A perennial problem with the NEC4 engineering and construction contract (ECC) is the requirement for the works programme to be continually updated by the contractor and approved by the project manager.
While the principle of updated programmes is difficult to challenge, in practice it is administratively burdensome. The programme provisions (and sometimes failure to comply with them) seems to be a frequent source of concern and can be seriously problematic for NEC users.
We are regularly asked questions about the programme provisions in NEC4. These include questions like when do programmes need to be provided, or what happens if there is no Accepted Programme?
Whilst it might be expected answering questions of this kind would be straightforward, even with a detailed knowledge of the contract, a degree of hunting through the contract is required.
In view of this, we thought we would demystify the NEC4 ECC contract’s programme terms through a new short series of bitesize educational blogs we are calling ‘Standard form contracts explained’. This guide summarises our five articles from the series, designed to support those working in the construction sector.