公共工程展延工期爭議之分析與研究—以異常工地案例為中心

Abstract

當公共工程發生不可歸責於承包商之工程遲延時，即可能衍生展延工期問題，其中與異常工地狀況相關之爭議，非但對工期及費用之影響均甚為顯著，實務及學說見解亦有分歧，因而成為本論文所欲進行分析與研究之核心。 所謂異常工地狀況，是指工地現場之實際工作條件與原先預期情形有顯著差異，並非依有經驗承包商在投標及訂約過程中，經由工地現場勘查或檢視業主提供相關工地狀況資料通常可預見者。當遭遇異常工地狀況時，業主是否應同意展延工期、是否應給予承包商合理補償，當契約未予詳細規範，或契約雖有規範，但對承包商不盡公平時，風險應如何分配方屬合理，即成為此類爭議之主要焦點。 本論文先探討展延工期與異常工地狀況之相關概念與實務上常見之爭議，再舉出六個實際具體案例（包括法院判決、仲裁判斷及調解建議），研究業主與承包商在爭議案件中之主要攻防、實務見解所持看法。本論文分析結果發現實務見解雖尚未趨於一致，但業主與承包商仍可在事前採取適當對策以預防紛爭，及事後進行爭訟時妥善因應以爭取對自己有利認定，此即本論文最末所提出之結論與建議，以期提供業主與承包商參考。

Delay of public infrastructure projects which is not imputed to the contractor might lead to time extension disputes. Disputes related to differing site condition not only have significant impact on construction period and payment, but also give rise to different opinions among law practice and theory. This thesis, accordingly, focuses on the study of such cases. Differing site condition means that the actual construction site condition is significantly different from the initial expected condition. It is beyond the prediction of an experienced contractor by surveying the site or inspecting the data and information of the site provided by the owner during the bidding and contracting process. When differing site condition occurs, the disputes will mainly focus on whether the owner should agree to extension of time and reasonable compensation of incurred costs of extension, and how the parties should reasonably allocate the risk, if it is not specified in the contract or if the contractual terms are unfair to the contractor. This thesis first introduces the concepts and disputes of extension of time and differing site condition, afterwards, cites six relevant cases (including court judgments, arbitration awards, and mediation suggestions), and analyzes the major means of attack or defense of the owners and contractors as well as the opinions in practice in these cases. Although the legal opinions have not converged, the owner and the contractor can still take appropriate countermeasures beforehand to prevent disputes, and properly react in disputes in order to win favorable judgments for themselves. This is the conclusion and suggestion mentioned in the end of this thesis with a view to providing references for dealing with such cases.