This Practice Note considers the use of dispute adjudication boards (DABs) in the 1999 editions of the FIDIC Red, Yellow and Silver Books, the Gold Book 2008 and the Pink Book 2010. These contracts all provide for Disputes to be referred to a DAB (called a 'Disputes Board' in the Pink Book), which issues a binding decision. If a party is dissatisfied with a DAB's decision, it can refer the dispute to amicable settlement and ultimately arbitration, provided it complies with the contractual time limits. For more information about the multi-tiered Dispute resolution procedure in these contracts, see Practice Note: FIDIC contracts (pre-2017 editions)—dispute resolution.

In December 2017, FIDIC published new versions of the Red, Yellow and Silver Books. The DAB is called the Dispute Avoidance/Adjudication Board (DAAB) in those contracts. For information about the role of the DAAB in the 2017 FIDIC contracts, see Practice Note: FIDIC contracts 2017—Dispute Avoidance/Adjudication Boards.

References in this Practice Note to the Red, Yellow and Silver Books and/or to clauses within them are to the 1999 editions of those contracts