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a b s t r a c tCurrently, multi-attribute auctions are becoming widespread awarding mechanisms for contracts in construction, and in these auctions, criteria other than price are taken into account for ranking bidder proposals. Therefore, being the lowest-price bidder is no longer a guarantee of being awarded, thus increasing the importance of measuring any bidder's performance when not only the first position (lowest price) matters.Modeling position performance allows a tender manager to calculate the probability curves related to the more likely positions to be occupied by any bidder who enters a competitive auction irrespective of the actual number of future participating bidders.This paper details a practical methodology based on simple statistical calculations for modeling the performance of a single bidder or a group of bidders, constituting a useful resource for analyzing one's own success while benchmarking potential bidding competitors.

Noncompetitive bids have recently become a major concern in both public and private sector construction contract auctions. Consequently, several models have been developed to help identify bidders potentially involved in collusive practices. However, most of these models require complex calculations and extensive information that is difficult to obtain. The aim of this paper is to utilize recent developments for detecting abnormal bids in capped auctions (auctions with an upper bid limit set by the auctioner) and extend them to the more conventional uncapped auctions (where no such limits are set). To accomplish this, a new method is developed for estimating the values of bid distribution supports by using the solution to what has become known as the German Tank problem. The model is then demonstrated and tested on a sample of real construction bid data, and shown to detect cover bids with high accuracy. This paper contributes to an improved understanding of abnormal bid behavior as an aid to detecting and monitoring potential collusive bid practices. individual papers. This paper is part of the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, © ASCE, ISSN 0733-9364/04015010 (11)/$25.00. © ASCE 04015010-1 J. Constr. Eng. Manage. J. Constr. Eng. Manage. Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by 190.110.102.1 on 02/24/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved. © ASCE 04015010-2 J. Constr. Eng. Manage. J. Constr. Eng. Manage. Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by 190.110.102.1 on 02/24/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved. © ASCE 04015010-5 J. Constr. Eng. Manage. J. Constr. Eng. Manage. Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by 190.110.102.1 on 02/24/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved. © ASCE 04015010-8 J. Constr. Eng. Manage. J. Constr. Eng. Manage. Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by 190.110.102.1 on 02/24/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved. © ASCE 04015010-9 J. Constr. Eng. Manage. J. Constr. Eng. Manage. Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by 190.110.102.1 on 02/24/15.

Purpose-Construction projects usually suffer delays, and the causes of these delays and its cost overruns have been widely discussed, the weather being one of the most recurrent. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of climate on standard construction work activities through a case study. Design/methodology/approach-By studying the extent at which some weather variables impede outdoor work from being effectively executed, new maps and tables for planning for delays are presented. In addition, a real case regarding the construction of several bridges in southern Chile is analyzed. Findings-Few studies have thoroughly addressed the influences of major climatic agents on the most common outdoor construction activities. The method detailed here provides a first approximation for construction planners to assess to what extent construction productivity will be influenced by the climate. Research limitations/implications-Although this study was performed in Chile, the simplified method proposed is entirely transferable to any other country, however, other weather or combinations of weather variables could be needed in other environments or countries. Practical implications-The implications will help reducing the negative social, economic and environmental outcomes that usually emerge from project delays. Originality/value-Climatic data were processed using extremely simple calculations to create a series of quantitative maps and tables that would be useful for any construction planner to decide the best moment of the year to start a project and, if possible, where to build it.

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