Try to accept submitted programmes

Having an Accepted Programme in place at all times is a cornerstone of good management of NEC3 contracts. Dark clouds gather where the first programme submitted for acceptance is late, or does not show the information the contract requires as 1/4 (25%, lots!) of the Price for Work Done to Date is retained (until the clause is complied with). That's bad enough but then the assessment of compensation events is taken away from the Contractor and given wholly to the Project Manager to assess. Who would want to put themselves in that position, even allowing for an outstanding Project Manager who is not a fortune teller/mind reader?

So don't let that happy, keep the sun shining on the project and work damn hard as a team to regularly update, submit and accept successive programmes, giving all parties an outstanding tool to check progress, help make decisions in risk reduction meetings, assess compensation events, and so on.

What does this mean in practice?

• Try and say yes, I accept your programme, wherever you can, even perhaps if there are a couple of small niggly points.
• As Project Manager, tell the Contractor your reservations.
• Challenge the programme/Contractor.
• As Contractor listen and work with the Project Manager putting your points across of course.
• Walk and talk each other through it, don't do this in isolation, use that 10.1 spirit of trust and co-operation.
• Maybe make this process even more regular than the fallback position the contract demands.

Again, why business will not benefit from having a realistic, up-to-date programme in place at all times?

Saying no is easy; saying yes can sometimes be a challenge. Even with saying yes remember clause 14.1 means the communication (the 'I accept' bit) does not change the Contractor's responsibility to Provide the Works in accordance with the Works Information.