Publications update

Update on publications

This year, the publications team is delighted to report a number of new initiatives, including a new contract launched (FIDIC Green Book 2021) and a number of strategic licences signed and key translations completed in order to ensure that FIDIC remains the global voice of consulting engineers.

Licences

The Asian Development Bank signed a non-exclusive licence to refer to six major FIDIC contracts for projects they finance in Oct 2021. The multilateral development bank was the eighth MDB to secure such a licence agreement with FIDIC (in addition to UN agency the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the European Investment Bank who signed an MoU in May 2021. Bilateral agencies such as the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the French Development Agency also signed up for extensions to their ongoing licenses to strengthen and continue their partnerships with FIDIC. Longstanding partner, the International Labour Organisation also requested a new licence to continue using FIDIC for their ongoing projects in Lebanon in June 2022.

Pipeline progress

The FIDIC contracts committee and overall contract user community have been as busy this year as ever. The anticipated launch of the FIDIC Green Book 2021 was completed in December 2021, coinciding with the FIDIC International Contract Users’ conference 2021 taking place online. Work continues to finalise the reprint of the FIDIC Rainbow Suite 2017 and the FIDIC Guide to the Rainbow Suite 2017. The launch for these documents is anticipated to take place in London in November 2022 during the FIDIC International Contract Users’ conference.

The newly established task groups TG9 Sub-contracts, TG18 PPP, TG22 EPCM, TG19 FIDIC Handbook for practitioners and TG15B Golden Principles for Agreements have started their work in 2022 and are keen to present the first drafts for review by the FIDIC contracts committee. New task groups such as TG4 FIDIC Suite of Agreements 2017 Guide, TG21 Procurement Guide and TG 20 JV for Contractors, have been approved by the FIDIC board and are in process of consolidating their group members. The Guide to the Emerald Book as well as the test edition of the Bronze Book (ODBO type of contract) are also under production to complement the current collection of FIDIC publications. Translations

Given the wide geographical spread of the market it services, FIDIC recognises the need to accommodate different language requirements, so it tries as much as possible to make its contracts available in different languages. The successful collaboration with the World Bank was extended and translations were completed in March 2022, for the FIDIC Red Book 2017, Yellow Book 2017 and the FIDIC Gold Book 2008 into Portuguese, as well as FIDIC Silver Book 2017 into Spanish. Currently, the translation of the FIDIC Silver Book 2017 into Portuguese is at the final discussion stage with the World Bank.

We are also pleased to report that our partner CERN agreed to translate the latest FIDIC contracts – FIDIC Green Book 2021 and FIDIC White Book 2017 into French due to their engagement and use of FIDIC contracts in their ongoing projects. Both translations are now available to all FIDIC users. As a result, all of the latest FIDIC contracts are now available in the designated key languages, except for Arabic language, which is currently handled by the Jordanian FIDIC member association and will be made available during 2023. Last but not least, our member associations have also been busy with translations, including the latest Rainbow Suite 2017 editions. FIDIC’s Thai MA completed the FIDIC Rainbow Suite 2017 and FIDIC White Book 2017 and the Ukrainian MA completed the FIDIC Silver Book 2017. FIDIC’s Lithuanian MA also completed their translation of the FIDIC Red Book 2017. A number of licence agreements with different MAs have also been secured which will materialise as translations available throughout 2023.

Overall, FIDIC is trying to improve the delivery of its electronic products to enhance the user experience and meet the demand of the industry. The FIDIC bespoke licence acquisition process has been automated via an online form to aid and expediate the process for the FIDIC users. Also, the FIDIC digital rights management review group has completed the trial of the new FIDIC electronic format, called FIDIC educational version, which will address the need of users willing to view the document for reference and educational purposes at a competitive price for single or multiple users.

Top 10 hardcopy titles - December 2020 to April 2022

Top 10 electronic titles - December 2020 to April 2022

Overview – purchase trends July 2019 to May 2022