Research by: Ekjot Sodhi and Lin Shy-Jwu
Open Book Accounting Overview
Open book accounting (OBA) plays a vital role in the procurement and delivery of government funded public sector as well as private sector funded infrastructure projects and construction contracts. The concept of OBA offers a clear transparent and independent view of people, systems, processes and controls in place for cost management, control and assurance of actual and defined costs to be reimbursed on target cost or cost based construction contracts.
Open book accounting helps by enhancing confidence, trust and collaboration between the contracting parties. Evidencing pre-agreed protocols used early on and throughout the project life cycle provides confidence and independent assurance to investors, clients and contractors on the effectiveness of processes and controls across the supply chain. The control processes include:
Effectiveness of financial & commercial controls
Accuracy of actual costs and planned forecast costs
Evidencing value for money and sustainable value
Open book accounting is an important tool in understanding the actual cost of a project over the entire project life cycle. By allowing the parties to the contract to view all cost records, processes and systems.
Applying OBA principles during pre or post-contract cost risk reviews, cost assurance audits and implementing cost assurance protocols helps ensure alignment with the intention of the construction contract used by all parties in a contract or an alliance. During this process, ensuring that commercial, financial controls and protocols are in place and being adhered to does the following;
Fosters mutual trust, collaboration & confidence
Provides assurance of actual costs, risks & opportunities
Prevents disputes, by mitigating cost risks early, building trust and healthy alliances
Open book accounting provides independent records and evidence based data that supports real-time commercial and financial decisions. It promotes healthy collaborative alliances, relationships and decisions making amongst funders, clients and suppliers. The additional detailed benefits of using OBA principles include;
Early multi-party engagement to mitigate project risk, optimise cost, revenue and profit
Contract changes and negotiations such as deeds of variations from fixed price lump sum to cost reimbursable contracts
Final account agreements, alliances and dispute resolution amongst the parties
Related: Open book accounting supply chain
National Audit office Case study
A case study by the National Audit Office NAO revealed that based on a study of public and private sector projects, the NAO has identified the five approaches below for collecting contract cost data from suppliers and using contract cost data effectively.
Ensuring that the price complies with the contract
Making better informed commercial decisions early
Assuring processes, systems and controls
Maintaining control proactively and mitigating risks early
Collaborating for achieving step-change innovation
NAO also found that these major contracts have a strategy for data collection and use of information and that the government departments concerned have a clearly communicated policies or contract clauses that identifies that they have the audit right to use open book accounting principles as and when required.
The NAO conducted survey disclosed that currently only 23% of government bodies have a policy stating when to use open-book accounting. We believe this will rise with ESG KPI disclosures.
Statistics
Reasons for cost overrun in construction projects worldwide, as of 2008
The graph above from Statista shows the most common reasons for cost overruns on construction projects around the world as of 2008. This data is based on a survey of leaders in the construction industry. 60 percent of respondents referenced material price escalation as a reason for cost overruns in a project making it the most commonly cited reason. The other reasons were followed by poorly defined scope of project (55%) and contractual disputes (40%). Such problems can be dealt by applying open book accounting principles early for the independent identification of risks as a result of the scenarios and issues mentioned in the graph. This will help the project and management team to ease up the process, reduce cost overruns and optimise opportunities by sharing actual cost data.
Our Tips on Open book Accounting
Lead to a more honest debate about the costs and funding models
Open book accounting offers transparent and procuring services
OBA principles is seen as key to successfully driving efficiency on contracts
Provides transparency and insight into supply chain pricing and profitability
Opens up collaborative and innovative negotiations with commercial, legal, and finance functions
Enhances confidence, trust and collaboration amongst the parties and multi-party alliances
Why Open book Accounting will be Vital in Future
The principles promote collaborative behaviours between client and suppliers
Leads to financial transparency and an overall improved performance
Independent evidence to investors and stakeholders that the project or business is making profits and doing so sustainably
Evidence that the company is paying invoices in a timely manner in line with the fair payment charter to the supply chain
Assurance of actual and defined costs for an equitable pain-gain-sharing formula
Enhances transparency with ESG KPI’s and prevents greenwashing
Vital for minimising disputes on cost based or target cost construction contracts, although this may be inevitable at times.
