Assess fraud and corruption exposure across the capital project lifecycle from tendering to close-out.
Project Management
Fraud and Corruption Risk Controls in Capital Project Delivery
Design and operate fraud and corruption controls across capital project delivery, from procurement red flags and contractor due diligence to payment certification and whistle-blower response.
🗓️Duration5 training days
📚Content4 modules · 8 sessions
🎓On completionAccredited attendance certificate
About the programme
Course Overview
Capital projects lose value to fraud and corruption because complex, multi-tier supply chains, informal variation instructions and dispersed site teams weaken the segregation of duties that controls normally rely on. This course equips project controls, procurement, commercial and audit professionals to design and operate defences against these losses. It covers fraud risk assessment across the project lifecycle, red-flag indicators in tendering, variations and subcontractor payment chains, proportionate due diligence on contractors, agents and joint venture partners, and whistle-blowing and investigation protocols that protect reporters while preserving evidence. Teaching combines scenario-based red-flag spotting drills, control design workshops and structured testing exercises rather than lectures. Participants leave with a working fraud risk register template and a control-testing checklist they can apply directly to a live capital programme, alongside the judgement to distinguish genuine anomalies from ordinary project variability.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Design segregation-of-duties controls for procurement, variations and payment certification.
Identify red flags in tender submissions, bid rigging patterns and unusual subcontractor relationships.
Build a fraud risk register that links control owners, residual risk ratings and testing frequency.
Conduct proportionate due diligence on contractors, agents and joint venture partners.
Establish whistle-blowing channels and a defensible initial-response protocol for allegations.
Evaluate the strength of existing project controls using a structured control-testing checklist.
Who Should Attend
Project controls managers on capital construction and infrastructure programmes.
Internal auditors assigned to major capital project engagements.
Procurement leads responsible for tendering and contractor onboarding.
Commercial and quantity surveying staff who certify payments and variations.
Programme sponsors accountable for capital expenditure governance.
Compliance officers supporting construction and engineering business units.
Course Modules
Select any module to see its sessions and points.
01Mapping Fraud Exposure Across the Project Lifecycle
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Where Capital Projects Lose Value to Fraud and Corruption
- Distinguish fraud, corruption, bribery and collusion using recognised definitions and typical capital-project manifestations.
- Map the project lifecycle from business case to close-out to identify stages carrying the highest fraud exposure.
- Analyse how multi-tier supply chains and joint ventures create opportunities for concealment and collusion.
- Review common fraud schemes in capital delivery, including ghost employees, phantom variations and inflated quantities.
Session 2Building a Fraud Risk Register for the Project
- Construct a fraud risk register that records scheme, control owner, likelihood, impact and residual rating.
- Apply a fraud risk assessment workshop format to surface scheme-specific risks with delivery teams.
- Prioritise fraud risks against project value, contract type and payment mechanism.
- Link fraud risk register entries to existing enterprise risk and internal audit plans for consistency.
02Red Flags in Procurement and Contract Administration
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Detecting Bid Rigging and Tender Manipulation
- Recognise indicators of bid rigging, cover pricing and bid rotation in tender evaluation records.
- Test tender scoring sheets for unexplained pattern changes or late amendments favouring one bidder.
- Scrutinise pre-qualification and vendor master file data for shared addresses, directors or bank accounts.
- Design tender evaluation panels with rotation, dual sign-off and documented conflict-of-interest declarations.
Session 2Controlling Variations, Claims and Payment Certification
- Identify red flags in variation orders, including split invoicing and undocumented verbal instructions.
- Apply independent measurement checks before certifying interim payment applications.
- Review subcontractor payment chains for unusual intermediaries or offshore payment routing.
- Establish approval thresholds and dual authorisation for high-value variations and claims settlements.
03Due Diligence, Third Parties and Conflicts of Interest
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Due Diligence on Contractors, Agents and Joint Venture Partners
- Design a proportionate due diligence process scaled to contract value and country risk.
- Screen contractors and agents against sanctions, adverse media and beneficial-ownership registers.
- Evaluate joint venture and consortium agreements for clear liability, audit rights and termination triggers.
- Document due diligence decisions and escalation routes for unresolved red flags.
Session 2Managing Conflicts of Interest Across the Project Team
- Operate a conflict-of-interest declaration process covering staff, consultants and evaluation panel members.
- Assess gifts, hospitality and secondary employment disclosures against a defined project policy.
- Investigate undisclosed relationships between project staff and preferred suppliers.
- Refresh conflict declarations at key project gates rather than only at project start.
04Whistle-Blowing, Investigation and Control Assurance
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Whistle-Blowing Channels and Initial Response
- Establish accessible whistle-blowing channels for site-based and supply-chain staff.
- Apply a triage protocol that classifies allegations by severity and evidence preservation needs.
- Coordinate an initial response that protects whistle-blowers and secures documents before notice is given.
- Decide when to engage external forensic or legal support based on allegation scale and complexity.
Session 2Testing and Reporting on Control Effectiveness
- Run a control-testing checklist across procurement, variations and payment certification controls.
- Sample transactions using risk-based selection rather than purely random testing.
- Report control weaknesses and remediation timelines to the project steering committee.
- Track remediation actions to closure and re-test controls at defined project milestones.
What the participant receives
4 course modules
A structured syllabus
8 training sessions
across 5 days
32 detailed points
Applied, detailed content
Accredited attendance certificate
On completing the programme
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