Under NEC contracts it is imperative to have an Accepted programme every period. Not always easy on our fast paced construction projects where there is significant change and people are worried about what liability they would be taking on if they were to accept a programme. Our GMH Planning academy planners we expect a very high standard in terms of leading this process, and as such have come up with some golden rules to follow in terms of issuing and following the acceptance process for each programme:
GMH Planning Academy Golden Rules for Senior Planners
Here is a very simple guide for expectations we have for our GMH Planning planners in each of the roles they are undertaking with our clients. This will help set the very high standard we would want to see and give clients confidence that whoever they have from us will be giving them a very high quality of standard that they need.
- Make sure you have read contract data part 1 for contractual milestones and Z clause amendments to understand what changes there are with that bespoke project (feel free to send to Glenn Hide for independent review as well)
- Make sure programme to be issued to client is compliant to 31.2, 32.1 and any additional programme requirements in Works information
- Always submit a narrative with each programme, confirming as a minimum the following:
- Change to key project milestones/ reasons – particularly in relation to planned Completion
- Main progress in period
- Summary of critical path (if changed)
- Main activities planned for next period
- Changes made to programme – items deleted, details added
- Compensation events/early warnings in period that have/could affect programme
- Attachments submitted with the programme (including electronic format e.g. xer file)
- As well as having the main “planned Completion” and “Completion Date” milestones, make sure you have an equivalent “planned” milestone for each Key Date/Sectional Completion in the same way
- Run an integrity check on your own programme before submitting – checking for excessive float, open ends, falsely constrained activities etc
- As a general rule all programme should be resource loaded and in most cases cost loaded as well. Just because the Contractor/Subcontractor you are working for does not seem that bothered about doing that we should be pressing them to do it and advising them of the benefits it will bring
- Ensure you create a relationship with your opposite number on the client planning side so that you can talk to them each month and improve the chances of that being accepted
- Ensure that with each submission a meeting is held soon afterwards to talk the client through the programme and what it is showing which should help them understand if they should be accepting that programme
- Make it your job to make sure there is a written response to each and every programme submitted. Within two weeks (and ideally within one week) there should be a written response as to whether accepted or rejected. Make yourself a nuisance with the client where they do not seem to be responding (you could notify a compensation event under 60.1(6) if they fail to respond)
- If a programme is rejected, make sure you understand why and within 24 hours turn those comments round having been addressed and resubmit the programme. Don’t wait to correct these on the next due submission.
Ultimate golden rule is that we want an Accepted Programme EVERY period on the projects that we are involved with.