FIDIC White Book (Consulting)

The FIDIC White Book is the informal name for the FIDIC Client/Consultant Model Services Agreement, a standard form contract published by the Federation Internationale des Ingenieurs-Conseils for appointing professional consultants -- engineers, architects, project managers, and advisers -- on design, supervision, and other technical services assignments.

What is the FIDIC White Book (Consulting)?

The White Book governs the contractual relationship between a client (the employer) and a consulting firm providing professional services, as distinct from the Red, Yellow, and Silver Books, which govern the employer-contractor relationship for physical works. It applies to feasibility studies, engineering design, construction supervision, project management, and specialist advisory services. Consultants appointed under the White Book are engaged on a best-efforts duty of care standard -- they must exercise the skill, care, and diligence of a competent professional -- rather than a fitness-for-purpose warranty, which is an important distinction when assessing professional indemnity insurance obligations and liability exposure.

The White Book sets out the scope of services in an appendix, the basis of fees and payment (typically time-based or lump-sum), intellectual property ownership (usually the client owns outputs, subject to payment), confidentiality, sub-consultant arrangements, and liability caps. Consultants acting as the engineer under a fidic-red-book-works contract are typically also appointed under a White Book agreement with the employer for that supervision role. Selection of consultants for White Book appointments commonly uses qcbs on development-bank financed projects, with the Terms of Reference defining the scope that the White Book will govern.

Why the FIDIC White Book matters for bidders

Consulting firms responding to requests for proposals on engineering and advisory services assignments will regularly see the White Book referenced as the intended contract form. Understanding its liability and indemnity structure before bid submission is essential: the White Book's liability cap (typically a multiple of the fee, negotiated in the appendix) must be covered by the firm's professional indemnity insurance policy. Firms should also scrutinise the intellectual property clause, which defaults to client ownership of all deliverables, and the payment terms, which affect cash flow on long-running supervision appointments. Variations to the standard White Book terms are common in development-bank and government projects, so careful markup against the standard form during contract negotiation identifies deviations that alter risk allocation.

FAQ

Is the White Book used for construction supervision?

Yes. The White Book is the standard form for appointing supervising engineers on works contracts, often alongside a works contract using the Red or Yellow Book. The consultant's scope of supervision services is defined in the White Book appendix.

What is the duty of care standard under the White Book?

Consultants under the White Book owe a duty to exercise the reasonable skill, care, and diligence expected of a competent professional with experience of similar services. This is a negligence standard, not a fitness-for-purpose guarantee, which is why the White Book liability cap and professional indemnity insurance are the key commercial levers.

How does selection under the White Book work on development-bank projects?

Development banks select consultants using competitive methods such as QCBS (Quality and Cost-Based Selection), which evaluates both technical quality and fee. The approved consultant then signs a White Book agreement with the borrower, with the scope and fee confirmed in the appendix.