Understanding the Affecting Factors and Effectiveness Indicators of Bundled Performance-Based Maintenance Contracting

Performance-based maintenance contracting (PBMC) is considered superior to traditional contracting methods in managing cost, schedule, and quality. Previous studies mainly focused on performance indicators development, and there is a lack of systematic quantitative studies examining the effectiveness of project bundling strategies in PBMC (bundled PBMC) and the factors affecting their success. To address this gap, a survey was conducted to explore the relationship between the effectiveness of bundled projects and their affecting factors. Two rounds of surveys were conducted, involving 99 and 82 samples, respectively. Cluster analysis and network analysis were used to categorize the affecting factors and effectiveness indicators, based on which a covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) was developed. The results indicate that (1) bundled contracting is essential for most maintenance projects; (2) the main affecting factors of bundled PBMC include maintenance project compatibility, maintenance project sustainability, asset condition, and maintenance project similarity, and the main effectiveness indicators are achieving economies of scale, economies of bundling, and economies of competition; and (3) maintenance type and project size have significant positive effects on cost savings and road user satisfaction, and spatiotemporal proximity significantly impacts efficiency. The findings suggest that similar maintenance types and larger project sizes contribute to cost savings and higher user satisfaction, whereas closer spatial and temporal proximity enhance maintenance efficiency. These insights help stakeholders understand the affecting factors and effectiveness indicators of bundled PBMC, enabling project owners to develop bundling strategies in the preparation phase and contractors to arrange maintenance schedules during implementation.