. The speakers are: Thierry Vandal, President, Hydro Quebec; Jean Simmon, President, Rio Tinto Alcan; Young Joo Chye, Public Utilities Board, Singapore; His Excellency Omar Maani, Mayor of Amman, Jordan. Once again, there are seminars to explore the key issues: developing communications skills; marketing sustainability; balancing risk and rewards. In the Wednesday plenary session, industry leaders will reflect on what must be done if the industry is to continue to provide leadership by building stronger organisations. The speakers are: Rick Firlotte, Golder Associates; Martin Neilson, Scott Wilson; Pierre Shoiry, Genivar; John Dionisio, AECOM. Seminars that follow will once again take up the key challenges notably: the industry's strategic importance; policies for developing firms; business strategies. A unique feature will be a final plenary session to establish specific goals and strategies for meeting society's needs while ensuring that consulting engineering further develops into a strong and viable industry that promotes innovation and optimizes quality and sustainability.   Aside from a varied programme for accompanying persons, young professionals will be able to network and share experience during a Sunday get-together, a an open forum on Monday, and the Future Leaders Workshop and a technical tour on Tuesday. Details and online registration for the consulting engineering industry's premier networking event are on the conference website www.fidic2008.org.   Events Consulting Engineers Africa 2008 showcased the continent [full item: 60Ev]   Consultants from 15 of Africa's French- and English-speaking countries came together at the FIDIC Group of Africa Member Associations (GAMA) Energy and the Environment Conference organized as part of Consulting Engineers Africa 2008 by ANBEIC-Tunisia on 23-25 June. A highlight was a presentation (available on FIDIC.org/GAMA) by John Boyd, FIDIC President, on urban planning and the critical role that engineers play in advising authorities on the available options for investment and sustainable solutions. A special African Development Bank workshop called upon the consulting engineering industry to help find long-term sustainable solutions to Africa's infrastructure needs. The bank confirmed that the development of local consulting capacity remained a high priority (GAMA subsequently submitted a follow-on proposal to other recent proposals for support to develop a train-the-trainers capacity-building programme). ANBEIC Energy and the Environment Workshops on the second day highlighted Africa's expertise, notably new technologies and innovation in the energy sector. For example, Tunisian authorities described strict guidelines and rules for the efficient use of energy, recyclable materials, water and waste water. The series of events ended with a FIDIC Claims and Dispute Resolution Seminar given by Tayeb Naidji, Les Contracteurs, Strasbourg, shown in the centre of the photo with, on the right, Sebastian Hoek, Kanzlei Dr. Hoek Stieglmeier, Berlin, and John Boyd, on the left.

Claims Intensive Dubai 10-11 Oct08 ORDER NOW Claims Course Vienna 4-5 Nov08 ORDER NOW Contracts Workshop Amsterdam 11-12 Sep08 ORDER NOW DBO Seminar Quebec Seminar 11 Sep08 Course sponsor FIIDIC Conference Quebec 7-10 Sep08

