Commercial Change Control Across a Major NEC Infrastructure Project

Client Types Supplier
Life Cycle Stage In-Life Management & Governance
Sectors Transport and Major Infrastructure
Undermasthead Shape

Pain point:

“We are struggling to manage change effectively, with compensation events escalating.”

See how Clear stabilised contract administration and protected commercial value on a major programme.

Commercial Outcome:

  • Recovered significant contract value by resolving historic Early Warning Notices, Compensation Events and disputed changes
  • Stabilised NEC3 contract administration and embedded disciplined change management
  • Implemented robust governance, audit trails and reporting enabling defensible commercial positions and financial control
  • Elevated the commercial change team to high-performing, sustainable NEC3 contract management capability

Situation

  • A multi-billion-pound heavy civil infrastructure project was facing significant challenges under the NEC3 contract framework:
  • Significant backlog of Early Warning Notices, Compensation Event Notices, and quotations
  • Multiple longstanding disputed changes threatening revenue and projected timelines
  • Inconsistent NEC3 contract compliance across client, prime contractor, and supply chain teams
  • Fragmented governance, limited accountability, and incomplete record-keeping
  • Need to upskill teams and embed sustainable contract management practices

Objectives

  • Resolve historic contract issues and secure recoverable revenue
  • Implement a robust NEC3-aligned change management process
  • Strengthen governance, accountability, and record-keeping
  • Stabilise contract administration and elevate commercial change team performance
  • Align commercial QS team, change team, delivery and operational teams, planning, risk managers, cost controllers, finance
  • Develop internal capability through mentoring and training

Services

Contract Administration and Governance

  • Resolved historic Early Warning Notices, Compensation Event Notices and quotation backlogs
  • Implemented NEC3-compliant contract administration and governance processes
  • Established audit trails, reporting structures and contract record-keeping processes
  • Improved commercial reporting including cost value reconciliation and change trend analysis

Change and Risk Management

  • Managed and negotiated disputed changes, quotations and Compensation Events
  • Embedded structured change management processes through the CEMAR cloud-based platform
  • Supported forensic planning, delay analysis and assessment of programme impacts
  • Strengthened compliance with contractual timescales and notice requirements

Programme and Stakeholder Management

  • Aligned commercial, planning, finance, risk, delivery and operational teams
  • Facilitated collaboration between client, contractor and supply chain stakeholders
  • Supported integration of change reporting and delivery functions
  • Improved visibility and management of commercial and operational risks

Capability Building and Training

  • Mentored and coached commercial and operational teams on NEC3 administration and change management
  • Delivered training on quotations, Compensation Events, delay analysis and governance processes
  • Supported onboarding and development of permanent personnel
  • Embedded sustainable NEC3 contract management capability

Achievements

  • Resolved historic Early Warning Notices, Compensation Event Notices, and Quotations, recovering significant revenue
  • Implemented process improvements and coached teams to adhere to contractual timescales and capture changes to the baseline contract value
  • Integrated change reporting with the Programme Planning team, risk team, cost controllers, finance, delivery and operations personnel
  • Stabilised contract administration and elevated the commercial change team to best-in-class performance
  • Embedded a structured, cloud-based change management process with consistent compliance across stakeholders
  • Improved governance, auditability, and accountability, supporting defensible claims and financial control
  • Strengthened team capability and confidence, embedding sustainable NEC3 contract management and change management practice

Conclusion

Clear Consulting transformed contract administration and change management, delivering measurable financial, operational, and compliance improvements, while establishing a high-performing commercial change team and sustainable practices for future projects.

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