Counterfeiting Risk Governance in the Capital Projects Supply Chain

The capital projects supply chain has proved to be vulnerable to disruption by counterfeit, fraudulent, and suspect items (CFSI). The challenges associated with CFSI are intensified considering the project-based nature of industry that involves diverse actors and a complex supply-chain structure. The aim of this research is to study governance of the risks associated with CFSI in the capital projects supply chain. First, the status of the industry regarding CFSI is updated through a multistaged survey of the industry. An analysis of the survey results underscores the lack of awareness in the construction industry about the risks associated with CFSI and highlights the need for guidelines and collaboration at the industry level. A comparative study of CFSI risks and mitigation procedures in other industries echoes these needs. Therefore, mitigation strategies and practices are explored, and a framework to govern the risk of CFSI in the capital projects supply chain is proposed. An implementation roadmap is also recommended as a two-phased collaborative approach at the construction company and industry levels based on the proposed framework. (C) 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.