FIDIC International Training Programme expands [full item: 61Ev]   Over 50 contracts training events are planned for 2008, as part of FIDIC's comprehensive and structured International Training Programme in English (see FIDIC.org/events. Events are organized in several standard formats with the various formats covering the scope of modules in the FIDIC Contracts and Guide to Practice Training Manuals. Intensive courses (for less than 30 participants and lasting several days) and courses (for 50-70 participants for two days) cover the modules in a structured manner; workshops involve 30-50 participants with break-out sessions for in-depth discussion on specific topics; seminars involve a selection of topics presented by several presenters with relatively little interaction; conferences comprise high-level overviews of developments by experts. Structuring the programme aims to ensure that events meet the same standards and cover the same scope, giving participants a wide choice. Participants can also progress from introductory seminars through courses to in-depth workshops as their understanding advances. They even have the opportunity to explore the latest developments in the annual FIDIC Users Conference and the semi-annual FIDIC-ICC Contracts and Dispute Resolution Conference.   For contracts, new in 2008 are: intensive contracts courses in Qatar (FIDIC contracts; Claims and Dispute Resolution) and Dubai (Dispute Adjudication Boards); a contracts workshop in Brazil; contracts seminars in Sweden and Brazil; a training conference in the USA. For business practice, Project Sustainability Management training seminars have been or are being organized in Jordan, South Africa, Philippines, Norway, and possibly the UK, along with courses based on other Guide to Practice modules. Events are usually organized with partners, either Member Associations, local organizers or international training suppliers. Full details are available at FIDIC.org/events. Forthcoming meetings and events [full item: 56Ev]   FIDIC-Jordan Consultant Agreements Course, Amman, 9-10 Aug 08 FIDIC-Jordan Human Resources/Organization Course, Amman, 12-13 Aug 08 FIDIC-CECOPHIL Contracts Seminar, Manilla, 26-27 Aug 08 IBA Construction Projects Conference, Brussels, 5-6 Sep 08 FIDIC 2008 Quebec Conference, Quebec, 7-10 Sep 08 FIDIC-Cornerstone Contracts Workshop, Amsterdam, 11-12 Sep 08 FIDIC-VBI Contracts Seminars, Berlin, 26-27 Sep 08 FIDIC Serbia Seminar, Zagreb, 29 Sep 08 FIDIC-ECV Contracts Course, Brussels, 6-7 Oct 08 FIDIC-Cornerstone Contracts Workshop, Sao Paulo, 9-10 Oct 08 FIDIC-ECV Contracts Course, Dubai, 15-16 Oct 08 FIDIC-Cornerstone Claims Management Workshop, Abu Dhabi, 29-30 Oct 08 FIDIC-ECV Claims and Dispute Resolution Course, Brussels, 4-5 Nov 08 FIDIC Users Conference, London, 1-2 Dec 08   Contracts Indonesia promotes FIDIC-related activities [full item: 75Co]   His Excellency Dr. Ir. Djoko Kirmanto, Indonesia's Minister of Public Works, opened a FIDIC Contracts Training Workshop in Jakata, Indonesia, on 12 June 2008 that was also the occasion to release a Bahasa-Indonesia version (available at FIDIC.org/MDB) of the Multilateral Development Bank Harmonised Edition of the FIDIC Construction Contract. The photo shows the Minister displaying the new publication to journalists, with Sarwono Hardjomuljadi, Vice-President, National Construction Services Development Board, who organized the seminar on behalf of INKINDO-Indonesa and the Board. The Minister indicated that the government will soon make it a rule that tenders for large-scale construction projects must use FIDIC Conditions of Contract since "by adhering to FIDIC standards, tenders can be participated in by all contractors, including contractors, from other parts of the world." Richard Kell, FIDIC Past-President, and Peter Boswell, FIDIC General Manager, who were the main presenters took the opportunity to discuss plans to extend international training events and to set up a train-the-trainers programme, notably for engineers supervising major roads projects funded by development agencies under the Harmonised Edition.

Claims Intensive Dubai 10-11 Oct08 ORDER NOW Claims Course Vienna 4-5 Nov08 ORDER NOW Contracts Workshop Amsterdam 11-12 Sep08 ORDER NOW DBO Seminar Quebec Seminar 11 Sep08 Course sponsor FIIDIC Conference Quebec 7-10 Sep08

Revision of ILO public contracts labour clauses convention recommended [full item: 73Co]   The International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted in 1949 a convention on labour clauses for public contracts whereby public authorities would establish "socially acceptable" working standards through conditions of contract, labour clauses, and enforcement measures. An accompanying recommendation specified working conditions that should be prescribed in labour clauses and suggested that labour clauses similar to those in public contracts should be used where the private sector is licensed to operate a utility. Together they remain the only international, binding and supervised instruments for labour clauses in public contracts. The ILO in 2004 asked states to report on their national law and practice for a survey (available in PDF) for discussion at the ILO Conference in late-May 2008. Enrico Vink, FIDIC Managing Director, participated in the workshop that released the survey report claiming that the lack of interest in the convention stems from public procurement policies which, in promoting cost competition, prevent bidders from applying "best locally established working conditions". Meanwhile, there is a growing "sustainable procurement" movement to apply labour standards to both public and private contracting. The experts recommended a partial revision to recognize a) the absence of enforcement and legislation, and b) the role of public-private partnerships and of new actors, notably industry associations such as FIDIC that lead in the development of international construction contracts. For instance, it is possible that the labour clauses in the Multilateral Development Bank Harmonised Edition of the FIDIC Construction Contract may require modification if governments raise standards. Moreover, country-specific Construction Contract Particular Conditions for public sector contracts (e.g., Denmark PDF) may need updating. For procurement, users of FIDIC's Project Sustainability Management approach to set project goals and indicators will need to recognize new benchmarks for labour conditions.   Representation Trinidad and Tobago to review FIDIC membership, training and contracts [full item: 60Re]   A 15-year Vision 2020 Draft National Strategic Plan aims to guide Trinidad and Tobago in achieving "developed nation status by 2020" given "a wave of prosperity arising out of energy sector earnings". The 2007-2010 indicative Capital Programme for government projects envisages an annual spending of some USD 4.5 billion, with 27% for infrastructure and the environment. With the rapid increase in expenditure and the relatively small engineering and contracting sectors, the Joint Consultative Council (JCC) of the Construction Industry and other sector organizations are calling for greater transparency and oversight (see news item), support to improve construction sector performance (news item), undertakings on procurement legislation, and mitigation of government-to-government arrangements that reportedly crowd out local firms in projects such as the USD 300 million construction cost Port of Spain waterfront reconstruction (see photo).   The long-established (27 years) JCC, whose members are associations for engineers, architects, planners, contractors, and surveyors, successfully lobbied government for the adoption of the FIDIC Construction Contract. In response to the demand for training, a highly successful programme of two-day FIDIC-ECV Contracts Training Courses was organized under an agreement with the JCC. A visit by Peter Boswell, FIDIC General Manager, in late-June 2008 hosterd by Winston Riley, the JCC Chair, reviewed plans for extending the courses to the full range of contracts and business practice modules. The JCC Board also agreed that it would explore the possibility of establishing under its auspices an association to represent the business interests of consulting engineers. At present, the Association of Consulting Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago (ACETT) is mainly charged with managing, through its Board of Engineering and in line with government requirements, voluntary registers of individuals and firms in private consulting practice. These registers were once the responsibility of the Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago (APETT), a learned society. Finally, owing to the central role of FIDIC contracts, the JCC agreed that it may need to review the Board of Engineering's Special Conditions (available online) that are used with the Construction Contract's General Conditions to reflect local conditions.

