IRF Global and the World Bank Present New Global Framework for Smarter Road Maintenance
Washington, D.C. — The International Road Federation and the World Bank hosted a complimentary global webinar on June 9, 2026, introducing the World Bank’s new guidelines on Performance-Based Contracts for road asset management.
The webinar, titled “PBC Guidelines for Road Asset Management: A Global Framework for Smarter Road Maintenance,” drew strong global interest, with 320 people from 42 countries registered. Participants included government officials, road agencies, private contractors, development banks, researchers and other transport-sector stakeholders.
Road transport remains central to economic development and access to social services worldwide. As countries face growing pressure to maintain road networks more efficiently, performance-based contracting has emerged as an important tool for improving long-term road asset management, strengthening accountability and supporting more sustainable infrastructure outcomes.
The World Bank’s 2026 Guidelines on Performance-Based Contracts, or PBCs, draw on 25 years of global experience implementing the model. The new framework is intended to help countries prepare and execute performance-based road maintenance contracts while incorporating current best practices, including road safety and climate resilience considerations.
Through the webinar, IRF and the World Bank introduced the guidelines to a global practitioner audience, demonstrated the benefits of PBCs through practical perspectives and supported efforts to build a global community of practice around their use.
The program opened with a session on the role of PBCs in road asset management and their impact on country development, presented by Alexandra Spernol, an expert consultant with the World Bank. Eric Lancelot, Lead Transport Specialist at the World Bank and one of the authors of the guidelines, presented the new framework.
The webinar also featured a private-sector perspective from Steven K. Griffith of Roy Jorgensen, Inc., who discussed how PBCs can support operational and financial stability for companies involved in long-term road maintenance and asset management. The event concluded with an open discussion, key lessons learned and a question-and-answer session.
The webinar was moderated by Dr. Asif Faiz, Senior Technical Adviser at IRF Global and CEO of Faiz and Associates, LLC. A former World Bank Highways Adviser and Infrastructure Division Chief, Faiz has advised on performance-based road maintenance programs in countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Georgia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Uganda.
The webinar was part of IRF’s broader focus on performance-based approaches to preserving road assets and advancing more efficient, accountable and sustainable road maintenance practices worldwide.
