NEC3 Guidance Notes – An Introduction
Intro into GMH Plannings guidance notes, a useful resource at all levels for those involved in projects under the NEC3 form of contract.
NEC3 Suite of Contracts – Overview
The NEC contract is deliberately written to formalise the requirement to carry out good practice project management systems that should assist the project teams in understanding the status of both time and cost for the lifecycle of the project.
ECC Clause 10.1 – “Spirit of Mutual Trust”
The opening clause of the ECC contract brings two very important issues to the fore, that 1) everyone named and involved with the contract has to do what it says, and 2) do this in a spirit of mutual trust and cooperation.
ECC Clause 11 – Defined terms
Any capitalised terms within the contract mean that they are a defined term of which a definition will be found in section 11 of the contract, whilst any italicised terms within the contract will be quantified within Contract Data Part 1 of a particular contract.
ECC Clause 13 – Communications
Flow of communication is essential between the parties to ensure the level of understanding and transparency between the parties. In particular clauses 13.1 and 13.7 are key, where all communications are in a form that can be read, copied and recorded, and the requirement for any notification to be separate …
ECC Clause 14 – Project Manager and Supervisor
This clause introduces the two key players from the employer’s side of the fence. The Project Manager is the named person within Contract Data part 1 who will administer the contract on behalf of the Employer and is the designated authority to issue all instructions, notifications and other communications required …
ECC Clause 16 – Early Warnings
The early warning process is a mechanism for both parties to identify potential problems to the project. The contract emphasises that both parties are obliged to notify the other as soon as they become aware of a matter that could affect time, cost or quality. Traditionally it is the Contractor …
ECC Clause 30 – Programme
The NEC suite of contracts puts far greater contractual requirements upon the Contractor to produce and manage a detailed programme than other forms of contract currently in existence within the construction industry. Clear contractual mechanisms for agreeing change between the parties are key to successs.
ECC Clause 31.1 – Programme
Clause 31.1 confirms that a programme can either be bound into the contract or a first programme issued for acceptance after contract award within the time scales indicated within contract date part 1. If a programme is incorporated into the contract then this in effect becomes the first accepted programme. …
ECC Clause 31.2 – Programme Requirements
This clause is indeed one of the longest in the whole Contract, which provides a comprehensive list of what should be included within each programme issued for acceptance. It includes: – starting date, Key Dates and Completion Date – Planned Completion – order and timing of the operations which contractor …
ECC Clause 31.3 – Programme Acceptance
The accepted programme is key in agreeing the true state of play at any one point in time. The regularly submitted programmes will include contractors progress, their planned sequence of activities, as well as the effect that compensation events have at the time that they occur. The maximum period between …
ECC Clause 32.1 – Revising the Programme
This clause requires that all subsequent programmes include actual progress achieved on each operation and effect upon remaining work, the effects of implemented compensation events, how Contractor plans to deal with delays and correct notified defects and any other changes that the Contractor proposes to make. Put much more simply, …