Claims Intensive Dubai 10-11 Oct08 ORDER NOW Claims Course Vienna 4-5 Nov08 ORDER NOW Contracts Workshop Amsterdam 11-12 Sep08 ORDER NOW DBO Seminar Quebec Seminar 11 Sep08 Course sponsor FIIDIC Conference Quebec 7-10 Sep08

FIDIC acts on Europe task force report [full item: 61Re]   FIDIC President, John Boyd, FIDIC Executive Committee members, Pablo Bueno Tomas and Flemming Pedersen, and FIDIC Managing Director, Enrico Vink, who participated in 2008 conference (Prague, 30 May 2008; see News item) of the European federation EFCA, took the opportunity, based on a recent FIDIC-EFCA Task Force survey report (available on FIDIC Internal), to discuss industry representation in Europe with members and participants from 25 European countries. There is a strong interest in consolidating the interests of the two organisations (European Union/Commission activities for EFCA; international best practice for FIDIC) so that synergies can be enhanced while providing activities more cost effectively.   FIDIC has acted immediately upon several of the report's recommendations, such as expanding representation beyond the multilateral development banks, development agencies and cross-cutting international organizations to other industry sectors, and aims to examine in detail with EFCA various options for a proposed merger. Meanwhile, key issues for Europe include: fair competition; the availability of adequate professional indemnity insurance; the application of fair and transparent procurement policies (including the treatment of liabilities for consulting engineers); procedures for EU-funded projects, including the use of FIDIC contracts.   Business practice Procurement policies to mitigate risks in innovation [full item: 78Pr]   Speaking at the 2008 conference (Prague; 30 May 2008) Knowledge Management and Innovation in the Consulting Industry (see presentations online) of the European federation EFCA, Mette Quinn from the European Commission (EC) noted that services represent "two-thirds of the European Union (EU) economy" and is "the only sector that has delivered net job creation in the last two decades" (presentation in PDF). Services are also becoming "increasingly tradable, and thus exposed to the effects of globalization". Nonetheless "most EU policy instruments and measures in support of innovation are still mainly oriented towards technological innovation".   A 2007 European Commission European Service Innovation Memorandum called for support for innovation in services through "innovation friendly public procurement". A passing reference to life-cycle costs in a EC guide (available in PDF) implies that sustainability issues (e.g., who takes the risk for innovative design in infrastructure projects) and contractual issues have only been dealt with superficially. A similar situation exists in multilateral development bank (MDB) procurement (see News item). One hopes that planned EU programmes to define and test improved policies and instruments will be much more specific. Planned EU activities include a call for partners to develop policies and a call for proposals on transnational cooperation on the innovation network INNO-Net in late-2008.   Business development Development banks to explore more systematically sustainable procurement [full item: 58De]   At a historic workshop, initiated by FIDIC, in Washington DC in early June 2008, the major multilateral development banks agreed to a more harmonised approach for exploring existing policies and procedures that set the criteria for project planning. Although the bank's were instrumental in adopting the Equator Principles in 2003, few initiatives been undertaken in to determine how the banks can promote sustainable development in borrowing countries. Environmental policies are widely established, along with the usual economic policies. Social policies are discussed, but not in a coordinated manner, and a structured, comprehensive approach such as FIDIC's Project Sustainability Management has not yet been established. The banks now have a greater understanding of FIDIC's approach to sustainability in procurement (see FIDIC PSM presentation in PPT and the minutes of the meeting on IADB.org).   Discussions are underway on a possible working party to examine the ways to procuring more sustainable projects for and with the banks' many borrowing countries (envisaged tasks are outlined in a News item). FIDIC is very pleased to be part of this initiative, as it will not only lead to improvements in how projects are procured, but also in establishing quality as paramount in the selection of consultants.

