Further information on planning and programming

On 24 April 2013 the CIOB introduced their Contract for use with Complex Projects (CPC 2013). This new contract form includes specific prescriptive requirements relating to the management of time and the maintenance of records.

At the launch presentation it was explained that, following an earlier survey undertaken in 2008, it had been found that in many instances complex projects suffered delay to completion. Following this survey the first step was for the CIOB to produce the Guide to Good Practice in the Management of Time in Complex Projects. CPC 2013 relies on this publication, referring to it as the CIOB Guide.

CPC 2013 is a relatively lengthy contract comprising of four sections: agreement; conditions; appendices; and user notes.

Uniquely there is a requirement for the employment of a ‘Project Time Manager’ who is to be named under the contract. The contract user notes describe the project time manager as the contract administrator’s adviser on project time-related matters, employed and paid by the employer with a duty to act independently and fairly. The project time manager’s role is to check, approve or reject the contractor’s time-related information to ensure that the contractor’s time management processes are satisfactory and can be relied on for the purposes of decision making.

The format of the master programme, referred to as the ‘Working Schedule’, is covered at Contract Appendix D which covers such aspects as the activities to be identified, work breakdown and activity coding structures. The planning software which is to be utilised is also required to be identified.

Delay events under the contract, simply referred to as ‘Events’, are provided at Contract Appendix F which also identifies whether each of the events represents an employer’s time and/or cost risk. Procedures for the calculation of the effect of an event on time are given at clause 38 of the contract conditions which involves the impacting of the working schedule to identify the effect of the events. 

Following receipt from the contractor of the relevant information relating to delay the project time manager has 10 business days to advise the contract administrator of the impact described as well as the instructions that may be given in order to reduce the delay.

Following receipt of this information the contract administrator has 5 business days in which to award an extension of time. Under certain circumstances an award of extension of time can be reduced.

CPC 2013 allows for a process of expert determination in order to ‘fast track’ resolution of disputes within a period of 30 business days. 

It will be interesting to see whether this new contract will be adopted and if, as intended, it will prove helpful in respect of the management of time on complex projects.