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
A case study and a warning to would-be developers
Creating four dwellings for people to come home to... after half a century of doing this job, why, oh why, is it so difficult?
Reform of the fire engineering profession
Fire Engineers Advisory Panel: Authoritative Statement, reactions and next steps.
Restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster
A complex project of cultural significance from full decant to EMI, opportunities and a potential a way forward.
Apprenticeships and the responsibility we share
Perspectives from the CIOB President as National Apprentice Week comes to a close.
The first line of defence against rain, wind and snow.
Building Safety recap January, 2026
What we missed at the end of last year, and at the start of this...
National Apprenticeship Week 2026, 9-15 Feb
Shining a light on the positive impacts for businesses, their apprentices and the wider economy alike.
Applications and benefits of acoustic flooring
From commercial to retail.
From solid to sprung and ribbed to raised.
Strengthening industry collaboration in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Institute of Construction and The Chartered Institute of Building sign Memorandum of Understanding.
A detailed description from the experts at Cornish Lime.
IHBC planning for growth with corporate plan development
Grow with the Institute by volunteering and CP25 consultation.
Connecting ambition and action for designers and specifiers.
Electrical skills gap deepens as apprenticeship starts fall despite surging demand says ECA.
Built environment bodies deepen joint action on EDI
B.E.Inclusive initiative agree next phase of joint equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action plan.
Recognising culture as key to sustainable economic growth
Creative UK Provocation paper: Culture as Growth Infrastructure.
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.”
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.