Title: The assessment of Saudi Arabian contractors' classification system and other worldwide systems

Authors: Saud Almutairi; Mohammed Algahtany; Jacob Kashiwagi; Dean Kashiwagi; Kenneth Sullivan; Isaac Kashiwagi

Addresses: School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University at Tempe, 660 S College Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281, USA ' School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University at Tempe, 660 S College Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281, USA ' Arizona State University, 2429 E Hermosa Vista Dr, Mesa, AZ 85213, USA ' Kashiwagi Solution Model, Inc., 2251 N 32nd St #5, Mesa, AZ 85213, USA ' School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 660 S. College Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281, USA ' Kashiwagi Solution Model, Inc., 2251 N 32nd St #5, Mesa, AZ 85213, USA

Abstract: Research has shown that construction projects in Saudi Arabia have exhibited poor performance for the past three decades. The government's construction in Saudi Arabia relies on the low bid delivery method and prequalified contractors using a contractors' classification system (CCS) run by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MOMRA). However, the current CCS is perceived to not accurately represent contractors' capabilities and performance and MOMRA aims to develop the current CCS. In this paper, the current CCS will be analysed as a case study through conducting interviews and reviewing internal reports. Furthermore, other worldwide CCSs will be analysed through a literature search in order to compare them with the Saudi CCS. Comparison results show that other worldwide CCS systems are up-to-date, simpler, and more transparent in comparison to the Saudi CCS. However, it is found that all the systems are disconnected from contractors' performances as they do not have a continuous and accurate method of measuring the actual performance of classified contractors.

Keywords: Saudi Arabia; contractor classification system; performance information; MOMRA; The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs; low-bid; innovation; contractor capability.

DOI: 10.1504/MEJM.2018.091130

Middle East Journal of Management, 2018 Vol.5 No.2, pp.89 - 104

Received: 27 May 2017
Accepted: 02 Jul 2017

Published online: 11 Apr 2018 *

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