In the 15 years between the release of NEC3 and NEC4, the engineering and construction industry made step change improvements in the way projects and work programmes are procured and delivered. It has been refreshing to see how the industry has innovated and improved, leaving behind a historical reliance upon traditional methods of procurement and limited forms of contract.
NEC has played a part in helping the engineering and construction industry do things differently and better. It has done so by, for example, introducing effective project management procedures
requiring pro-active management of risk and change, and the day- to-day use of an up-to-date works programme, into the contract itself. The ability to choose different pricing options (including target contracts and cost reimbursable contracts) has also given Clients flexibility in the allocation of risk, and the ability to share risk and jointly manage it, collaboratively.
NEC4 has taken the successful NEC3 contract suite and enhanced it, with some new features and some new forms of contract. All of the changes are a direct result of feedback from industry, to support methods and provide solutions which Clients are demanding.
