FöRFATTARE
Olsson, Ulf

DATUM
1993-09-15

INSTITUTION
Väg- och vattenbyggnad / Produktionsledning

SAMMANFATTNING
Contracts for the operation and maintenance of roads and streets are today characterized by short-term perspectives and a low rate of development. One reason for this is that the client placing an order, within the framework of traditional contract procedures, specifies in detail what shall be done and sometimes even orders a certain type of machinery and equipment. The contractors are not made aware of the longterm quality ambitions of the client with respect to traffic safety and ease of flow.

A performance contract means that the client, instead of presenting technical solutions, makes measurable functional demands with regard to the finished product. The demand is for example made that the road surface shall have a certain smoothness and a certain friction The functional requirements are formulated so that they have a direct relevance for the safety and flow of traffic.

The functional requirements should be divided into an absolutely lowest permissible level (acute level) and a target level. The target level shall be maintained both as an average functional level during the contract period and when the contract is completed.

Functionally directed road maintenance should include measures to reduce traffic disturbances to a minimum. It should also be required of the contractor that he reports planned measures to the relevant road-user information centres.

Performance contracts radically change the roles of both the client and the contractor. The client's efforts are concentrated on controlling the quality of the final product from a user point of view, while the contractor takes over many of the traditional roles of the client such as planning, projecting, choice of technical solutions, choice of material and duty activities. Direct contact with road-users and residents will also be included in the tasks of the contractor.

The advantages of a performance contract are

• the functional expectations of the users become the guiding star for the contractor
• it stimulates the development of creative solutions by the contractor
• the responsibility boundary between client and contractor becomes "sharp" Trials with performance contracts for operation and maintenance have been carried out in both Sweden and the USA.

ISSN 0348-8373 / ISRN 1993:135 / NR 1993:135