The disputes and collaboration group at the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) COVID-19 Task Force has published guidance on future-proofing contract amendments in light of COVID-19.
Building upon the Contractual Best Practice Guidance, which was published by the group in May 2020, it includes options for amending many of the JCT and NEC contracts to cater for impacts of the pandemic on delivery of the works/services.
The output cannot tell parties what to do but can help them identify the issues and distil their negotiated position into the drafting of the contract.
It is intended that this advice will provide a starting point for all parties involved as to how they will deal with the COVID-19 pandemic going forward.
The working group has also published additional material (a summary guide and guidance on record keeping) to help the supply chain manage the impact of COVID-19 on their businesses.
Steve Bratt, group chief executive officer at the Electrical Contractors’ Association, said: “The challenges UK businesses have faced as a result of the pandemic have been unprecedented. As such, the Construction Leadership Council has been working to sustain the construction industry through the current period when restrictions are in place, and to ensure it is able to drive future economic growth and prosperity.
“The additional guidance published on the future-proofing of contracts forms a key part of this workstream, enabling businesses to work across their supply chains and plan for the future.
“Building on the bank of advice issued by the government and industry in the last few months, combined with the summary and record keeping guides, aims to support firms as they continue to navigate the challenges of COVID-19 on their businesses.”
