Contract Administration and Project Management
Managing the works
You must understand the main procurement routes and contract forms and the surveyor's role in administering them:
- Procurement: traditional, design-and-build, management contracting; single vs two-stage tendering.
- Contract forms: JCT and NEC families; the difference between lump sum, measure and value, and cost-plus.
- Administration: instructions, variations, valuations, interim certificates, retention, practical completion, defects liability, and final accounts.
- Programme and risk: critical path, float, risk registers, change control.
Key concepts:
- Variations must be instructed in writing by the correct authority.
- Retention protects the client during the defects period.
- Practical completion triggers the defects liability period and release of part retention.
- NEC uses defined events and early warnings; JCT uses architect/contract administrator certification.
Traps in questions
- Issuing oral instructions that are not confirmed in writing - a classic administration failure.
- Confusing practical completion with final completion (end of defects period).
- Assuming the lowest tender is the best value; whole-life cost and quality matter.
- Ignoring float and the critical path when assessing delay.
Worked rule of thumb
Apply the written-instruction rule: no variation is valid until instructed in writing by the authorised person; confirm verbal instructions immediately and value them before execution where possible.
Example: A contractor proceeds on a verbal change; the contract administrator must confirm in writing, assess cost/time impact, and issue a valuation - otherwise the final account is disputed.