Claims Intensive Dubai 10-11 Oct08 ORDER NOW Claims Course Vienna 4-5 Nov08 ORDER NOW Contracts Workshop Amsterdam 11-12 Sep08 ORDER NOW DBO Seminar Quebec Seminar 11 Sep08 Course sponsor FIIDIC Conference Quebec 7-10 Sep08

Ethics All parties need to commit to anticorruption measures [full item: 40Et]   With little recognition of the industry's initiatives to ensure business integrity, firms are tending to avoid multilateral development bank-funded projects, especially where the risk of doing business are high. To help restore a healthy business climate, FIDIC argues for recognition of its Business Management Integrity System (BIMS), and has developed a Government Procurement Integrity Management System (GPIMs; see News item) for use by procurement agencies. Like BIMS, GPIMS calls for senior-level management commitment, training and verifiable systems. At a special workshop in Washington DC in early-June 2008, FIDIC stressed that little progress would be made in combating corruption if all parties were not involved. The development banks indicated that they were, in principle, interested in a greater counterbalancing of their well-known punitive measures by evaluating GPIMs as a possible complement to, for example, the World Bank's Detailed Implementation Reviews that monitor "red flags" such as procurement delays to signal fraud and corruption.   Image World Justice Forum recognizes the consulting engineers' role [full item: 43Im]   The World Justice Project (WJP website) is unique in that it takes a multinational, multidisciplinary approach to funding initiatives to strengthen the rule of law. The project, which is supported by several major foundations and multinational firms, was launched at the World Justice Forum (2-5 July 2008; Vienna, Austria) that brought together, by invitation, hundreds of leaders from diverse disciplines. FIDIC President, John Boyd, moderated the Architecture and Engineering session. He was able to raise the profile of consulting engineers by demonstrating the industry's direct involvement in legal rights and in key legal issues confronting society. He envisages "further engagement with the legal profession and some joint efforts in regard to anti-corruption". Specifically, engineers proposed a) additions to municipality By-Law Indexes (e.g., Federicton, Canada, index) where proposed categories do not cover adequately public safety in the built environment; and b) an evaluation of development bank projects for their support of the rule of law.   Notices to Member Associations Meetings: see Meetings Executive Committee, Quebec, 4-5 Sep 08 (see Conference Diary) Directors and Secretaries, Quebec, 6 Sep 08 Presidents, Quebec, 7 Sep 08 Business Practice; Integrity; Sustainability: Quebec, 7 Sep 08 MA Letters 04/08: EC Election PDF 05/08: Quebec Conference PDF 06/08: FIDIC-EFCA Task Force report PDF 07/08: YPF Nominations PDF 08/08: Annual Survey PDF

Claims Intensive Dubai 10-11 Oct08 ORDER NOW Claims Course Vienna 4-5 Nov08 ORDER NOW Contracts Workshop Amsterdam 11-12 Sep08 ORDER NOW DBO Seminar Quebec Seminar 11 Sep08 Course sponsor FIIDIC Conference Quebec 7-10 Sep08

This email edition of FIDIC News is sent to FIDIC Member Associations, contacts and committee members of committees, as a multipart formatted email message with an attached PDF file. If difficulties arise, please download the newsletter from FIDIC.org/news. Member Associations are urged to forward FIDIC News to member firms. Advertising (logo with caption appearing on each page) costs Euro 800 for five consecutive appearances. See FIDIC.org/news/advert. International Federation of Consulting Engineers World Trade Centre II, Geneva Airport - Box 311 - CH-1215 Geneva 15 - Switzerland Tl +41-22-799 49 00 - Fx +41-22-799 49 01 - fidic@fidic.org - FIDIC.org