New Engineering Contract
NEC was first published in 1993 as the New Engineering Contract. It is a suite of construction contracts intended to promote partnering and collaboration between the contractor and client. It was developed as a reaction to other more traditional forms of construction contract which have been portrayed by some as adversarial.
The intentions of NEC contracts include:
- Stimulating good management.
- Being clear and simple, written in plain English, in the present tense and without legal terminology.
- Being useable in wide variety of situations from minor works to major projects
The suite of documents now include:
- NEC4: Alliance Contract
- NEC4: Design Build and Operate Contract
- NEC4: Dispute Resolution Service Contract
- NEC4: Engineering and Construction Contract
- NEC4: Engineering and Construction Short Contract
- NEC4: Engineering and Construction Short Subcontract
- NEC4: Facilities Management Contract
- NEC4: Facilities Management Short Contract
- NEC4: Facilities Management Short Subcontract
- NEC4: Facilities Management Subcontract
- NEC4: Framework Contract
- NEC4: Professional Service Contract
- NEC4: Professional Service Short Contract
- NEC4: Professional Service Subcontract
- NEC4: Supply Contract
- NEC4: Supply Short Contract
- NEC4: Term Service Contract
- NEC4: Term Service Short Contract
- NEC4: Term Service Subcontract
The Engineering and Construction Contract has 6 options:
- NEC4: Engineering and Construction Contract Option A priced contract with activity schedule
- NEC4: Engineering and Construction Contract Option B: priced contract with bill of quantities
- NEC4: Engineering and Construction Contract Option C: target contract with activity schedule
- NEC4: Engineering and Construction Contract Option D: target contract with bill of quantities
- NEC4: Engineering and Construction Contract Option E: cost reimbursable contract
- NEC4: Engineering and Construction Contract Option F: management contract
There are a number of articles relating to NEC on Designing Buildings:
- Accepted programme.
- Activity schedule
- Compensation event.
- Cost reimbursable contract.
- Defined cost.
- Delay damages.
- Disallowed cost.
- Early contractor involvement.
- Early warning notice.
- Key dates.
- Latham Report.
- 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.
- Period for reply.
- Term Contract.
- The NEC and the Z clause.
- Time Risk Allowance.
- Z clauses.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Futurebuild and UK Construction Week London Unite
Creating the UK’s Built Environment Super Event and over 25 other key partnerships.
Welsh and Scottish 2026 elections
Manifestos for the built environment for upcoming same May day elections.
Advancing BIM education with a competency framework
“We don’t need people who can just draw in 3D. We need people who can think in data.”
Guidance notes to prepare for April ERA changes
From the Electrical Contractors' Association Employee Relations team.
Significant changes to be seen from the new ERA in 2026 and 2027, starting on 6 April 2026.
First aid in the modern workplace with St John Ambulance.
Ireland's National Residential Retrofit Plan
Staged initiatives introduced step by step.
Solar panels, pitched roofs and risk of fire spread
60% increase in solar panel fires prompts tests and installation warnings.
Modernising heat networks with Heat interface unit
Why HIUs hold the key to efficiency upgrades.
Reflecting on the work of the CIOB Academy
Looking back on 2025 and where it's going next.
Procurement in construction: Knowledge hub
Brief, overview, key articles and over 1000 more covering procurement.
Sir John Betjeman’s love of Victorian church architecture.
Exchange for Change for UK deposit return scheme
The UK Deposit Management Organisation established to deliver Deposit Return Scheme unveils trading name.
A guide to integrating heat pumps
As the Future Homes Standard approaches Future Homes Hub publishes hints and tips for Architects and Architectural Technologists.
BSR as a standalone body; statements, key roles, context
Statements from key figures in key and changing roles.
Resident engagement as the key to successful retrofits
Retrofit is about people, not just buildings, from early starts to beyond handover.






















Comments
[edit] To make a comment about this article, click 'Add a comment' above. Separate your comments from any existing comments by inserting a horizontal line.