The relationship between contract administration problems and contract type

Guided by a conceptual model developed by Davison and Wright, the research was conducted to determine which types of contract administration problems (e.g., delays) were perceived as most likely for seven types of contracts (e.g., small supplies and purchases). The survey was sent electronically to all members of the National Institute of Government Purchasing (NIGP). Postcards with the survey URL were also distributed to a random sample of members of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). Data were obtained from 557 respondents. The results for the perceived relationship of the occurrence of contract administration problems for the various contract types provided partial support for the conceptual model. The results also showed that construction contracts were perceived as having the most problems overall and delay was perceived as the most common contract administration problem. The implications and limitations of the research are discussed.