The Yellow Book follows the FIDIC approach of drafting a generally balanced contract with risks falling with the party better able to bear them. The Silver Book departs from this approach—the Employer pays a premium for a facility it can operate 'at the turn of a key' with minimum involvement.

The Golden Principles are as follows: GP1: The duties, rights, obligations, roles and responsibilities of all the Contract Participants must be generally as implied in the General Conditions, and appropriate to the requirements of the project. GP2: The Particular Conditions must be drafted clearly and unambiguously.

FIDIC document are by the Fédération Internationale Des Ingénieurs-Conseils. Although well-known internationally, FIDIC forms of contract are rarely used in the United States.

The best known of the FIDIC contracts are the Red Book (building and engineering works designed by the Employer) and the Yellow Book (M&E, building and engineering works designed by the Contractor). The original edition of the Red Book dates back to 1957.

4 Types of Construction Contracts Lump-Sum Contracts. Cost-Plus-Fee Contracts. Guaranteed Maximum Price Contracts. Unit-Price Contracts.

The Green Book can be used both for employer-designed and contractor-designed works, regardless of the extent of the contractor's design responsibilities. It can therefore serve as an alternative for both the more elaborate FIDIC Red Book (for employer-designed works) and Yellow Book (for contractor-designed works).

For instance, while the “FIDIC Red Book” is scoped around works predominantly designed by the Employer, the “FIDIC Yellow Book” is used for works primarily designed by the Contractor.