Contract administrator for construction contracts

In the construction industry, the contract administrator is the individual responsible for administering the construction standard contracts.

The contract administrator may be the project architect, but could also be the lead consultant, the cost consultant, a specialist consultant, a client representative or employer's agent, the project manager or an engineer.

On a construction management contract, the role of contract administrator might be attributed to the construction manager, and on management contracts the management contractor will perform the role of contract administrator.

Contract administrators are appointed by the client, but when certifying or giving an assessment or decision, they should act honestly and reasonably and their decisions are open to challenge via the dispute resolution procedure unless the contract makes their decisions final and conclusive.

The contract administrator's role will generally include:

• Inviting and processing tenders.
• Preparing contract documents for execution.
• Administrating change control procedures.
• Seeking instructions from the client in relation to the contract.
• Issuing instructions such as variations, or relating to prime cost sums or making good defects.
• Considering claims.
• Chairing construction progress meetings.
• Preparing and issuing construction progress reports.
• Co-ordinating and instructing site inspectors.
• Agreeing commissioning and testing procedures.
• Agreeing defects reporting procedures.
• Ensuring that project documentation is issued to the client.
• Issuing certificates of practical completion and interim certificates.
• Collating and issuing schedules of defects.
• Issuing the certificate of making good defects.
• Issuing the final certificate.

NB: On PFI (Private Finance Initiative) projects, there may also be an independent certifier who represents the project funder.

Roles in construction projects: analysis and terminology, by Hughes, W. and Murdoch, J. R, published in 2001 by the University of Reading, suggests that superintending officer is a synonym for contract administrator usually used in government contracts, and that supervising officer is a synonym for contract administrator usually used in local authority contracts.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Aftercare manager.
• Architects instruction.
• Employers agent (design and build).
• Causes of construction disputes.
• Certificate of making good defects.
• Construction contract certificates, notices and instructions.
• Contract claims.
• Change control procedures.
• Construction progress reports.
• Construction contract.
• Contract conditions.
• Contract strategy.
• Defects.
• Extension of time.
• Final certificate
• Instruction.
• Interim payment.
• Liquidated damages.
• Loss and expense.
• Practical completion.
• Private finance initiative.
• Project monitoring.
• Site administrator.
• Tender.
• Variation.

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