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Welcome to The Dispute Board Federation
This month we focus on the business of the Dispute Board Federation which is the administration of dispute boards, appointing dispute board members, providing names of professional members as panel members or mediators on infrastructure projects and engaging in the ADR process to help parties avoid costly disputes.
The DBF acts in many countries as an advisor to both Employers and Contractors on how to best proceed either under the relevant FIDIC contracts or the use of the DBF's own Rules and Procedures. The DBF is always available to partner with organisations, financial institutions, and insurers involved in infrastructure development in post conflict countries to assist in the swift re-building of necessary highways, bridges, dams and related works. A recent case in point is that due to regional demand, the DBF is in the process of finalising details regarding the opening of its new regional office in Singapore which will better serve the entire Asia Pacifc Oceania region.
In addition to these activities the DBF runs specialised training programmes both individually, with FIDIC, the IFC/World Bank Group, the Japan Development Bank, and other international organisations to help train procurement officers, financial officers, engineers, and contractors in FIDIC and DBF best practises so as to ensure the continued and uninterrupted development of construction projects worlwide.
The DBF also provides networking for its general and professional members so that through global interaction all parties can gain a better understanding of how projects can be effectively run both on time and on budget.
This issue of the Newsletter talks about news event related to recent projects in which we have been asked to assist as well as the upcoming Winter Symposium in Istanbul and our mutual support of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Congress on Roads sponsored by UKI Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Herbert Wilson
Executive Director
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The 2nd ACE UKI Congress on Roads
Bosnia-Herzegovina 
At the First B&H Congress on Roads, which was held a little over a year and a half ago in Sarajevo, various aspects of roads and road networks such as their planning, design, construction, and management both in Bosnia and Herzegovina, neighbouring countries and Europe were discussed and presented. More than 570 participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Spain, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Turkey, Great Britain and Holland took part in this gathering. 84 papers were presented during the Congress, while 142 reports were published in the Congress Collection of Papers. In the interim period between then and now studies and design documentation have been drafted for approximately 130 km of motorway in corridor Vc through B&H, as well as feasibility studies for motorways Banja Luka - Doboj (72 km), Tuzla - Orasje (60 km) and high speed road Lassa - Donji Vakuf (54 km). Further already under construction are the sections of the Sarajevo bypass, motorway section in corridor Vc Dobrinje-Kakanj and section Klasnice-Gradiska on motorway Banja Luka-Gradiska. Following in the tradition of the First Congress, this September the Second B&H Congress on Roads will provide an opportunity to analyse issues surrounding all aspects of the road transportation system development in the country. This is of particular importance currently due to the intensive motorway construction in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Second B&H Congress on Roads is an International Congress. The environmental protection, new road management system, new road construction and maintenance materials, innovations in road designing, standardisation and financing are topics, along with the use of dispute boards in the roads construction process, mediation and other such topics which should be at interest for employers, contractors, dispute board members, investors, public administrators, and others involved in road construction. The Second B&H Congress on Roads will take place in Sarajevo 24-25 September 2009 in Hotel Radon Plaza Sarajevo. For more information the direct link to the Congress Website is: ACE UKI Congress on Roads
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Requests on New Projects 
In the last month the Dispute Board Federation has been asked to supply names of its Professional Members for several new projects. These projects spanned the globe from Nepal, through France and to Barbados and as this Newsletter is being sent out that process is being completed. In addition the DBF receives requests from time to time for other services from its Professional Members, such as the names of engineers, or construction lawyers who are members of our group.
More typically the DBF is there to assist in the appointment and selection of a dispute board on behalf of both the Employer and the Contractor. The most recent example is in Afganistan, where the DBF has been
retained by the parties for the re-build of the major airports in and around
the city of Kabul. The first phase of this work, Qalai-Naw and Maimana
Airports, is being managed by the Ministry of Transport and funded by the Asian
Development Bank under the FIDIC Harmomised MDB edition of the Red Book.
The DBF is advising the parties as to the operation of the contract. It is
also short-listing potential Professional Members for the three member Dispute Board required
under the contract.
Quoting Chris
Chilton, the Chair of the Appointments Committee of the DBF,
"Although the Afghans are using this form of contract
for the first time, they are keen to embrace the spirit of the contract,
putting a premium on the dispute avoidance and resolution processes under the
contract"
This is the type of work the DBF does best and as stated by Jonathan Varoqui, Director of Programmes for
the DBF,
"We are pleased to announce that senior representatives from both
the general contractor and the Minister of Transport of Afganistan will attend DBF's Winter
Symposium, to speak on the projects there and to also participate in the main event of the Symposium which is the "Role of ADR & Dispute Boards in the Effective Rebuilding of Immediate Post-conflict Countries" where they will present on their work in Afganistan.
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Featured Events
Future combined
FIDIC -DBF
and
International Finance Corporation
related programmes
and events include:
London
Professional Members Dinner
15 October 2009
Sarajevo
Intensive
DAB Training
22-23 September 2009
Sarajevo
ACE UKI
2nd Congress on Roads
24-25 September 2009
Istanbul
DBF Winter Symposium
12-15 November 2009
For a full listing of programmes
and
events, brochures
and more information
and/or to register please go to:
www.dbfederation.org
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Istanbul 2009
Winter Symposium
Save the Dates
The Dispute Board Federation is holding its 2009 Winter Symposium in Istanbul Turkey the 12th through the 15th of November 2009.
This
promises to be an exceptional event with speakers and participants including leaders in International
Finance, Insurance, Construction, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Mediation, and
Dispute Boards.
All of whom will come together for lively debate and discussions on the
future of Dispute Boards, mediation and and the integration with Alternative Dispute
Resolution in the building of the infrastructure
in countries worldwide that are emerging from recent conflict.
The
Symposium is divided into various working sessions, along with discussion groups, and
lectures all on these subjects.
In addition to the working sessions there will be a gala reception for all participants and the opportunity for networking amongst the approximately 200 planned participants.
Additional pre-Symposium workshops are planned dealing with the proper use of ADR in a construction setting, mediation, and dispute boards.
Please save the dates.
Registration for this Symposium will open on
1 August 2009.
If you would like more information or to be put on the waiting list for this Symposium please contact Jonathan Varoqui.
His email is: j.varoqui@dbfederation.org
Looking forward to seeing you at what is sure to be an outstanding event.
Herbert Wilson
Executive Director
DBF
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