What to Avoid when Selecting a Construction and dispute Expert
It is easy to expend considerable time sourcing experts and end up going down a rabbit hole in your search, especially on complex matters requiring multiple experts i.e. combined quantum and technical disputes
Being too generalist about what expertise you need, for example, a mechanical engineering and plumbing (MEP) expert is sought but the matter may be purely an electrical issue – so you need to set your sights on a chartered electrical expert as opposed to an expert who is proficient in M&E disciplines
3rd party agents can assist in sourcing experts, but tread carefully and be aware this route can be expensive and limit fees to the expert, which in turn means the client may not get the best available resource. Also, multiple sources may end up “hawking” the matter, which can compromise and complicate the selection process
Casting the net too wide - by speaking to multiple experts during the procurement process which can create confusion with opaque views and differing approaches, known as “Expert shopping”
Try and avoid delays to selection and appointment. This may lead to the loss of an expert due to more pressing priorities
Limitations of Open-book Accounting
Open book requires a cultural change in the organisation
Requires skills unavailable in-house e.g., independent auditors
Can be time, information and resource-intensive
Open book being extended to other contracts excessively
Being used for the wrong reasons e.g., to transfer risks
Requires adapting and experience for each type of contract
Excuse to not proactively manage significant project risks
Requires target cost experience and commercial capabilities
Requires openness, and a culture of trust and transparency
Access to sensitive information could be met with resistance
Safeguarding sensitive data from competitors and clients
Exposes inappropriate aggressive price competitive practices
Risks of disallowed costs, loss of fees and revenue
Increased data and commercial risks if not robustly mitigated
References
https://www.statista.com/statistics/526875/reasons-for-cost-overruns-in-construction-projects/
https://www.nao.org.uk/press-release/open-book-accounting-and-supply-chain-assurance-case-studies-2/
What CFBL Consulting does?
CFBL consulting offers cost assurance audits and sustainable strategy consulting services. This includes an initial ESG assessment, X-ray view of actual costs to prevent or evidence greenwashing, impact reporting, payroll audit to safeguard equal pay and practical training on how to embed ESG KPIs into finance, commercial and project investment decisions. We identify, resolve, and follow through. By establishing ourselves as strategic partners, we govern and help implement sustainable strategies. Our roadmaps ensure that project plans are successful, as a result, we measure our success by yours.
Who We Work With and What We Do
Infrastructure project: cost assurance audits, systems payroll HR audits & protocols
SME Business Strategy: 5-Yr strategic business plans and financial statements
Fintech/Transformation advisory: minimising risk and optimising business case ROI
Sustainability & ESG: pay-gap carbon cost audits reporting ESG finance training
Training: delivering case-based training for buy-in to technology & staff upskilling
Fintech & Digital: strategy cost optimisation & digital transformation advisory
Steering Group (CSR): cost assurance and audits on infrastructure projects/contracts
Sustainability & ESG Strategy Tips - How can CFBL Consulting help
Developing and implementing sustainable business strategy for SME growth/scaling
Sustainability/ESG strategy: implementing, carbon measurement and benchmarking
HR/Payroll audit: Independent HR, payroll cost, pay-gap gender balance auditing
Sustainability & ESG: strategy implementation, carbon cost auditing/impact reporting
ESG Finance training: upskilling staff/supply chain on ESG KPIs in decision making
ESG protocols: training & designing controls, tools, and templates for ESG reporting
Infrastructure Projects - Tips & How can CFBL Consulting help
Cost assurance: implementing capex people, process, systems & controls
Protocols: training & designing project/contracts process, tools, templates
Independent cost audits: verifying actual/ defined cost on cost/open book contracts
Systems auditor: examining financial records, controls, and cost systems for integrity
Pre-audit diagnostic: identifying risks on cost-based/open book alliance contracts
Independent contract auditor role: Undertaking internal project/contract auditor role
Legal records: facilitating records for legal compliance on cost/open book contracts
Payroll audit: Independent HR, payroll, carbon cost, gender pay-gap/balance audit
Business case: Implementing capex strategy/developing investment business cases
ESG Finance training: upskilling staff/supply chain on ESG KPIs in decision making
ESG protocols: training & designing controls, tools, and templates for ESG reporting
SME Business Strategy -Tips & How can CFBL Consulting help
Scale-up investor funding pitch diagnostic assessment and recommendations
Developing a sustainable business plan for scaling-up, funding, and advisory
Developing/implementing strategy: sustainable business strategy for growth/scaling
5-Yr Strategic business planning: financial statements, analysis for funding & grants
People training & upskilling: business and supply chain engagement and training
Independent Fintech/Transformation Advisory: minimising risk and optimising ROI
Capex Investments: optimising grants, funding R&D tax credits & capital allowances
Financial management: tax, planning & implementing financial controls for resilience
Finance business partnering providing strategic advice in financial decision making
Fintech & Digital Transformation Advisory - How can CFBL Consulting help
Commercial systems: advisory on commercial, contract, cost, audits & projects
Financial systems: advisory on financial, HR, management, and reporting systems
ESG KPI reporting: Insight and benchmarking for reporting and competitive edge
Independent advisory on payroll, project, contract, cost, audit and reporting software
Independent advisory on technology that best aligns to strategic goals benefit
Training: delivering case-based training, for buy-in to technology & staff upskilling
Steering Group (CSR) Outputs: Tips - How our Steering Group Experts help
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