Q1 2023: Supply Chain Updates

Supply chain worries are projected to continue for another five or six years. Researchers on this subject agree it is going to get worse before it gets better, despite some recent decrease in material prices.

Project timelines continue to experience interruptions due to the supply chain issues that are still posing problems. Often times, contractors sign agreements to perform the work within a certain amount of time (sometimes with penalties for missing completion dates). Somewhere in the fine print it also says that they understand every detail in the plans and specifications can be accomplished. This, in effect, means they are agreeing to gather all the parts and pieces to construct the finished project on time. These days, gathering all the parts and pieces in time is not always possible.

Contractors are now saying that the ultimate solution is to include only materials and products that are currently available during project design. For projects in progress, owners, designers, and developers must either agree on necessary material and product substitutions or accept the resulting delays. [5]

[5] Schleifer, T. C., PhD. (2023, January 5). Supply Chain Snarls Aren't Going Away. Do Something About Them. https://www.enr.com/articles/55686-supply-chain-snarls-arent-going-away-do-something-about-them