Resolving Contracts Disputes and Avoiding Construction Claims
Understanding contract law has become an essential part of conducting our daily business functions. Whether you are in purchasing, contract management, subcontracts, project management, general management or sales, you are constantly involved with legal and contract principles, sometimes without even realizing it.
Too often the wording used in Contracts is not properly understood by those who are making decisions relating to those Contracts, and non-specialists are reluctant to get involved in the process of drafting and amending the documents which are critical to their company’s success. There may also be problems in assessing amendments proposed by the other party, and determining whether these are reasonable, or are eroding your company’s position. The course will deal with Contracts written in the English language, and follow principles widely used in international contracting.
This course will explain in step by step manner, how to handle Construction Claim, how to carry out its scrutiny & Evaluation including the assessment of claim Entitlement, its quantification, its sustainability & deposition. Participants will know how protect yourself from claims & litigation by following these steps & avoid paying unjustified claims that arise during construction projects.
Upon successful completion of this course, the delegates will be able to:
This course is intended for planning engineers and supervisors, contract professionals, project engineers and project professionals, claims personnel and business audit officers, contract strategists, commercial professionals, purchasing officers and personnel, buyers, supply professionals.
This course is also beneficial to government, institutional and private sector owners, architects/engineers and other design professionals, planners and contractor representatives: project managers, managers, contracting department personnel, procurement department personnel, contract administrations etc.
Day 1:
Introduction
· Basic purpose of contracts
· Basic contractual structures
· Different types of contract for different construction activities
· How and why disputes arise
Elements of Contract UAL Disputes
· Scope of Work, The Drawings, The Specifications, The Bill of Quantities,
· Contract Schedule and progress measurement
· Main contract provisions and associated issues
· Fixed price clause, escalation clause
· Clarity in contract document about change orders and variations
· How to avoid extra claims before they arise
· How to reduce extra work claims if they arise
· Termination and Suspension, Warranty
· How to deal with disputes
· Types of damages, Claims and Dispute resolution
· Legal Issues, Owner’s liability, Contractor’s liability
Day 2:
Constructions Claims and How to avoid them
· Avoiding Construction Claims by Improving the Quality of
· Drawings, Specifications and Bidding Documents Prepared by Owners and Consultants
· Handling Changes in contract
· Logging of changes
· Certification of extra works
· Handling delay claims, defect liabilities, penalties
· Billing & recovery, retention money
· Deficiency lists, Liquidated damages
· How to reduce extra work claims if they arise
· Common mistakes made in handing extra claims
· Types of claims, filing a claim and supporting documents needed
· Cost Support for the claim, negotiation
· How to adjust claims against deficiency lists
· Negotiating the claim
How and why Contracts are drafted
· Why we use contracts
· Formation of a Contract
· The key elements of a contract
· Oral or written?
· Terms and Conditions of contract
· Agency issues
· The basic structure of a contract
· Incorporating documents by reference
· Standard Forms
· Form of Agreement
· Principles of contract negotiation
Day 3:
Main Contract Clauses
· Obligation to deliver/perform
· Rework/re-performance
· Risk
· Title
· Compliance with law/change of law
· Indemnities
· Insurance
Third parties
· Liability in negligence – relationship with contract conditions
Main Contract Clauses - continued
· Variations and changes
· Product liability and defective goods - rejection
· Precedence of documents – Special Conditions
· Intellectual property
· Taxation
· Suspension and termination
· Acceptance and Certificates
· Payment
· Liquidated damages/penalties
· Limits of liability
· Guarantee/Warranty/Maintenance
· Conflict of Laws and Choice of Law Clauses
Day 4:
Other documents and Negotiations
· Letters of Intent or Award
· Bank and Insurance Bonds
· Letters of Comfort or Awareness
· Collateral warranties
· Alliance /Partnering Agreements
· “Side Letters”
· Finance arrangements
· Negotiating contract qualifications and amendments
Day 5:
Negotiation and Resolution of Disputes
· Contract negotiation - continued
· Dispute Resolution clauses
· Unequal bargaining positions
· Negotiation, compromise and settlement
· Litigation
A variety of methodologies will be used during the course that includes:
· (30%) Based on Case Studies
· (30%) Techniques
· (30%) Role Play
· (10%) Concepts
· Pre-test and Post-test
· Variety of Learning Methods
· Lectures
· Case Studies and Self Questionaires
· Group Work
· Discussion
· Presentation
This rate includes participant’s manual, Hand-Outs, buffet lunch, coffee/tea on arrival, morning & afternoon of each day.
Daily Course Timings:
08:00 - 08:20 Morning Coffee / Tea
08:20 - 10:00 First Session
10:00 - 10:20 Coffee / Tea / Snacks
10:20 - 12:20 Second Session
12:20 - 13:30 Lunch Break & Prayer Break
13:30 - 15:00 Last Session