Partnering on small construction projects

Application of partnering concepts on small construction projects by owners or government functionaries could result in substantial savings for private owners and public exchequers annually. This paper develops a concept for partnering for small construction projects based on recent management research and theories being developed in universities with the lessons learned from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers experiences on partnering for large projects. The discussion addresses current attitudes toward partnering, particularly, in small (i.e., up to $3,000,000) private or government sponsored projects. An objective of this paper is to share the benefits of partnering on small construction projects, based on practices and experiences of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A final objective is to develop a primer for construction practitioners.