Identificación de los criterios administrativos y técnicos que afectan el desarrollo de los proyectos de agua potable y saneamiento básico fundamentado en el desarrollo y finalización de los contratos de obra civil en los Municipios de San Diego, La Paz y Pueblo Bello en el Departamento del Cesar.

Abstract

The development of civil works contracts in Colombia, particularly in the Department of Cesar, is mostly governed by Law 80 of 1993, known as the General Statute of Public Contracting. This regulation highlights the relevance of the interventoría (technical supervision) as an essential mechanism for ensuring monitoring, control, and verification of contractual compliance. While not mandatory for all contracts, interventoría is required for certain types depending on the object, value, and complexity of the contract, and is considered a key element for project success. This study aims to analyze the administrative and technical criteria that influence the performance of interventorías in potable water projects, based on representative case studies from the Department of Cesar. A documentary review was conducted, focusing on publicly available contractual information and data provided by contractors. Based on this input, a qualitative analysis was performed to examine the criteria applied by interventorías, the behavior of the contracts, and the results obtained, identifying patterns and similarities among the selected cases. The findings suggest that contractual criteria applied through interventorías have a significant impact on the execution and outcome of infrastructure projects. Additionally, the standardization of contract structures in Colombia has, in some cases, limited the ability to address project-specific needs. Therefore, the study underscores the importance of implementing flexible and context-sensitive criteria that complement general guidelines and adapt to the technical, social, and administrative conditions of each contract.