Contract Management is the process that enables both parties to a contract to meet their obligations in order to deliver the objective of the contract. It involves building a good working relationship between our client and contractor and it must continue through the life of the contract and involves management proactively dealing with issues that could affect the contract as well as reacting to issues as they arise.
The central aim of contract management, at Long O Donnell, is to ensure the project is delivered as expected and that value for money is achieved while optimising the efficiency of the process.
At Long O Donnell contract management does not begin when you need to sign a contract – it must begin at the outset of a scheme development. A contract strategy must be determined that will support the design development process and the contract timescales. If you are not in a position to complete your design prior to award, then you must consider a contract strategy that will lead to a relationship with your contractor that contemplates and deals with this eventuality.
The terms of the contract must then be developed to achieve your aims but also being conscious of the market that you are intending to contract with. The contract will need to be acceptable to both parties to be successful.
Once you have entered into a contract then the terms must be applied so that the contract can operate effectively. There are many standard contracts requiring application in different ways.
Our recent experiences are in forms such as: