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Understanding Construction Change Orders

Managing and controlling project scopes, costs, and schedule outcomes has been a primary challenge among transportation agencies for decades. Enhancing understanding of construction change orders can help practitioners with limited experience in federally funded transportation projects, along with their partners, achieve better project delivery outcomes. To support this increased understanding, the Project Delivery Center of Excellence consulted with national organizations representing transportation agencies, industry partners, and practitioners to identify some of the major causes of change orders and highlight methods that reduce their use.

The Understanding Construction Change Orders report identifies those common issues that result in change orders and cause project delays and overruns, as well as best practices to minimize and mitigate their use. The report also highlights noteworthy project delivery practices and approaches of project sponsors who have successfully addressed the impacts of change orders. 

Ultimately, understanding the underlying causes of change orders and deploying best practice strategies can help practitioners prevent or minimize the potential negative consequences of change orders. This will improve the likelihood of delivering the benefits of federal transportation funding to the public by ensuring projects are constructed on time and on budget.

Understanding Construction Change Orders report cover

View the report.