TY - CONF TI - Contractor experiences with competitive dialogue in a Norwegian road infrastructure project C1 - Singapore, Singapore C3 - Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) SP - 1 EP - 13 PY - 2026 DO - 10.24928/2026/0183 AU - Røksland, Joakim AU - Lædre, Ola AU - Wondimu, Paulos Abebe AU - Lohne, Jardar AD - Graduate student, Civil and Environmental Engineering (IBM), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway/Project engineer, Contur AS, Norway, joakim.roksland@contur.no AD - Professor, IBM, NTNU, Norway, ola.laedre@ntnu.no, orcid.org/0000-0003-4604-8299 AD - Adjunct associate professor, IBM, NTNU, Norway/Contract advisor, Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Oslo, Norway, paulos.wondimu@vegvesen.no, orcid.org/0000-0001-9421-594X AD - Research scientist, IBM, NTNU, Jardar.lohne@ntnu.no, orcid.org/0000-0002-2135-3468 ED - Hamzeh, Farook ED - Poshdar, Mani ED - Garcia-Lopez,, Nelly P. AB - Competitive dialogue enables early contractor involvement (ECI) in complex public projects, yet contractor perspectives remain limited. This paper examines how the joint venture KSR (Contur & Risa) experienced and worked within competitive dialogue in the Norwegian road project Fv. 44 Bussveien (Stasjonsveien-Gauselvågen), and what lessons are transferable. A qualitative single-case study used twelve semi-structured interviews and analysis of procurement and project documents. Findings are structured by competitive dialogue phases and linked to reported execution effects. KSR operated as an integrated contractor-consultant team and invested substantial effort between dialogue meetings to mature and optimise solutions against the award criteria with client feedback. Reported outcomes include constructability and risk-reducing redesigns and stronger solution maturity at contract award. Collaboration routines were perceived to carry on into execution, supporting method optimisations, time/material savings, and fewer changes. The loser’s fee was perceived as insufficient, though not determining. Competitive dialogue provides an effective ECI when clients provide competent, actionable feedback and when the criteria are clear enough to steer supplier work. The competitive dialogue supported a lean design process. High transaction costs and limited compensation may nevertheless restrict participation and should be addressed in process and incentive design. KW - Early contractor involvement KW - public procurement KW - infrastructure KW - award criteria. PB - T2 - Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) DA - 2026/06/22 CY - Singapore, Singapore L1 - http://iglc.net/Papers/Details/2491/pdf L2 - http://iglc.net/Papers/Details/2491 N1 - Export Date: 19 June 2026 DB - IGLC.net DP - IGLC LA - English ER -