Bidding Procedure, Contract Award and Construction of the Motorway Al 5 between Cottbus-West and Forst (Germany)

The turnkey construction method can be very beneficial to an employer both during the bidding process and during construction. A turnkey road construction project was selected for the first time in Germany as the construction method for the A15 motorway between Cottbus-West and Forst. In order to alleviate backups within the system a bidding procedure with a performance programme, developed by the Highway Construction Department of the Federal Ministry for Transportation was selected. The contract was awarded in June 1992 to the bidding partnership of Heilit + Woerner Bau- AG and Union Bau-AG. The planning and construction was carried out within the stipulated execution period. The alternatives provided in the turnkey construction method and in lump-sum contracts offer employers many advantages. These include the ability to thoroughly review proposals for completeness and feasibility and the provision of guaranteed construction costs whereby all unforeseen costs are absorbed by the contractor.