Which of the following FIDIC Contracts would be suitable for a contract for offshore wind projects?

The FIDIC Yellow Book, formally the "Conditions of Contract for Plant and Design-Build," is the most suitable contract for an offshore wind project. This type of project is a complex engineering undertaking where the contractor is responsible for both designing the facility (e.g., turbine foundations, array layout, electrical systems) and executing the works, which includes procuring and installing major plant and equipment (e.g., wind turbines, substations). The Yellow Book is specifically structured for such design-build arrangements, where the contractor delivers a turnkey project based on the employer's requirements.

A. Construction Contract: This contract (the Red Book) is used when the employer provides the design, which is unsuitable for complex projects like offshore wind where contractor design expertise is critical.
B. Measured Term Contract: This is for recurring maintenance or minor works over a set period, not for a large-scale, new-build capital project.
C. Minor Works Contract: This contract (the Green Book) is intended for simple, short-duration, and low-value projects, making it entirely inappropriate for a major infrastructure project.

1. FIDIC (International Federation of Consulting Engineers). (2017). Conditions of Contract for Plant and Design-Build (2nd ed., Yellow Book). In the introduction and guidance notes, the book is described as suitable for the provision of electrical and mechanical plant and for the design and execution of building or engineering works, where the contractor takes on the majority of the design responsibility. This aligns perfectly with the scope of an offshore wind project.

2. Bunni, N. G. (2013). The FIDIC Forms of Contract (4th ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. Chapter 4, "The FIDIC Suite of Agreements and Contracts," explains that the Yellow Book is intended for projects where the contractor has a dual obligation to design and build the works, a common model for power plants and complex industrial facilities.

3. Glover, J. (2015). FIDIC Contracts: Law and Practice. Informa Law from Routledge. The text differentiates the contract forms, specifying that the Yellow Book is the standard choice for EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) or turnkey projects where the contractor, not the employer, is responsible for the design to meet a performance specification. Offshore wind farms are typically procured on this basis.