Conceptual principles for determining the cost of project works for road works and services in the context of international experience

Introduction. The road sector is one of the industries governed by a large number of laws, regulations, and other normative-legal acts, many of which directly or indirectly affect it. Some of these require adaptation to the current conditions of the modern market and integration with the ongoing processes in the industry. Implementing new or amending existing normative-legal acts and regulatory documents is usually a complex process. Currently, Ukraine's economy is in a transitional period, largely due to military actions on its territory. Thus, addressing issues related to determining the cost of project works has become more relevant than ever. The concept of “price” is closely linked to the pricing factors that shape it, with pricing being a key part of achieving the strategic goals of enterprises. Pricing policy plays an important role in the lifecycle of project enterprises as it influences their development, creates a market environment, and allows for the continuation of activities and strategic planning for future development. Establishing a sound pricing policy involves research and gathering information about the market for road works and services, analyzing economic factors, and preparing projects to meet market needs and optimize their implementation. Changes in approaches to determining the cost of project works will help establish a sound pricing policy for project enterprises, which will contribute to the development of the road sector and, ultimately, the recovery of our country. Problem statement. In modern economic science, there are different viewpoints on the formation of project work costs. By developing theoretical foundations and systematizing analytical data, many Ukrainian and foreign scientists have explored the issues of construction and design pricing, offering insights into various pricing methods used in determining project costs. For many years, Ukrainian scientists have studied and compared project cost determination practices worldwide, where different methods and approaches are applied, with the aim of creating the most favorable pricing conditions for all participants in the investment process when determining project costs and implementing them in Ukraine. The works of scholars such as Günter Löhnert, K. A. Schreibe, S.-Yu. V. Marciukaitis, M. A. Karpovich, M. A. Simakova, and others, who focused on construction pricing and practical methodological approaches to project cost determination using various pricing methods, are particularly noteworthy. Today, the process of forming a contract price is labor-intensive and presents additional challenges for market participants, leading to corruption risks. At the same time, project enterprises propose new concepts and project solutions that will drive development in the current and future contexts of our country, with direct economic, social, and environmental impacts on the population and the country as a whole. One important task today is to review the existing pricing system, particularly regarding the determination of project work costs for road works and services. Objective. Improving the regulatory framework requires significant effort to enhance the legal regulation of the road sector as a whole. The purpose of this study is to analyze the current base of normative documents used to determine the cost of project works in Ukraine, study international experience in determining the cost of design work, and provide recommendations for improving the current pricing system for project works in Ukraine.