CIC Guidance on working with New Engineering Contracts
CIC have written a new Risk Management Briefing entitled "Consulting in an NEC environment".
NEC contracts cater for the client/contractor and client/consultant relationship.
The Risk Management Briefings are a series of free guidance documents produced by the CIC Liability Panel. The briefings examine current areas of concern in relation to liability.
This briefing refers specifically to NEC4, Professional Services Contract (PSC) and its importance to the intended £650 billion spend on public and private infrastructure projects announced by the UK government in 2021.
The Liability Panel was set up to consider liability, legal and insurance issues. The panel drafts and publishes standard form contract documentation for consultants as well as the freely available briefings.
Nasir Khan, Chair of the Liability Panel said: "The UK government announced in 2021 that it has chosen the NEC4 contracts as one of the three options to deliver its £650 billion spend over the next 10 years. The CIC Liability Panel’s risk management briefing on Consulting in an NEC Environment provides consultants some key points to watch out for. The NEC contracts are known for their collaborative and flexible approach to project management. However, the consultants need to be mindful of the Scope, Z Clauses, Programme, and their obligations to mitigate potential liability risks.”
A full suite of CIC Risk Management Briefings can be downloaded for free from the CIC website.
This article appears on the CIAT news and blogsite as "Guidance on working with New Engineering Contracts" dated January 9, 2023.
--CIAT
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP).
- CMA and IRM publish 2020 competition law risk guide.
- Code of practice for project management.
- Design risk management.
- Facility security risk management plan.
- Interface risk in construction.
- NEC contract change management systems.
- NEC contracts - road development and management schemes.
- NEC contracts and collaborative working.
- NEC early contractor involvement.
- NEC early warning notices - a tool of mutual benefit.
- NEC3.
- NEC4.
- NEC Option A: Priced contract with activity schedule.
- NEC Option B: Priced contract with bill of quantities.
- NEC Option C: Target contract with activity schedule.
- NEC Option D: Target contract with bill of quantities.
- NEC Option E: Cost reimbursable contract.
- New Engineering Contract.
- Project manager.
- Project risk.
- Reflections on 2021.
- Resource allocation in design and construction.
- Risk appetite.
- Risk assessment.
- Risk assessment: a quality perspective.
- Risk feedback.
- Risk management.
- Risk mapping.
- The NEC and the Z clause.
- Third party dependencies.
- Time Risk Allowance.
- What is a hazard?
- Z clauses.
Featured articles and news
We're expanding our collaborative mission by launching DB Intelligence, an exclusive market research advisory panel. Built environment professionals can now get paid to share their expertise on industry trends, products and services.
Panel members receive direct financial incentives for participating in research projects like short surveys, 1-2-1 interviews and focus groups. Register today to shape the future of the construction sector.
Planning condition discharge in England and Wales
A brief exoplanation from a building compliance expert, with further links.
Overheating guidance and tools for building designers
Guidance for dealing with element of building fabric control that have increasing importance.
Shading for housing, a design guide
From the Good Homes Alliance and British Blind and Shutter Association.
UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC)
A shared framework for describing skills needs.
Social media ban consultation comes to close
CIOB urges UK Government to consider social media’s role in careers guidance in ban debate.
The latest of eight Skills England apprenticeship units
The addition of battery manufacturing welcomed by ECA with a warning about the risks of fast-tracked apprenticeship units.
Building Control Independent Panel final report
A precis of a key report led by Dame Hackitt with full recommendations and link to the government response.
Building Safety recap April, 2026
A short and longer run-through of the month, with links to further information and sources.
CIAT May 2026 briefing.
From medieval scribes to modern word art.
ECA welcomes crackdown on late payment and push for clean energy, whilst CIOB seek fixed cladding removal timeframes.
Cyber Security in the Built Environment
Protecting projects, data, and digital assets: A CIOB Academy TIS.
Managing competence in the built environment
ITFG publishes new industry guide on how to meet the ICC principles.
The UK's campaign to reduce noise pollution: Mythbusting, articles and topic guides.